Patchwork Improv "Floating Squares"

First project in the Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters is a challenge to set aside the usual modern quilter's tools and get back to a more intuitive use of scissors and build from a two sets of pre-cut squares. The assembly begins with a third color as the "filler"  to make these pre-cut squares fit together into larger and larger blocks. It was suggested one begin with a limited amount of fabric for each color and an unlimited amount of filler fabric to make it work until you ran out of squares.

 

I chose all solid fabrics which is a popular choice with modern quilters and I haven't done much work with pure solid color fabrics. I was always drawn to the tiny print calico style fabrics for it's interesting visual textures, but I am learning to use both and wanted to be pure in my first attempt at doing a Score from the Handbook. I used Kona Solids: Cinnamon and Chartreuse and Lilac as the filler color.  It worked out rather nicely I thought and I quit assembling them when I had three blocks that were about the same size. The total wasn't big enough for anything but a new born infant quilt so I decided to choose a second set of colors to work that would mimic my first set but be different. 

Next color selection was Salmon pink, dark Magenta and Silver gray for the filler.

Once those were joined up I took a third set of Turquoise, Orange-yellow and used Corn yellow as my filler.

 

Then I had enough to make a throw quilt top and started trying to figure out how to join them all together. It was an interesting project but I found in the end I didn't care much for the three sets together.

I was surprised at how easy it was to cut and sew fabric in straight edged shapes not using a ruler which is actually how I began before I had a set of rotary cutters and rulers and mats. In the future I will decide on all the fabrics going into a project before I get into a mix up like this one was.

finished top "Floating Squares" 43"x 56"