Auditioning Improv Quilt Blocks

Inspired by Mid Century Modern Curves

I was excited to be able to take a class at the Minnesota Quilt show from Carole Lyles Shaw.  She is an expert on modern quilts.   She is also an Electric Quilt 8 user and Tech Know Quilter member.   I recommend her blog and any of her classes.  

I will be sharing one of her designs and many of Carole's tips in Modern Quilts 2.  Tech Know Quilters should watch for this class.

One of Carole Lyle Shaws Mid Centery Modern Quilts

The class I took from Carole was Mid Century Modern Curves.  She created a spectacular black and white version of her concept.  The quilt won a prize at MidAtlantic Quilt Festival Competition for "Best Use of Negative Space in the MidCentury Modern Category".   

(Click on the photo of her quilt to link to her blog post.  You can also see her award- winning quilt.) 

I joined Carole's class with a stack of ombre fat quarters and a background fabric.  I used her sew, slice, re-position method to create three full blocks.  As an added bonus I created 2 partial blocks from the left-over pieces.

This was definitely outside of my comfort zone -- but I am pretty happy with my blocks.

---

Kari's Pieced Blocks from Carole's Mid Century Modern Class

I am much more comfortable with a bit of structure.   I decided to use EQ to audition my blocks in a quilt layout
 
I had two options.  Option 1:  Redraft the blocks using EasyDraw.   However, I realized it wasn't necessary.  Option 2:  Take a perfect square photos of each of the blocks.  Then import into Electric Quilt. 

I needed to do a bit of cropping and distorting in PhotoShop.  Then I saved the  images in My EQ8>Images folder.   Check on my tutorial on using PhotoShop here.
​
In the free video I include:

• Importing the photos of my Mid Century Modern Quilt Curves blocks into Electric Quilt
• Modifying some photos to create fabric.
• Using the photos and fabrics in a quilt layout.

I wanted to label the photo below -- "Is it live, or is it Memorex?"  Does the fact that I remember the old commercial date me?

Kari's EQ Layout for her Mid-Century Modern Table Runner (Center only)

Note -- The above photo is actually my Electric Quilt 8 rendition of my quilt center.

Next I need to find some time to work on the borders.

---

​EQ8 Designing More Quilts - On Sale

Follow the step-by-step lessons to create eight extraordinary quilts. You will be drawing blocks based on photos, designing a quilt with digital fabric panels, using a mathematical formula and special layouts to create amazing optical illusions, and so much more! Use the knowledge from the techniques you learn and make each quilt your own. After going through these lessons, you’ll feel like a quilt-designing genius! ​

Regular $29.95.  On sale through July 1, 2019 for $27.95.

Purchase EQ8 Designing More Quilts

---

Happy quilting.

​Kari

​Sign up for my newsletter to stay current on what's happening in my studio and learn more quilting tips.  As a thank you, I'll send you a FREE pattern for this small maple leaf quilt.