Friday Finish Improv "Closer to you"

"Closer to you"

approx 46" x 48"

spiral quilting

did not straighten edges, just bound as is

I finished! I am super surprised at this one. I have been working on doing the Improv scores from the book The improv handbook for modern quilters by Sherri Lynn Wood.  This is my #4 score on the patchwork doodle. I started the center blocks of this quilt last year when Louisiana Bendolph taught a class about Gees Bend quilts and quilters.  A good portion of this fabric is up-cycled pieces from my moms scrap box. The coral strips are pieces from an old dress. There is even a dart or two in my quilt that I left in.  Some of the denim is from a patch bag that she also had in her stash so I am assuming they are bits from her old jeans.  I didn't have any striped scraps from my dads old Oshkosh overalls so I went to the thrift store and bought a few striped shirts.  The lighter blue fabrics are from the portrait quilt I made of my mom called So Blue. 

The score could be done like a medallion. I started with those 4 blocks and then kept adding around and around until it was a good size wall hanging.  I wanted to play with several improv techniques and just let the shape work itself out. 
Surprises - how much fun it is to take bits that are made and fit them together. This is not new to me but I am surprised by the 'puzzlement' of it every time. 
Discoveries - I am an emotional quilter. I felt like the whole while I was putting this together that I was really close to my mom and oddly the unidentified men who gave up their shirts for this quilt! 
Satisfactions -The mix of fabrics was both frustrating and liberating. By using the mix of old and new and textures and weights it came all together and felt right.
Dissatisfaction - I think the only thing would be that is it over and that I still have a ton of fabric left. I could have gone bigger and done more but this felt right as is...now what to do with all the leftover fabric?

The back I had lots of leftover shirt fabric and I had an odd block that I tried but didn't fit on the front.  I can't wait to wash this and see how crinkly good it turns out. 

linking up with Finish it up Friday with Crazy Mom Quilts