Improv Quilts

Introduction
Tools and materials
Quilting basics

Chapter 1 Colour play
Colour harmonies and colour theory
Project 1: Irish chain
Project 2: Your rainbow in squares

Chapter 2 Improv piecing: Ruler-cut
Basics of improv and straight-edge piecing
Project 3: Sawtooth Star
Project 4: Scrap bin cleanout

Chapter 3 Improv piecing: Ruler-free
Basics of ruler-free improv
Project 5: Squash Blossom
Project 6: Large piecing

Chapter 4 Advanced improv piecing: Curves
Exploring curved improv
Project 7: Wagon wheel
Project 8: Rainbow arcs

Chapter 5 Putting it all together: Your improv voice
Creating your own quilt
Project 9: Medallion
Project 10: Combined skills

Chapter 6 Finishing your quilt
Basting
Quilting
Binding
Labels

Colouring sheets

About Laura Loewen

Laura Loewen is the owner of Quilt Fort Company, a modern quilt artist, pattern designer, and quilt educator. Since making her first quilt as a teenager, her style has grown more experimental, and she now has over twenty years of quilting experience with a love of color and improv. Laura's award-winning quilts have been shown at galleries and museums, including the National Quilt Museum, and her work has been published in Simply Moderne, Curated Quilts, Quiltmaker, QuiltCon Magazine, and more. She has a professional background in interior design and photography, and spends her days at home raising her two boys outside Boulder, Colorado in the US.

Ailish Henderson

Some of us work well by rules, the rest of us love to rebel. I at heart, hate straight lines, I do not enjoy measuring and calculating. That is why I write about Textiles rather than be a tailor. So the title of this book have my curious nature a nudge - I am pretty improvisational in life - so what's not to love about a quilt channeling my outer qualities? I like the arty way this book has been presented. For this reason, I can see it attracting a younger audience than some more traditional quilt books. Of course you still need to learn how to quilt - we are not let off the education completely, but you can use the skills to develop your own voice in quilting art. I can imagine once you gain your confidence, dyeing your own fabrics and using those to make a quilt using the guidance in this book. The pictures and diagrams seem very clear, for those who want to know.

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Library Journal

Loewen has been designing and making quilts for over two decades. In this book, she invites readers to approach projects spontaneously and free from the strict rules of traditional quilting. She explains that improv quilting happens when quilts are created without a final product in mindan approach that requires flexibility and an experimental mindset. Loewen uses clear instructions and step-by-step visuals of projects that are cut with and without a ruler and has sections on advanced quilting and assembling the final project. She suggests reading the book from beginning to end and approaching the process in a certain order but gives consistent and gentle reminders that perfection is not the goal. The book provides many examples of compatible color schemes and explains the importance of tertiary colors and working with a 12-color wheel. Loewens emphasis on creativity and intuition will give readers confidence to develop work that expresses their personal style. Of note, this book uses imperial measurements, and the author has provided the metric equivalents, which were calculated following standard conversion practices.

VERDICT: An excellent choice for creative quilters of all levels who are interested in a more free-flowing style of working with fabric.

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@joaverystitch

Improv Quilts is bursting with joyous colour and pattern! I just adore the way Laura uses colour and her quirky improv style. This book helps you create your own versions of some of her signature quilts and exciting new designs like Wagon Wheel and her gorgeous medallion quilt.

The book is full of practical techniques on colour, improv piecing and finishing your quilt. I also love the crisp clean layout. I'm so happy that the book also includes one of my all time favourite ever quilts Rainbow Arcs which I got to see in person at QuiltCon last year (and Laura at the same time!)

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone wanting to explore improv quilting or if, like me, youre already a fan then it will provide so much inspiration! Well done Laura and Search Press!

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Blodwen from Half Yard Sewing Club

So Inspiring!

If you quilt and havent had the nerve to improvise with colour, shapes, different cuts, etc then this is the book for you. There are so many things to try, and the book gives you the nerve to try so much more. It is quite an eye opener.

The first few pages inform you on what tools and materials you will need and the following pages thrill and excite you with ideas you can try to make some wonderful and different quilts. There is no need to be afraid of any of the ideas as there are step by step instructions on how to do everything. There is even a colouring chart at the back of the book for you to design your own patterns.

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced quilter/ sewer this book is one for you, and at only £15.99 the 128 glossy pages are really worth it. 

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Helen from Half Yard Sewing Club

This title is designed for confident beginners to experienced sewers. It begins with an explanation of Improv quilting, how to use the book as well as materials required and tips and tricks. The chapters are clear and colourful and explains how to work colours, designs and shapes to create your own style quilts.

I would say, as a novice quilter, this book looked quite confusing, but if you enjoy a 'free' style of quilting then you would be interested in this approach to create 10 different quilts.

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Jayne from Half Yard Sewing Club

This is a really interesting and detailed book. It also has a very personal tone from the author, Laura Loewen. The book has everything from an explanation about Improv quilting, through to completing a quilt using the various techniques. The book is designed to be worked through sequentially, building from information about colour palettes, to learning the various techniques, although you could also 'jump around' and focus on a particular technique. The instructions are clear and helpfully supported with very clear photographs. It is excellent value for money.

The book is suitable for both experienced and novice quilters, and provides opportunities to use any leftover scraps you might have from other projects to create your own Improv quilts. 

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Juliet from Half Yard Sewing Club

Improv Quilts By Laura Loewen is designed to be read from cover to cover and the projects to be worked through in the order they are presented in the book.  Laura also states, in the chapter on Quilting Basics, youre probably reading this book because you are ready to take the next step in your quilting journey. 

Improv Quilts sounds like a book for those who are super confident but I was pleasantly surprised. Information offered covers, amongst other topics, colour harmonies, colour sketching, colour play, quilt planning, assembly and binding. There are ten projects (all designed to get the quilter thinking about the different aspects of their own improv project) and for each one Laura explains the skills and aims each will give. There are good diagrams, plenty of photographs and just enough narrative.

Scrap Bin Clean Out and the Rainbow in Squares quilts are two projects that could be tackled by a crafter who loves quilting and wants to get better without worrying about perfect points, whilst the remainder of the book provides aspiration to learn and improve into the future.

At the back of the book are templates for three of the projects and a useful colouring sheet that can be photocopied for multiple projects.

Ten projects ranging from beginner friendly to challenging not bad for the price.

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Lynne from Half Yard Sewing Club

I have wanted to try some Improv Quilting for a long time, but never had the courage. This book by the Author has given me the confidence to try. Right from the start you are led through the process and how to build with stash and to use colour and design to make your own Quilt. She talks you through in sections that help with colour, how to use a ruler to cut your pieces of fabric and also ruler free cutting right up to finishing your quilt.
l loved the ease of the book and how to start as a beginner and the ability to if wanted to make advanced blocks to give your quilt, cushions, Wall hangings an edge that is not the norm. The author also gives you colouring sheets to copy to decide how and what colours to use. Anyone can walk their way through this book and not feel as if they will not be able to achieve. l have seen many quilters make improv designs and with this book l feel l will be able to master the way to my first Improv design.
Thankyou. A book to but to try something different.

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Publishers Weekly

Loewen encourages readers to throw out the quilting rule book in this creative take on the craft. The projects start out relatively structured, limiting improvisation to color selection. For instance, Loewen shares how to make an Irish chain quilt by cutting 125 fabric squares of various colors and feeling out where to place each of them in the chain design. Next, she incorporates the ruler-cut piecing technique, showing how to construct a ramshackle sawtooth star quilt by sewing half-square triangles at imperfect angles and trimming the lopsided edges against a ruler. Additional techniques are even more distinctive, including wonky log cabin blocks made from irregularly sized rectangles and half-square triangles with curved lines instead of straight diagonals. The quilts become more impressive the farther they stray from the neat geometry of traditional quilts. The scrap-bin cleanout quilt involves assembling bits of leftover fabric in an elaborate collage of rectangles, while the rainbow arcs project juxtaposes deliberately lopsided arcs of color with sawtooth blocks that resemble the jagged shapes used to emphasize comic book punches. The asymmetrical designs offer a refreshing departure from standard quilting fare, and an extensive section on color theory will aid readers in creating harmonious compositions from their fabric scraps. This is sure to get quilters creative juices flowing.