Journal Notes

I’ve always wanted to try improv, but I’m a planner. An organizer. I like to know where I’m headed, how to get there, and how long it will take me to arrive. Improv strips all of this away. I wanted to give it an actual try. What better time than the 2027 Quilt Con scrappy challenge? The challenge requires that the quilt be made from one hue with a minimum of ten fabrics used. I went to my stash and saw a ton of pink. I separated them into lights, mediums, and darks. Then I began improv cutting quarter ovals and sewing them together. I decided not to use templates or rulers for any of the curves. I would only use rulers to square up blocks. I had no clue where this was going but I kept moving forward. Eventually, I started arranging them on my design wall and saw dark stars emerge on a light background. Then I saw the opposite - light stars floating over a dark background. I felt an excitement running through my body as I furiously sewed the blocks together. Points weren’t perfect. Everything felt wonky. But I didn’t care! I felt FREE! I loved the process of making this quilt. When I stood back and looked at it after it was completed, all I saw was wonky blocks with imperfections. And you know what? That’s life. Nothing is ever truly perfect. That’s part of what makes it beautiful. I’m embracing the imperfect beauty that makes this quilt shine!w