Two quilt finishes: Kaleidoscope and Jacquie Gering improv class

You know the thing with blogging, life gets busy and bloggin gets pushed aside--even reading my favorite blogs. Also, so does extra time for quilting. Anyway, I did manage to finish up the Kaleidoscope quilt from the Don't Call Me Betsy Kaleidoscope QAL (which only started in May 2011, ha!), and a little improv wall hanging from the improv piecing class given by none other than the lovely, talented Jacquie Gering. If you ever get a chance to take a class from her or even just to meet her, take advantage of it. She's an amazing artist and has a great personality to boot.

The kaleidoscope details...

Pattern: Don't Call Me Betsy Kaleidoscope QAL, throw size

Quilting: by me

Notes: Finished as part of the Front Range Modern Quilt Guild's UFOctober. I needed a little push to complete this. It has bugged me that my points don't match up well in almost every block where the convex angle is so that kind of sapped my motivation to finish it.

Who it is for: The quilt was always intended for my son and I'll put it on his big bed when he is old enough for one. Right now, it is draped over the rocker in his room. I hope he'll like it when he get's a bit older. It wasn't made with perfection, but it was made with love.

Fabric: most of it is Make Life by Sweetwater for Moda, but there are lots of others thrown in. I think most of it ended up being Moda. There is some Sherbet Pips, Peas and Carrots, American Primer and Sunkissed for sure.

The improv details...

Pattern: from Jacquie Gering's improv piecing class. Instructions for it can be found in her Quilting Modern book, the quilt is Urban Garden.

Quilting: by me

Size: about 24''x24'' (I didn't measure it exactly, but it is pretty small)

Notes: The class with Jacquie was inspiring and this pushed me artistically. I don't feel that's ever happened in a quilt class before and I loved it. This was a really intuitive quilt for me and I don't feel like I really nailed the design but I do enjoy it. It has a lot of energy, for sure. I am a little uncomfortable with how crazy it is. Also, the way I basted and quilted it distorted some of the shapes pretty badly but it sort of works with the design. I am declaring that a happy accident.

Who it is for: this quilt was made for my husband for his upcoming birthday. Many of the prints have extra meaning in them.

Fabric: the background is a blue/black shot cotton from Studio E. The rest are primarily text prints I have collected over the years with a few other solids and prints mixed in.