Modern Quilt Month: Improvisation! (2)

In modern quilting, improvisation refers to a freeform, intuitive approach to design where quilters create without strictly following traditional patterns, precise measurements, or pre-planned templates. It has its own category for modern quilt shows! We hope you enjoy these photos of improvisational quilts.

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Pop Art Dandelion by Jo Avery (Stirlingshire, UK) @joaverystitch 

Outstanding - improvisational - and SO colorful!  Pop Art Dandelion is "a further exploration of my Dandelion clock block," says Jo Avery.  "I used light through dark shades of the same colour to create large flowers using my Freehand Foundation Piecing technique. The interlocking rings of petals give a layering effect. The use of bright colours with strongly contrasting backgrounds and the four block layout give this a Pop Art vibe."  The piece was quilted on a Handi Quilter MoxieXL long arm using FMQ and some rulerwork.

Tryst by Irene Roderick (Austin, Texas) @hixsonir 

Irene Roderick is the author of Improv Quilting (available at Amazon)! We love the painterly quality she achieves with solid color fabrics, making Tryst look from a distance more like an oil painting than a quilt!  She explains, "I love playing with shape and color and when it's all finished, stepping back to see what I've made. "This quilt looked like two figures meeting in the dead of night and [they are] probably up to no good!" 

Disco Robots (Vertebrae #6) by Mindy Brown (Alexandria, Virginia) @A_study_of_mindy

This improvisational quilt vibrates with energy and movement! Mindy Brown says that Disco Robots (Vertebrae #6) came from an idea to try and create the same motif with strip piecing. The use of strong contrasts emphasizes the "vertebrae" motif. Mindy Brown says, "I ended up with these funny figures and when I put them together they looked like they were at a party!" You can see more of her fascinating Vertebrae quilts on her website.

Image credits: Photos were taken by Quilt Inspiration at the 2025 Quiltcon show in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE: This post has some affiliate links for products we think you’ll like. Even if you don’t want to buy the items online, we think it’s helpful to see what they look like, so you can buy them at your local craft store. If you make a purchase from one of these links, we’ll make a small commission. There is no extra charge to you.