"It's a Hoot" Improv Baby Quilt

Owls. Flowers. Trees. Dots. What's not to love?! I fell hard for the "It's a Hoot" by Momo line of fabric from Moda.  I thought it would be perfect for some improvisational quilting.  

I sliced up a half yard of the big-scale print, isolating the "scenes" in various sizes. Then, I left some of the scenes as-is (center and top right), and cut up others to make window-like patchwork blocks with strips and scraps.

Improv blocks are really the MOST fun.  No measuring, no strict planning, just cut, sew, press, trim, and cut again! It is very spontaneous, and you never get the same thing twice.  

However, a good amount of planning and and measuring does go into selecting the layout and arranging the blocks in a way that looks good and lines up to a squared-up shape.  For this quilt, once I arranged the blocks, filled in extra space with a Kona Ash solid and fit them together like a puzzle.  

For the backing, I used a leftover improv block and some extra fabric, pieced with more ash. 

It is machine-quilted in random square zig-zag lines that go around the blocks, and has some hand-quilting to echo designs in the bigger scenes.  

The quilt measures about 35"x45", the perfect size for a baby, and is bound with a tiny squares pink print from the line and some kona coal as a flange.  I really love the way it frames the quilt, almost like matting on a framed photograph.  The contrast of tiny coal line also brings some order to a pretty crazy quilt.

This little number has been snuggled up with its baby owner for quite some time.