{"id":45976,"date":"2019-05-09T17:29:16","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T00:29:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/?page_id=45976"},"modified":"2025-08-19T12:59:11","modified_gmt":"2025-08-19T19:59:11","slug":"color-improv-donation-top-series","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/quilts-2\/series-quilts\/color-improv-donation-top-series\/","title":{"rendered":"Color Improv Donation Top Series"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>In 2019, after making a couple of <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/quilts-2\/series-quilts\/color-strip-chunk-donation-tops\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Color Strip and Chunk donation tops<\/a>, I started an improv part of this color project. I wanted to use up <em>all<\/em> of my scraps not just those cut into strips.<\/p>\n<p>So far, I have ended up with 2-3 donation quilts of each color. It brought my attention to two things:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>how many scraps I have AND<\/li>\n<li>how little fabric it takes to make a quilt<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This is a great project. It always feels interesting to me and is a wonderful way to use up my small scraps. I also feel like my skills in design are challenged. Sadly, I never seem to have a completely empty scrap bin.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Quilts<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_45045\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45045\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/wp-15494929653602224138522189886067.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-45045\" src=\"https:\/\/www.artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/wp-15494929653602224138522189886067-300x248.jpg\" alt=\"Green Thing donation top\" width=\"300\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/wp-15494929653602224138522189886067-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/wp-15494929653602224138522189886067-768x635.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/wp-15494929653602224138522189886067-1024x846.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/wp-15494929653602224138522189886067-1200x992.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-45045\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Green Thing donation top<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Green, for some reason, was the first color that I worked on. Even though I don&#8217;t use a lot of green, that scrap drawer is filling up again. I know that I can make at least one more quilt with them.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_67590\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67590\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7553-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-67590\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7553-sm-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Green Improv #2 quilted and bound\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7553-sm-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7553-sm-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7553-sm.jpg 703w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67590\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Green Improv #2 quilted and bound<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>After 5 years, I had enough green scraps to make another green improv donation top even after making two green Color Strip donation tops (<a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2024\/07\/more-green-strips-progress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Green Strip #2<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2024\/08\/finished-green-strips-3-donation-top\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Green Strip #3<\/a>) in 2024. This one uses much smaller pieces than the original green improv quilt.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_46516\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-46516\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-46516\" src=\"https:\/\/www.artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"Purple Improv Donation Quilt\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/wp-15616786522705794349536595140715-1200x1200.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-46516\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Purple Improv Donation Quilt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The purple version was the second color I worked on, because a friend told me purple was a favorite color.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60894\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-60894\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150431_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-60894\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150431_wm-sm-300x283.jpg\" alt=\"Red Improv donation quilt finished\" width=\"300\" height=\"283\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150431_wm-sm-300x283.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150431_wm-sm-768x724.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150431_wm-sm.jpg 802w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-60894\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Red Improv donation quilt finished<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I also made a red one which, for red, I find very calming. I feel like this one is much better in terms of design than the previous the original green and original purple.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60895\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-60895\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150459_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-60895\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150459_wm-sm-300x288.jpg\" alt=\"Orange Improv Donation quilt finished\" width=\"300\" height=\"288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150459_wm-sm-300x288.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150459_wm-sm-768x737.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/20231118_150459_wm-sm.jpg 802w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-60895\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Orange Improv Donation quilt finished<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The orange might be my favorite. I also used the most orange scraps.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_48339\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-48339\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-48339\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-300x280.jpg\" alt=\"White Improv Top\" width=\"300\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-300x280.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-1024x955.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-768x716.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-1536x1432.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-2048x1910.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/wp-15794079111467408882619998920638-1200x1119.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-48339\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">White Improv Top<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The white version was not one of my favorites. I think it looks good, but it was not interesting to piece because most of the pieces were of a similar size and fabric. Finished in January 2020. More information can be found in the <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2020\/01\/finished-improv-donation-top\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">post<\/a> about the donation.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_53198\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-53198\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210606_070703_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-53198\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210606_070703_wm-sm-300x295.jpg\" alt=\"Blue Improv Donation Quilt\" width=\"300\" height=\"295\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210606_070703_wm-sm-300x295.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210606_070703_wm-sm-768x756.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210606_070703_wm-sm.jpg 803w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-53198\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Blue Improv Donation Quilt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I finally got to blue. This improv version is the third (of four) quilt top I have made from my blue scraps! I finished it in October 2020. Tim quilted it in December 2020 and it was <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/2021\/06\/blue-improv-donation-quilt-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">finally finished by March 2021<\/a>. A good COVID project.<\/p>\n<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-45976 gallery-columns-2 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/quilts-2\/series-quilts\/color-improv-donation-top-series\/20250718_174327_wm-sm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250718_174327_wm-sm-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Blue Improv #2 - finished\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-67216\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-67216'>\n\t\t\t\tBlue Improv #2 &#8211; finished\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/quilts-2\/series-quilts\/color-improv-donation-top-series\/20250718_183926_wm-sm\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/20250718_183926_wm-sm-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Blue Improv #2 back - finished\" aria-describedby=\"gallery-1-67217\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-67217'>\n\t\t\t\tBlue Improv #2 back &#8211; finished\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p>In the summer of 2025, I started to not be able to close the blue scrap drawer. Off I went in creating another donation top from strips. At the same time, I used leaders and enders to sew using improv techniques Blue Improv #2 together. I wanted it to be a little larger, so I added a border.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_57872\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-57872\" style=\"width: 269px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20221120_115046_wm-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-57872\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20221120_115046_wm-sm-269x300.jpg\" alt=\"Yellow Improv donation quilt - finished\" width=\"269\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20221120_115046_wm-sm-269x300.jpg 269w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20221120_115046_wm-sm-768x855.jpg 768w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/20221120_115046_wm-sm.jpg 802w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 269px) 85vw, 269px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-57872\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Yellow Improv donation quilt &#8211; finished<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I started this yellow piece right before I redid my workroom in July of 2021. It languished for quite awhile while we procrastinated putting up my design walls. I finally finished the piecing in March of 2022. Erin M. finished the quilting in November of 2022.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_67591\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-67591\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7554-sm.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-67591\" src=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7554-sm-300x288.jpg\" alt=\"Grey Improv quilted &amp; bound\" width=\"300\" height=\"288\" srcset=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7554-sm-300x288.jpg 300w, https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/IMG_7554-sm.jpg 745w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 85vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-67591\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grey Improv quilted &amp; bound<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In 2025, I made one of my favorite Color Improv quilts, the grey. I think it came out really well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I also worked on finishing a black improv that I started in 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In 2019, after making a couple of Color Strip and Chunk donation tops, I started an improv part of this color project. I wanted to use up all of my scraps not just those cut into strips. So far, I have ended up with 2-3 donation quilts of each color. It brought my attention to &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/quilts-2\/series-quilts\/color-improv-donation-top-series\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Color Improv Donation Top Series&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":5312,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-45976","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=45976"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45976\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67609,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45976\/revisions\/67609"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5312"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/artquiltmaker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}