"Out of the Blue" by Linda Branting won Second Place in the Appliqué category at QuiltCon 2023.
Artist Statement: "Out of the Blue continues my improv ring series. Returning from Alaska this summer, I pulled this palette of icy blues and cut a stack of rings in various sizes. As with other improv quilts, I create units without a design in mind and rearrange them many times. The final design always surprises me. While this process could certainly be done digitally, handling fabric inspires me, especially with subtle Oakshott crossdyes. Ultimately, I baste then hand appliqué the arrangement and quilt it with a quarter-inch grid, adding colors to create visual texture. Both hand appliqué and machine quilting are time consuming, repetitive processes which I find highly meditative and grounding as well as great opportunities for audible reads."
Techniques Used: Improvisational Piecing, Hand Appliqué, Machine Quilted without a Frame (domestic)
