Improv Pieced Wall Art

Happy Wednesday! Today I have a different type of quilt project to share, wall art!


This project took a long time to come about. I picked up these blocks and coordinating scraps off of a sharing table at Camp Stitchalot hosted by Pink Castle Fabrics in Pleasant Lake, MI either in 2012 or 2013. I can't remember which. I also don't know who made them! (if it was you, please let me know!) They sat in my stash for many years until this past Summer when I decided I needed a big piece of artwork for above our mantel. I knew I wanted to make something, so I came around to the idea of stretching some patchwork over a frame. If you're looking for some inspiration, I recommend checking out the work of Heather Jones.

I couldn't find a frame the dimensions I wanted, so I made it with some lumber I already had on hand. I made mine similar to this tutorial. My frame finished at 48" wide and 34" tall.


The piece ended up being a little too big for our mantel, but worked perfectly in our dining room. Unfortunately I took absolutely no process photos of making this. I made the decision to use these blocks and made the entire top in one afternoon, so it was pretty spontaneous. I made two blocks from the matching scraps and used various off white scraps and yardage from my stash to sash the blocks and border the patchwork.


When it came time to stretching it over the frame, I decided to add a layer of plain kona white underneath, to make it more opaque. I didn't want the frame to show through. Then I slowly stretched it over the frame and secured the pieces with staples. There is a lot of room for improvement if I made another piece like this, but it was really fun! I am thinking I would like a smaller piece for over the mantel eventually, just need to decide on a design and colors. I do think it suits more organic lines and shapes since the seams do get somewhat warped when stretched. So something scrappy and improvisational would be great.


Here is a video showing the back and more on how I put it together.


This was a super satisfying project, and I already had everything on hand to make it. This big piece of artwork cost $0 extra dollars to make, which is pretty darn cool. Plus I was finally able to use up these fun blocks. I hope that the person who made them likes what they became! I'm just glad they aren't sitting in my drawer anymore and I can enjoy them everyday!