Stephanie Z. Ruyle
The ART of IMPROV
I am so happy to be able to welcome Stephanie Ruyle to The Art of Improv. Stephanie is a retired physician and an inspiring modern quilter who lives with her husband of 30+ years and two children in Denver Colorado. I was lucky to meet Stephanie last year at QuiltCon 2019 in Nashville Tennessee. Her quilts and work with improvisation had been and continue to be an inspiration to me. I was familiar with her work as much of her work has been published in books and magazines, they’ve been printed on calendars and as well as in a sweet collection of postcards. She has won multiple ribbons at various quilt shows including not just QuiltCon but also AQS, Road 2 California, MQX, Quiltfest/Mancuso, International Quilt Festival, Houston and the Vermont Quilt Festival just to name a few. Her quilts also grace the walls of various museums and traveling exhibitions curated by The Modern Quilt Guild and the Denver Metro Modern Quilt Guild. Additionally, she is a founding member of the #BeeSewcial virtual sewing bee and contributed to the first ever group quilt Best in Show winner, ‘Smile’ which was inspired by and brought together by fellow bee mate Leanne Chahley. Stephanie’s work with improvisation is extensive, I can not wait to share her wisdom with you.
Harmonic Response Stephanie Z. Ruyle : quilted by Christine Perrigo
What does working improvisational mean to you? It means that I am working in my voice without having to worry about what comes next. Because of that freedom, I have permission to stop, reassess and change anything I like, whenever I like, which happens, all the time. I think most people have a preconceived idea about what they think improv is… I’d like to expand their views. If you’ve seen any of my quilts, they are ALL improvisationally designed and pieced. Just because they are “circular” and somewhat “orderly” doesn’t mean they are not also improvisationally designed. Keeping that in mind might give a few of your readers an idea on how to approach an improv quilt of their own.
How would you define the “Art of Improv”?
The Art of Improv is the outward expression of a collection of ideas and skills curated to make a whole that is much greater than its parts.
Have you always worked improvisational?
Yes, in pretty much everything I undertake- cooking, gardening, and even when I sew (including garment construction) I pretty much do not follow directions as written. Because I’m not stuck on exact follow through, I’ve learned to substitute, improvise and to get creative. I don’t always end up with a perfect outcome, but I always learn something valuable on the way.
Catching Modern Dreams Stephanie Z. Ruyle
Do you work improvisational, consciously, intentionally?
Yes to all 3! I have a plan, even if it’s loosely formed and because I know it’s not absolute it remains throughout the whole process, infinitely changeable. This permission becomes an enjoyable journey in creating from beginning to end. I have never enjoyed just grabbing fabric and sewing- that never ends well for me as a maker. At the least, I like to gather colors that I want to work with before I begin. I regularly change my mind, and have on more than one occasion picked pieces out of finished quilt tops and exchanged colors.
If so, how do you begin? At the beginning (so cheesy, but true). Because if I don’t like plan A- I can move to plan B, C, D. I gave myself permission long ago to not stress over what happens. If I don’t like what’s happening, I change or I start again. Because I’m creating in improvisational styles I’m the only one who knows where everything started and where is should eventually end.
How often do you work with improvisation?
Basically all the time. If I have to do something that requires cutting in advance and precise 1/4”seaming, I often end up in my style anyway…. Luckily my quilting friends understand this and let me play along with them anyway! Having mastered many garment sewing techniques, I often use those in my quilt design and construction and having confidence in those skills allows me to create some fun, unexpected in-the-moment design decisions.
Please share bit about your process.
In general terms, I have an idea- it’s typically half baked and without concrete boundaries. I clear off my work space from any previous project and try to concentrate on only one idea at a time. I then pull big pieces of fabric (I prefer to work from bolts or yardage), and lay them out next to each other. Unless I’m making something in a preselected color palette, I typically start with 5-6 main colors. Somewhere early on I decide which color should act as the anchor color- the negative space- for lack of a better term- then I begin. I try to pull variations of the main colors from my scrap bin to add depth and movement, and I am not afraid to grab garment fabric in linen, silk, wool, velvet if the composition calls for additional depth. Once the top starts coming together I keep working until I feel that I’m done. I never know what the finished size will be when I start and I have often added additional negative space to increase the size if I want it to be larger.
Embers Stephanie Z. Ruyle
Do you have methods to get you started?
First, I like to start with a general fabric pull. I don’t always remain faithful to what I start with but it does help to have the colors front and center. I have never been successful with sketching except in the most general of ways. And then I start. Presently I’m exploring all kinds of curved design and piecing and I’m having great fun working in bold, unexpected color palettes.
Do you have tricks to get you unstuck?
Put your piece down and walk away. I always try to have a quick project waiting just in case I am stuck, and it does happen. Sometimes, I just have to realize that what I’m working on isn’t working and then I do one of 2 things. My preferred opt out is to make a place mat. Our family is kitchen paper free and so we use a lot of table linens. I love having “art” place mats on our table and it’s the prefect project for WIP’s that just aren’t working on a larger scale. 2. I cut them up and work them into another project. Lately, I’ve been making mini quilts and giving those away. I am always thrilled when they are well received.
Do you have motivators to finish up?
I actually don’t like working on more than one thing at a time and I hate collecting works in progress (WIP). When I’m creating I’m in a place of creativity and fun and interrupting that doesn’t work well for me. That alone is motivation to get things done, even if they finish as something different that what was originally intended (see above). I also have a thing for quilt bindings. I know most people don’t like them, but they are, in my opinion, both the last thing you add to a quilt and also the last opportunity to make the quilt exceptional. Getting to a point where I can concoct some ridiculous, unexpected quilt binding is really what makes getting to end worth while. I have, on occasion, spent more time piecing and designing the binding that I have piecing the quilt top. The unexpected “did you see this” when people look at my quilts really makes my day.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere and anywhere. We travel a lot and that alone could provide years of inspiration. My children are also creative and often come up with ideas that I try to translate into fabric. I have collaborated with both in making quilts and quilted items as well as garments, to name a few.
How do you use it?
It depends. Sometimes it’s color inspiration, sometimes it’s the smallest detail that sparks a creative idea. When I photograph things I’m constantly focusing in on tiny details. I have worked recently on being more expansive in capturing inspiration, but it’s often small details that catch my eye. I’m also the person that likes to know how things work and I have used that as inspiration as well. People looks at the world differently, I’m the person that’s constantly thinking, “how did they do that”?
What advice would you give someone interested in trying to work improviationally?
Start small. Having a limited project can impart a sense of do-ability and eventual completion. Last year I participated in Amy’s Creative Side Improv challenge. Having someone else set the agenda and having small, daily achievable goals really helps. Even though I feel very comfortable working in my style, I really enjoyed participating in the challenge and in the end, turned all my work into a beautiful set of “art” place mats, that will be used and enjoyed.
Can you share some good advice that you received that helped you become more comfortable this way? “Just try it once, then decide……”. This was not advice given specifically to developing a comfort level with improv but good life advice. We often hold on to insecurities without actual basis for doing so. I mean, what’s the worst thing that can happen? You use some of your scrap bin and you don’t like what you made. What’s the best thing that could happen, you found out improv wasn’t scary and that perhaps you might like to try it again. And it is true, the more you practice something, the better you get. I know improv is not for everyone, the same goes for any quilting style. But, I found that I’ve grown as a quilter and maker by trying new things, and and I’ve been rewarded by learning something new for trying.
What are you reading, listening to, watching or any other inspirational obsessions you would like to share?
Totally unrelated to quilting, but fascinating (to me) none-the-less, I've delved into making my own kombucha. I find it a worthy craft, part chemistry and part improv magic! I find mixing flavors from dried herbs from my garden and fresh fruit and vegetables highly satisfying and tasty and it fulfills the improvisational style that I like to work in. When in my studio, making quilts, I listen to Colorado Public Radio/NPR and audio books. I’ve also been taking public transportation more and more. I find riding the bus/train gives me the opportunity to look out the window, and see neighborhoods that I normally drive through with our a second glance. I have “discovered” some wonderful street art, quirky buildings and other oddities. My latest “obsession” is collecting WWII era vintage Japanese Kimonos in various states of repair. I hope to use these precious pieces in some upcoming quilts and garments. What has intrigued me the most, mainly because I came to quilting through garment making, is how they are actually made. No darts, no buttons, just rectangles of fabric hand stitched in a very distinctive style, with each piece having the smallest diversion, as if the maker is signing their piece. It’s been almost meditative to clean these garments and then in some instances, pick out all the hand stitches, knowing that I’m touching the same garment as another maker, completing the circle by taking it back to its very beginnings- asking permission to do so all the while hoping that it is given.
Thank you Stephanie for sharing your insight, it is motivating to say the least! The freedom you feel when you make is not only visible in the quilts you make but is also so inspiring to me, the joy your making brings shines through into the work! What a gift! Thank you for sharing that with us all! I too am a lover of binding and will make sure to look more closely at yours, and will be looking for you, and your quilts, again at QuiltCon 2020 in Austin very soon!
To see more of Stephanie’s work check out her blog at spontaneousthreads.blogspot.com and be sure to find her on Instagram for a deeper look into her process @spontaneousthreads there is a beautiful post about her holiday table that feature some of those art (place) mats she shared!