Wayne Kollinger's Sketch Book

2012-01-30T01:09:00.017-07:00

Sew Half-Rectangle Triangles

Method 3

It's nice to have a choice. When you are sewing a block it's nice to be able to pick the method that's best suited to your talents and tastes.

I've shown you 2 methods of sewing half-rectangle triangles in my last 2 posts. Now, I'd like to show you a third method using freezer paper.

Assume that the block that starts this post is 6"x 6", finished size. Then the half-rectangle triangles are 2"x 4", finished size.

On the dull side of a sheet of freezer paper draw a 2"x 4" rectangle with a diagonal going from corner to corner.

Cut out the rectangle on the lines; do not add any allowance for seams.

Fold the rectangle along the diagonal and place the freezer paper shiny side down onto your first fabric, which should be right side up. Press the first triangle in place.

Leave space around the triangle for seam allowances.

Cut the triangle out of the fabric leaving a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around.

Place the second triangle shiny side down on the right side of your second fabric. Place it so that the fabric edges line up.

Press it in place.

Sew the 2 fabrics together with a 1/4" seam.

Trim around the rectangle leaving a 1/4" seam allowance.

Remove the freezer paper and press your seams. I press my seams open but you can do what you like best.

After the seams are pressed you will need to trim off the little bits of seam allowance that are left showing.

Added bonus: You can use the freezer paper rectangle over and over to make additional half-square triangles.

You may have noticed that the block at the start of this post is slightly different from those for my last 2 posts. I intentionally rotated each of the units in the block 180 degrees.

I wanted a second block that I could combine with the first. This gives me a chance to experiment with quilt designs, like this one, that use both blocks.

So there you go. The three methods I know for sewing half-rectangle triangles. There may be others. There probably are. If you know another one I'd be delighted to hear from you.

2012-01-28T01:09:00.188-07:00

Sew Half-Rectangle Triangles

Method 2

There is no one right way to do things. Each of us has different abilities and sensibilities. What works for one person doesn't for another.

When I teach quilting I've learned never to say, "This is how it should be done." I've learned to say, "This is how it can be done."

In my last post I showed you one way to sew half-rectangle triangles. Today I'll show you another.

This method uses a Recs tool designed by Darlene Zimmerman & Joy Hoffman. It is available from EZ Quilting. This tool is used for making half-rectangle triangles that are twice as long as they are wide.

For demonstration purposes I am assuming half-rectangle triangles with a finished size of 2"x4"

To make 4" long triangles start with a strip of fabric 4 1/2" wide. The extra 1/2" is for seam allowances.

Align the 4 1/2" line on the tool with the bottom of the strip.

Cut along the edge of the tool to create a 2 1/2"x 4 1/2" triangle.

The top left hand corner of the tool is at an angle. Cutting off this small bit of fabric will allow for more accurate alignment when assembling the pieces.

Mirror image triangles are made by flipping either the tool or the fabric.

For the block at the beginning of this post you will need a green triangle and a mirror-image green triangle, a white triangle and a mirror-image white triangle.

When two triangles are placed right sides together the small cut in the corner makes it possible to align them exactly.

In the examples on the right the point at the top of the white fabric marks the 1/4" seam allowance and you can start sewing there.

After the unit is opened and pressed, you will need to trim the little bits at either end.

The block shown at the start of this post is made using 2 half-rectangle triangles 2" x4", finished size, and 2 half-square triangles - one 2"x 2" and one 4"x 4", finished size.

It's a simple block but it can make some interesting designs.

In my next post I'll show you a third way to make half-rectangle triangles.

2012-01-26T01:10:00.055-07:00

Sew Half-Rectangle Triangles

Method 1

A few days ago, on 22 January, I showed you quilt designs using this wonky block.

Caroll Drudy of Attic Window Quilt Shop liked my designs and tried making the block. She reported, "I had to make those rectangles several times before I got them to come out right."

Now, I think it would be great if you were to make a quilt or two using this block. And I don't want you to have trouble with the rectangles; so I'm going to show you how to sew them.

I am going to assume that you already have a favorite method of making half-square triangles and just show you how to make the half-rectangle triangles.

For this block the rectangles are twice as long as they are wide. This means that for a 6"x6" block the rectangles would have a finished size of 2"x 4". For a 9"x9" block the rectangles would have a finished size of 3"x6".

Note: The two rectangles are not the same; they are the mirror image of each other. This means you will need mirror image triangles as well.

1 The triangles are made two at a time.

Start with a piece of fabric that is 1" wider and 1" longer than the finished size of the rectangle. For 2"x4" triangles, finished size, start with a piece of white fabric 3"x5". For 3"x6" triangles, finished size, start with a piece of white fabric 4"x7".

Cut the fabric diagonally starting 1/4" down on one side and ending 1/4" up on the other. I've drawn a line on the back of the fabric above to show were the cut goes.

The two triangles above are identical. They are not mirror image.

To make mirror image triangles you need to slope the cut the other way.

This will give you 4 white triangles. Which is enough for 2 blocks.

You need to cut 2 green triangles and 2 mirror image green triangles as well.

2 A green triangle and a white triangle sewn together make a rectangle.

Start with a green triangle and a white triangle that are the same. They must not be the mirror image of each other.

Place them right sides together so that the long sides line up.

The long sides are the same length and will line up exactly.

Sew a true 1/4" seam, not a scant one, along the long sides.

3 The rectangle needs to be trimmed.

Fold the triangles open and press the seams. I press my seams open; you may have other ideas.

You now have a rectangle that is 2 1/2" x almost 5".

You need to trim equal amounts off each end of the rectangle to make it 2 1/2" x4 1/2".

You also need to make mirror image rectangles using mirror image triangles.

To finish the block you need half-square triangles. For 6"x6" blocks you need 2"x2" and 4"x4" half-square triangles, finished size. For 9"x9" blocks you need 3"x3" and 6"x6".

There is more than one way to make half-rectangle triangles. I'll show you a second way in my next post.

2012-01-24T01:06:00.033-07:00

Never
Try Anything New

Never
Do Something Different

Never
Take A Chance

It's easy to follow these 3 simple rules and do the same old thing over and over and over and over. I must confess; I'm as guilty of this as anyone.

But once in a while something happens and instead of thinking inside my usual box I find myself thinking inside a different box.

My wife's sewing machine is in for servicing and she is cleaning and reorganizing her sewing room. I was helping sort through the fabrics in the stash when I came across an old batik labeled Carwi No 1077.

I thought it was interesting and began to wonder what kind of quilt design I could create using it.

I never do that. I always create my designs first and look for fabric after. But now I had reversed the order and was starting with fabric and looking for a quilt design.

I remembered an African batik picture I had bought from Pippa Moore and wondered if I could combine the two.

Instead of going to my computer to work out a design, as I always do, I sat down with the two batiks and started exploring the possibilities. I cut pieces from the Carwi batik to play with before I even had a complete design worked out in my head. Even worse I began sewing without a complete battle plan.

I had decided, what the heck, I'll make it work somehow. And it did.

Now, this is not the most elaborate quilt design I've ever come up with. It's pretty simple. But it is a small step in a new direction. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Chinese philosopher Lao-tzu) So who knows where this will take me.

This is the second quilt I've made using one of Pippa Moores African batiks.
To see the first one go to my 7 May 2011 post.

2012-01-22T01:00:00.005-07:00

What Kind Of Block is This?

It's a block made from 4 half square triangles that I made wonky by changing the grid dimensions.

It occurred to me that I've used blocks on a 3x3 grid and blocks on a 4x4 grid to make wonky blocks, but I've never started with one on a 2x2 grid.

Until now. The 4 half-square triangles on a wonky grid make a block that I can do all sorts of things with.

Such as:

I am always surprised by how many different things can be done using a simple block.

And I am always delighted by the variety that results from using a wonky block.

So when a block is both simple and wonky, like this one is, good things are bound to happen.

2012-01-20T01:11:00.004-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Four Block Quilts

Starting With Job's Troubles Blocks

Job's Troubles is a traditional 4 patch block.

Like all 4 patch blocks it is made from 4 units. All 4 quarters of a Job's Troubles block are the same.

What if you were to play with those quarters?

Instead of making Job's Troubles blocks,you could make all sorts of different blocks. I call these blocks Quarter-of-Four blocks.

I've been playing with the quarter unit from a Job's Troubles block and designed a few Quarter-of-Four quilts I thought you might find interesting.

Because the quarter unit from a Job's Trouble block is so simple, it easy to design using it. But don't take my word for it; try it yourself.

You might want to look at my other posts that feature Quarter-of-Four blocks.
Clay's Choice
Balkan Puzzle
Storm At Sea

2012-01-18T09:12:00.001-07:00

What Kind Of Block Is This?

Well, to start with, it's not a traditional block.

Most traditional blocks are symmetrical. If you cut a traditional block in half, either horizontally or vertically or on the diagonal, you get two pieces that look the same. They may be exactly the same or they may be the mirror image of one another.

If you cut this block in half, no matter how you do it, you will never find two pieces that look the same. It is asymmetrical.

What kind of block is this? It's the kind of block I love to play with because it has the potential to make endless new quilt designs.

Actually, it's called Canmore and it's a block I designed to use in the Canmore quilts in my Alberta series of Quilts.

Below are a couple of my Canmore quilts and a couple of new designs using the Canmore block.

An asymmetrical block all by itself may not be much to look at. But when you start to play with it and create quilt designs, it comes to life.

2012-01-11T01:05:00.075-07:00

What Can You Do

With One Color?

I chose red as the color I want to explore today.

When I think of one color quilts done in red I immediately think of redwork quilts - red embroider images in a setting of red patchwork designs. You probably do too.

This post isn't about that. It's about making monochrome quilts. Which is just a fancy way of saying one color quilts. But it implies the possibility of using different versions of the one color.

It is possible to make a patchwork quilt in which all the blocks are a single red color.

This is a quilt I quickly designed using Friendship Star and Shoo Fly blocks.

If you want my opinion, it's not a very exciting quilt.

But I think it could be made more interesting without adding other colors.

Black, white and gray are not counted with the rest of the colors. I guess that, strictly speaking, you could say they are colors but not hues; they are not part of the rainbow. Mixed into other colors they create tints, shades and tones of the color. As quilters we don't mix colors, but we can pick fabrics that are tints, tones and shades of a color.

If the above quilt were redone in tints, tones and shades of red, I think it could be much more interesting.

But first, a quick explanation of what tints, tones and shades are.

Add white to red and you get tints of red. The more white you add the lighter the red becomes. Add enough white and you get pinks.

Add black to red and you get shades of red. The more black you add the darker the red becomes. Add enough black and you get browns.

Add grey to red and you get tones of red. Light greys make light red tones. Dark greys make dark red tones. The result if often dusty reds, pinks and browns.

Now that we have an expanded palette of reds, the quilt from above can be recolored.

I like this result better. There is more variety, more movement, and more color.

Here is another example.

Notice how the medium reds join to form ribbons. The dark reds (browns) form a different set of ribbons.

We tend to see things that are the same tone, or close to the same tone, as being related.

We do the same thing with things that are the same color. If one of the set of ribbons was a different color, the two sets of ribbons would be more distinct.

However, using the same base color for the two sets of ribbons gives the quilt more unity.

For more about color you might want to check the following posts:
There's A Color Lesson InYour Tea Cup
You Aren't Just Choosing Colors, You Are Choosing Values
Something You Should Know About Color, Dark Yellow Is Olive Green

2012-01-09T01:05:00.008-07:00

What Can You Do

With Two Simple Blocks?

Shoo Fly and Nine Patch are two simple blocks.

What if you combine them? What kind of quilt designs would they make?

I don't know but I'm willing to try to find out.

You never know what you can do with two blocks until you try.

2012-01-07T01:00:00.009-07:00

When You Offset Blocks

You Create Design Opportunities

Clay's Choice is a traditional block. It's also a very simple block, so you might think there's not a lot you can do with it.

If all you do is repeat it in rows and columns you might be right.

But if you offset the blocks and play with the colors, you'll be surprised what Clay's Choice can do.

Let me give you some idea of what's possible.

Clay's Choice is a great block to use to create ribbon effects. And the best ribbons are the result of offsetting the blocks.

2012-01-05T01:00:00.019-07:00

Simple Blocks

Can Make Wonderful Quilts

I can't imagine anyone not wanting to design her own quilt. It's not hard to do. Especially if you start with a simple block.

This is a simple block. They don't come much simpler.

You can use it to make other blocks, so you might prefer to think of it as a unit. I choose to think of it as a block.

In either case, you can use the unit (or block) and the blocks you make from it to design your own quilts.

Here are a few I designed using this block (or unit).

You don't need a fancy block to design a quilt you like.

All you really need is a simple block you can play with.

2012-01-03T09:44:00.002-07:00

You Can Make The Same Block

In Different Sizes

And Then Design With It

What if You take a Classic block like Clay's Choice...

..and make it three different sizes? Perhaps, 8"x8", 6"x6" and 4"x4".

And then play with it.

Using the same block in different sizes in the same quilt gives you variety of scale and makes the quilt more interesting.

2011-12-18T18:45:00.001-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Four Block Quilts

Starting With Storm At Sea Blocks

Storm at Sea is a traditional block that is designed on a 4x4 grid.

It is usually assembled from 9 units, so you might consider it to be a Nine Patch block.

However, it can be assembled from 4 identical units, which would make it a Four Patch block.

If you make the 4 units and play with them you find that you can use them to make blocks other than a Storm at Sea block.

I call such blocks Quarter-of-Four blocks.

I played with some Storm at Sea Quarter-of-Four blocks and thought you might like to see the sort of quilt designs that can be made using them.

I don't pretend that I've done more than scatch the surface of what is possible. You might want to play with Storm at Sea Quarter-of-Four blocks and see what else can be done with them.

2011-12-17T23:54:00.002-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Four Block Quilts

Starting With Balkan Puzzle Blocks

Balkan Puzzle is a traditional Four Patch block designed on a 4x4 grid

Its a Four Patch block because it is assembled from 4 identical units.

What if you ignore the rules and, instead of using the units to make a Balkan Puzzle block, you use them to make something a little different?

There are a lot of interesting new blocks you can make this way. I call them Quarter-of-Four blocks.

I've created a few quilts designs so that you can see the sort of things that are possible using Balkan Puzzle Quarter-of-Four blocks.

Making Quarter-of-Four blocks is an easy way to play with block design.

2011-12-16T20:22:00.001-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Four Block Quilts

Starting With Clay's Choice Blocks

Clay's Choice is a traditional Four Patch block. It was designed on a 4x4 grid.

To make Clay's Choice, you first sew 4 identical units that you then sew together rotated.

Before you sew the 4 units together, if you play with them, you soon discover that you can use them to make many other blocks.

I call blocks made this way Quarter-of Four blocks.

I played with a few Clay's Choice Quarter-of-Four blocks and came up with these quilt designs.

I'm hoping these designs will encourage you to play with Clay's Choice Quarter-of-Four blocks and to create quilt designs of your very own.

2011-12-13T20:17:00.002-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Nine Block Quilts

Starting With Churn Dash Blocks

The last time I looked, EQ6 listed 57 Nine Patch blocks. Churn Dash is one of them, because it was designed on a Nine Patch grid.

What if you were to make a Churn Dash block and then cut it into 4 quarters?

You would have 4 identical units that you could sew together, making entirely new blocks, all sorts of ways.

I call blocks made this way Quarter-Of-Nine blocks.

I designed a few quilts using this method to give you an idea of what is possible if you start with Churn Dash blocks.

Quarter-Of-Nine blocks are easy to make. And the designs you can make using them are easy too; but they don't look it.

2011-12-10T11:52:00.002-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Nine Block Quilts

Starting With Calico Puzzle Blocks

There are a lot of blocks that have been designed on a Nine Patch grid. Calico Puzzle is one of them.

What if you make a Calico Puzzle block and then cut it into 4 quarters?

What if you take those 4 quarters and sew them back together so that they are anything but a Calico Puzzle block?

You can make a lot of different blocks this way. I call them Quarter-Of-Nine blocks.

Designing new blocks this way is fun and easy. Even more fun is making quilts from the new blocks.

I tried a few designs using Calico Puzzle Quarter-Of-Nine blocks. But there are still a lot more out there waiting for you to discover them.

Of course you don't have to start with a Calico Puzzle block . There are a gazillion other blocks based on a Nine Patch grid that you could try.

2011-12-09T10:12:00.001-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Nine Block Quilts

Starting With Spool Blocks

Spool is just one of many blocks designed on a Nine Patch grid.

What if you make one and then cut it into quarters?

You could sew the quarters back together any way that suits your fancy and make all sorts of interesting new blocks.

I call blocks made this way Quarter-Of-Nine blocks.

Below are a few quilt designs that hint at some of the many things you might want to try with Spool Quarter-Of-Nine blocks.

You might want to try making Spool blocks out of scraps that you have in your stash. Then cut them into quarters and play with them to see what you can find.

2011-12-08T09:24:00.001-07:00

You Can Make

Quarter-Of-Nine Block Quilts

Starting With Shoo Fly Blocks

A Shoo Fly block is designed on a Nine Patch grid.

What if you make one and then cut it into quarters?

You can reassemble those quarters any way you choose to make new blocks.

I call blocks made this way Quarter-Of-Nine blocks.

Below are some quilt designs made using Shoo Fly blocks transformed into Quarter-Of-Nine blocks.

The quarters from this Shoo Fly block come in mirror-image pairs.

You need 4 quarters the same to make a star block.

So it takes 2 Shoo Fly Blocks to make a star block and a mirror-image star block.

By making Quarter-Of-nine blocks from simple blocks like Shoo Fly you can design quilts that look more complicated than they really are.

2011-11-18T13:07:00.002-07:00

It's Not The Block You Start With

But The Quilt You End Up With

That Matters

Yesterday I showed you one of the two blocks I contributed to Modern Blocks from C&T Publishing. Today you get to see the second block.

Wonky Aunt Dinah was inspired by the traditional Aunt Dinah block. It's not a block that looks like much all by itself. But put it in a crowd and it comes to life.

I thought you might like to see just some of the things you can do with a Wonky Aunt Dinah block.

I don't think it's possible to look at a Wonky Aunt Dinah block and envision making a quilt like this. I know I can't do it.

It takes some experimenting with a block to find its true nature.

2011-11-17T12:21:00.001-07:00

It's Not The Block

It's What You Do With It

C&T Publishing has a new book out called Modern Blocks. It's Subtitled 99 Quilt Blocks from Your Favorite Designers. I am one of those designers. I contributed 2 blocks to the book.

I thought you might like to see one of them.

The inspiration for my block Eccentric Wonky Star was the traditional block Eccentric Star.

I may be biased, but I don't think either of them is all that exciting. At least, not all by itself.

But repeated, rotated and reflected Eccentric Wonky Star can do some wonderful things.

Eccentric Wonky Star is not the sort of block you would use in a sampler quilt. It isn't a stand alone block.

But if you take some time to play with it you'll find it is a useful block,

2011-11-11T21:06:00.002-07:00

When You Start Playing

You Never Know What Will Happen

This seemed like a quiet and unpretentious four patch block, until I began playing with it. Then all sorts of wonderful things started to happen.

I never could have predicted any of these designs by just looking at the original four patch block. I've come to the conclusion that I don't create designs when I play, I discover them.

2011-11-09T21:27:00.001-07:00

How You Design A Quilt

Isn't Always How You Sew It

Yesterday I designed this quilt using the block beside it to the left. But if you look carefully you'll notice you can't use that block to actually sew the quilt. Its corners would get in the way.

The block needs to be altered so that it is on point.

It's a small change but an important one. Now you can sew the quilt.

Quilt design has a split personality. Sometimes it's art; sometimes its engineering. Finding a design you like is esthetics, it's art. Finding a way to sew that design is engineering.

2011-11-08T21:22:00.002-07:00

Change The Colors

Make A Traditional Block

Your Own

What if I start with this block - Frolic, draw it in outline and then color it several different ways? What will I get?

I get new blocks, some of which don't look anything like Frolic. And some interesting quilts.

2011-11-05T21:53:00.000-06:00

Do You Need Inspiration?

If you look for inspiration for your quilts in the images and colors of the world around you, you might want to check out the photos of Bill Quayle at Quivertree Consulting.

You'll find sunrises, storms, flower, butterflies, Africa and more.

2011-11-04T16:00:00.001-06:00

It Doesn't Matter Where You Start

You Can Always Go Someplace Else

I recently came across this block - Frolic. When I remove all the color I get the outline block at left.

What if I color the block differently?

I get a new block and I can create these designs.

What if I change the center of the block?

I get another new block. These designs are almost the same as before. However, they are a bit busier.

What if I change the center back and then color the block differently?

This gives me a different result.

What if, once again, I change how I color the block.

I like this. I could keep changing it and getting something new each time. But I like what I found, so I'm quitting for today.

I started with a Frolic block and by coloring it differently, I got a new block to play with. I started in one place and ended up someplace else.

2011-11-03T12:06:00.002-06:00

Try Making White The Feature Color

In A Block

Or In A Quilt

This 3x4 block is from three days ago. I'm going to play with it to see if I can make the white stand out. I want the colors to be in the background and the white to be in the foreground.

I need to reduce the amount of white to help make it more important.

What if I color in the diagonals?

This works the white squares are the main design feature.

I like this but it doesn't do what I want it to do. The white is in the background and the colored areas create the design.

The white is background again.

What if I make the diagonals white again and color in the squares?

The white lightning bolts stand out.

This works.

And this works.

With a darker background the lightning bolts stand out even more.

No question about it, the white creates the design and the blues form the background.

All these designs are bold and straightforward. I'm wondering if I can't design something a little more intricate, a little more subtle and delicate. Any suggestions?

2011-11-01T09:23:00.003-06:00

     You Can Feature White

     You Can Feature White

     You Can Feature White

I did a trunk show a little over a week ago and somebody mentioned that I use a lot of white in my designs. It's true; I do. I often use white as a background and I have to make a conscious effort to use other colors instead.

I was at a quilt show a couple of days ago and saw some white lace flowers on a colored background. I suddenly realized I could be using white as a foreground color.

Yesterday, while designing blocks on a 3x4 grid, I discovered this block which features white.

So today I'm going to play with it and see what happens.

I've been quilting about 10 years now. I've often used white when I've done pieced lettering. Until now I've never thought to feature it in a quilt design. But now that I've thought of it, it seems like such an obvious thing to do.

2011-10-31T16:51:00.001-06:00

What If You Designed

Rectangular Blocks?

It may not be apparent that this quilt was designed using rectangular blocks, but it was.

I started with this 3 x 4 grid. Then I began to play. I wanted to see what sort of blocks I could come up with, and what kind of designs they would make. A few of them are below.

Obviously a lot more 3x4 blocks than these are possible. I'm sure if you were to start playing you could find better ones.

2011-09-30T23:19:00.005-06:00

Men Quilt Too !

I'm taking part in an on-line quilt show that features quilts by men. It is sponsored by Pigtales and Quilts and will last until 15 October.

I don't often show my quilts on my blog. My blog is a sketch book and is focused on the process of quilt design. But I do sew some of the quilts I design and I'm always happy to show them.

This is my School House Alphabet quilt. It is one of many alphabet quilts that I've designed and made.

I became a quilter by accident and I began by designing pieced alphabets. How that happened is explained in About Me in the sidebar on the right.

This is the back of School House Alphabet.

My initials and the date are made using the same alphabet that I designed for the front.

The labels on all my quilts feature pieced alphabets that I've designed.

This is Campsie. It is one of a series of quilts that I've named after places in my home province of Alberta.

All of my Alberta series of quilts begin with a simple design on a 3x3 grid that is then repeated,and/or rotated and/or reflected, often with changes in color.

There are 2 color variations of the Campsie block that are first rotated and then repeated.

Lowland Heights is another of my Alberta series quilts.

In this case there are 2 color versions of the basic block that are first rotated and then reflected.

For my Stampede Alphabet quilt I designed a pieced alphabet that looks like it belongs on an old west wanted poster.

Every year there is a Festival of Quilts at Heritage Park in Calgary.

The year I submitted my Stampede Alphabet quilt, it was hung so that the back was facing out. When I mentioned that they had the quilt backwards, they said "Yes we know."

This version of my Cochrane/Big Hill quilt is part of my Alberta series and includes some applique.

The flowers were assembled from pieces that were die cut on a Go fabric cutter.

The center of this quilt is one of three African batiks that I bought from Pippa Moore.

I challenged my self to create borders for them. This is the first I have two more to go.

Pieced lettering is almost always block lettering. I'd be surprised if you've seen any that wasn't.

For the back of this quilt I challenged myself to create a pieced script alphabet - an alphabet that would mimic hand writing.

Airdrie/Iron Horse Park is another of my Alberta series quilts.

I often like to finish a design by connecting up parts of it in the border.

Orion is one of the quilts I designed for my book designing Quilts Is Easy.

It's the quilt C&T decided to use for the cover.

This is 25th Avenue Mondrian.

The lettering I designed for this quilt reminded me of lettering that was popular in the 1920's.

Since Piet Mondrian was an abstract painter in the 20's, I decided to mimic his style to frame my alphabet.

If you were around in the 1960's, you may remember that Yves Saint Laurent did a series of dresses based on Mondrian's paintings.

I'm going to finish my part in the quilt show with Lac Des Arcs, another of the quilts from my book.

I'm fond of the colors in this quilt. I particularly like the way the reds join to form a kind of ribbon.

I suggest you go to Pigtales and Quilts to see more quilts by other quilters who just happen to be men.

2011-09-23T21:43:00.001-06:00

To Fully Appreciate A Block

You've Got To Play With It A Bit

Part 2

In my last post I introduced you to this block from my Rosebud quilt. I showed it colored several different ways.

Since then I've picked some fabric and sewn a few blocks. Now I'm going to play with them some more.

These 4 pinwheels are based on 4 I showed you last time.

Now I play!

I hope some of this gives you ideas that you can use with a block you've chosen to play with.

2011-09-19T15:32:00.001-06:00

To Fully Appreciate A Block

You've Got To Play With It A Bit

Too often we take a block at face value. We assume a block has only one "look". But every block has several "looks", depending on how it is positioned and how it is colored.

This block is from my quilt "Rosebud". Like every block it has 4 corners.

I can make 4 different pinwheels from it by using a different corner as the center of the pinwheel each time.

When I start playing with how it is colored as well, the number of different "looks" is unlimited.

I've only used this block to make pinwheels. What if you were to use it in other ways? Imagine what you could do!

2011-09-09T08:03:00.007-06:00

A Pieced Alphabet For You To Try

Some years ago, when I was new to quilting and all I cared about was pieced lettering, I saw a cross stitch alphabet framed on the wall of a quilt shop and I had an idea. What if I replaced the cross stitch X's with squares, could I make a pieced alphabet?

So I went home and tried. I couldn't remember all the details of all the cross stitch letters. But I could remember enough to start from scratch and design my own alphabet.

Since then I've learned I'm not the only person to have this idea. Quilters for at least the last 200 years have been making similar alphabets. Originally I named my version Checked, but now I call it Heritage.

Below, on the left and in color, are the letters for my version; on the right and in black, are various letters from several other versions of similar alphabets. You'll see that different quilters have different ideas of what a letter should look like.

There are three questions you need to ask about any pieced alphabet. Can I read it? Do all the letters look like they belong to the same alphabet? Can I sew it?

The best way to answer the first two questions is to try a few words and see what they look like.

If you want to try this alphabet, you'll find it is easy to sew. It's made entirely of squares and rectangles.

You can use the grid for sizing. If the grid squares are 1/2", the letters are 3 1/2" tall. If the squares are 3/4", the letters are 5 1/4" tall. If the squares are 1", the letters are 7" tall.

I think you should try it.

2011-08-31T17:18:00.003-06:00

There's A Color Lesson

In Your Tea Cup

Color saturation is one of those terms that sounds terribly technical. You just know that to understand it will take at least a Master's Degree in Color Theory.

Actually, the opposite is true. Understanding color saturation is as easy as brewing yourself a cup of tea.

Drop a tea bag into boiling water and what happens? As the tea steeps the water becomes more and more saturated with the color of the tea. The color being release into the water by the tea is always the same. When there is less of it in the clear water it looks light. When there is more of it, when it is more saturated, it looks dark.

We can go in the other direction and dilute cranberry juice with water. The more water we add, the more diluted the cranberry juice is, and the more unsaturated the color becomes. It's still the same red, but there is less of it, so it looks lighter.

This time we're going to dilute the tea with milk. The more milk we add the less saturated the brown of the tea becomes.

However, diluting with milk is different than diluting with water. Water is clear, but milk is white. The result is that with milk we not only reduce the saturation of the color but create a tint of it at the same time.

We could reduce the saturation of the tea in other ways. We could, for example, add black and create shades. However, the only black liquid in the house is ink, and I'm not about to drink it, nor will my wife let me. So you'll have to imagine the results for yourself.

As a quilter you have to decide how bold a statement you want to make with your colors. The more saturated colors are, the bolder they are. You need to keep saturation in mind when choosing fabrics.

2011-08-28T05:51:00.005-06:00

Who Says

All Blocks Have To Be Square?

Nobody ever said all blocks have to be square. We just make them square from force of habit. But habits can be changed.

I've decided to play with 3 sizes of Hidden Star. One of which is rectangular with a length twice its width.

I think the variety in block sizes makes the quilt designs more interesting.

2011-08-26T22:36:00.001-06:00

Do You Know

The Farmer's Daughter Block?

The Farmer's Daughter block is new to me. I thought it might be fun to try coloring it various ways to see what happens.

So I did.

I expect there are a lot of other ways to color this block. You might want to try a few.

The real test of a block is how it looks as part of a quilt design. So I thought I should try a couple of those as well.

Playing with color is one of the easiest things you can do to change a block design or a quilt design. And the results can be spectacular. So why not give it a try?

2011-08-19T08:49:00.001-06:00

What Do You See

When You Look At A New Block?

Do you see possibilities? Do you see potential? I wish I did, but I don't. When I looked at Kansas Troubles for the first time all I saw was a block I'd never seen before.

But that was no reason not to try playing with it to discover some of its hidden potential and possibilities.

I could have started by playing with how the block is colored.

But I always do that anyway.

I could have started by changing proportions to see what happens.

But I didn't

I decided to start by playing with the unit that repeats to make the block.

I wanted to see how many ways I could use that unit to create quilt designs.

Below are some of the designs I discovered:

I've found I can't tell much about a block by just looking at it. I have to play with it before I can discover what it is capable of.

Have you played with any blocks lately to see what you can make?

2011-08-11T22:09:00.002-06:00

What You Can Learn From

A Disappearing Nine Patch Block

This quilt design was not made using Disappearing Nine Patch blocks; but it was inspired by them.

You probably already know what a Disappearing Nine Patch block is. But I'll tell you again any way.

Nine Patch blocks are cut into quarters and then reassembled to create various quilt patterns. When this is done the Nine Patch blocks disappear.

When you think about it, what's really happening is a new block design is being made from a quarter of a Nine Patch block.

What if this were done with other blocks?

There are a large number of blocks that, like a Nine Patch block, are designed on a 3x3 grid. A few of these are shown below. What if I make new blocks from each of these. I'll take a quarter of each block and play with it to get a hint of what sort of designs are possible.

Shoo Fly

Hidden Star

Ohio Star

Grecian Square

Friendship Star

These are very easy blocks to design. I think I'll call them Quarter of Nine blocks because of where they come from.

The last time I looked, EQ6 listed 57 blocks that were on a Nine Patch grid. There are, no doubt, many more. You might want to play with some of them and see what kind of Quarter of Nine blocks you can discover.

2011-08-10T08:52:00.002-06:00

This Quilt's By Karen

Karen Trzcinski took this idea from my 30 July 2010 post and turned it into a quilt for her young cousin who chose the colors.

I like the fact that Karen used 3 colors instead of the original 2. But I really like the border treatment. The 2 vertical stripes is a great idea. I'm going to have to try that on one of my quilts.

2011-08-08T11:25:00.001-06:00

You Don't Need A Fancy Block

To Make A Fancy Quilt

This is not a fancy block. In fact it's so not fancy that I don't know what to call it. But that doesn't mean it can't be a useful and interesting block.

You may have seen it used to make another block, Kansas Dugout. I'm going to play with it and see what else besides Kansas Dugout I can find.

A lot more can be done with this simple block. I've only just begun to explore its possibilities. Perhaps you would like to see what you can do with it?

2011-07-31T17:09:00.006-06:00

You Aren't Just Choosing Colors

You Are Choosing Values

Choosing fabric for a quilt isn't just about picking colors you like. Color value is even more important than color in determining how well your quilt works. You need to select for both color and value.

Here are values for a brown starting at dark and going to light.

When a Friendship Star is made using values of the brown that are close together, the design is hard to see.

When there is more contrast in the values, the design is better defined and has more life.

This time a range of dark colors is used to make the Friendship Star. These colors are pleasant together but don't have enough contrast to make the design work.

The same thing happens when the color values are in the mid-range.

And again when the color values are light, resulting in pastels.

It's not that the colors in these three color pallets don't look good together. They do.

The problem is that there is not enough contrast in value to make the design work.

When you are choosing fabric for a quilt you need to be just as aware of the values of the fabrics you pick as you are of the colors.

2011-07-19T19:50:00.001-06:00

What If We Go Back To June 2010?

A little over a year ago I was playing with this tessellating block.

I put 4 of them together to make this larger tessellating block.

Nicole liked the idea and made a quilt of her own based on it. I thought you might like to see what she did; I know I was pleased to see it. To see what she did visit SEW Daughter.

To see what I did, way back when, go here.

Today, looking at the small block, it occurred to me that I could use it to make a different large tessellating block.

You might want to try playing with the small block and see what you can come up with.

2011-07-13T11:38:00.004-06:00

Have You Tried

The Other Storm At Sea Block?

There is more than one Storm at Sea block. You can make a Storm at Sea quilt using either one. How is this possible?

The traditional Storm at Sea block looks like this.

When you put several of them together you get the traditional Storm at Sea pattern.

What if the center of the block was the small square in a square, instead of the large square in a square?

The new block would look like this.

When you put several of them together the Storm at Sea pattern in the center remains the same, but the edges of the design are different.

It's time to try different color combinations using this new version and see what happens.

There is more than one way to skin a cat. And there is more than one way to make a Storm at Sea quilt. Forget about skinning the cat and try designing a Storm at Sea quilt using the alternative block.

2011-07-11T11:56:00.002-06:00

Have You Tried

Playing With Storm At Sea?

Storm at Sea is a versatile block. Go looking and you'll find many wonderful versions of it. After a while you start thinking that everything that can be done has been done.

But has it...?

Often the Storm at Sea Blocks are made so that they overlap.

But they don't have to.

What if Storm at Sea Blocks are combined so that some overlap and some don't?

It's time to try different color combinations and see what happens.

It doesn't matter if it's Storm At Sea or some other block, you can always find something new to try.

2011-06-27T10:25:00.001-06:00

If You Try

You Discover You Can

There are a lot of quilters who design their own quilts. And I mean a lot. If so many can, there's no reason you can't too. But you never will, if you don't try.

For years I've looked at Bowtie and thought that it's too simple a block; there's not a lot you can do with it. So I never tried.

Then I saw this version of Bowtie on the Grey Cat Quilts blog. At first I didn't realize it was a Bowtie block. When I did, I also realized that no block is so simple that it can't be changed, no matter how slightly.

I decided it was time I tried to design using this Bowtie block.

These are a few of my attempts.

These aren't everything I tried. Most of what I tried didn't work, wasn't interesting, or was old hat. Especially my first few attempts. It can sometimes be discouraging. It makes one wonder, why bother? If I never would have tried, I never would have failed.

Of course, you know the answer to that. If you never try, you never succeed.

Isn't it time you tried designing a special quilt of your own?

2011-06-25T08:32:00.002-06:00

Something You Should Know About Color

Dark Yellow Is Olive Green

Painters mix colors. Quilters choose fabrics. But quilters need to know about the nature of color in order to pick the right fabrics.

Today I want to show you what happens when you add black to a color. Then consider how that can affect your color choices as a quilter.

Add black to green and you get dark green.

Add black to blue and you get dark blue.

Add black to purple and you get dark purple.

Now it starts to get interesting.

Add black to red and you get red browns.

Add black to orange and you get orange browns.

It gets even more interesting.

Add black to yellow and you get olive greens.

Because of this, dark yellow fabrics are hard to find. Yellow is basically a light color. But there are times when you need, or want, a dark yellow fabric. Where do you look to find it?

Add red to yellow and you get oranges.

There are a whole series of orange yellows and yellow oranges that you can use as dark yellows. You probably already think of them as dark yellows. And that's fine.

However, there are times when it is important to know that your dark yellow is actually an orange yellow. If, for example, you are trying to match a yellow with its complimentary purple, then you need to realize that the more orange your yellow is the more blue your purple needs to be.

Forgetting design considerations for a minute, it's just plain fascinating to know that olive green is really a yellow.

2011-06-19T22:50:00.001-06:00

You're In Charge

Do It Your Way

I found these these 4 versions of the traditional block Weathervane by surfing the internet.

They are not only colored differently, they are pieced differently as well.

This was on the Surfside Quilters Guild website.

Notice the inset seams in the 4 corner squares.

This was on the Quilt Genie website.

The arrows in the corner squares don't have inset seams and they are one color. The side squares are made from 2 rectangles.

This was on the Quilt Lovers Guide website.

The corner squares feature a smaller square in their corners. The side squares are squares with connecter corners.

This was on the Grey Cats Quilts blog.

This version is paper pieced using triangles rather than squares.

Which one is right?

All of them and none of them. Four different designers looked at the same block and each decided to piece it a different way. Each did what was right for her.

Each of us has different abilities and sensibilities. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for someone else. What matters is what works for you.

When you look at a block pattern you need to decide how you want to piece it. The designer doesn't know what you like; she doesn't know what works for you. She only knows what she likes; what works for her. You need to decide what's right for you.

2011-06-16T16:34:00.002-06:00

You Can Try

Not-So-Subtle Wonky Blocks

Wonky blocks can be fun. They give you permission to try unusual things and not worry about whether your seams match, or if your points are perfect. Nobody expects really wonky blocks to be perfect.

Designing a wonky block can be as easy as changing the grid on a traditional block.

This is a Contrary Wife block. It is designed on a 3x3 grid with consistent dimensions. The grid is parallel with the edges of the block.

What if the grid weren't parallel to the edge of the block.

And what if the grid dimensions weren't consistent.

Well, then the result would be this Wonky Contrary Wife block.

When 4 Wonky Contrary Wife blocks are repeated, this design results.

What if 4 Wonky Contrary Wife blocks are used to create new blocks?

What if the blocks are rotated with one of the black corners in the center?

What if the blocks are rotated with the other black corner in the center?

What if the blocks are rotated with one of the colored corners in the center.

What if the blocks are rotated with the other colored corner in the center?

This block looks like it contains a Sawtooth Star on an angle.

What if the blocks are reflected vertically and horizontally with one of the black corners in the center?

What if the blocks are reflected with the other black corner in the center?

What if the blocks are reflected with one of the colored corners in the center?

What if the blocks are reflected with the other colored corner in the center?

The answer to all those what if's, is that you now have new wonky blocks to play with.

2011-06-15T10:37:00.003-06:00

You Can Try

Subtle Wonky Blocks

It's fun to take a traditional block, change the grid dimensions, and watch the block go all wonky. You can get some interesting designs that way.

Some times a block that is a little wonky is all you need.

This block is Square and Star. It is very prim and proper. I think it would be a good idea if it were to cut loose and go a little wonky.

There are a lot of different ways you can vary block dimensions.

The more you vary the dimensions, the wonkier the block gets.

What if the dimensions are only varied a little?

What if Square and Star is used as the center of a quilt design, with version 2 in the corners, and version 3 along the sides?

What if Square and Star is colored lighter, so that it stands out?

What if a fourth brown is added to the other blocks?

What if the outside edge is colored lighter?

What if the diamonds in the version 2 and 3 blocks are colored black?

What if, instead of black, the diamonds are colored white?

What if the diamonds in the Square and Star block are colored black?

What if a border is added?

What if the border is changed?

Since each of the blocks was 12 x 12, this design is a little larger than 36 x 36. But it could easily be expanded to make a larger quilt.

A quilt made with a wonky block doesn't have to look wonky. It can appear to be prim and proper and still have wonky elements in it's design.

Wonky can be subtle.

2011-06-11T14:16:00.001-06:00

Do You Know What A Quilt Block Is?

What a foolish question to ask any quilter. You've made lots of them, so of course you do.

Or do you?....

I designed this quilt block for my quilt "North Cooking Lake"

I colored it 4 ways to give me 4 different blocks.

When I put the 4 blocks together I got this design.

Obviously this is not a quilt. It looks like a block. Maybe I should call it a block.

When I put six of this new block together I got this design.

This looks like a quilt. But it is only part of a quilt. I repeated this design to make a quilt. So maybe I should call this a block.

I put 4 of this newest block together, with a pinwheel in the center and it made a nice lap quilt.

But what if I wanted something larger? I could repeat this design to make a bed quilt.

In that case, I could call this design a block.

There is a point to all this foolishness. And it is not a philosophical point but a creative one.

When you are designing you can be more creative if you are willing to challenge your pre-concieved notions of what a block is, or what a quilt is. Take a small quilt and use it as a block. Take a block and enlarge it to make a quilt.

Don't allow yourself to be hemmed in by definitions and assumptions.

2011-06-08T11:32:00.001-06:00

Learn While You Play

The most useful design principles are the ones you teach yourself.

How do you do that? You play. You notice what's happening. You ask Why?

This design comes from my 21 May 2011 post. What if I play with it to see what I can discover?

What if I color it to create a solid central figure?

What if I create a second block by reversing the colors in the first?

What if I combine the two blocks to make a quilt design?

What if I lose the dark blue purple in the center and make all the Nine Patch blocks the same green?

The green in the center looks darker. But I know it's the same!

Why?

I think my eye, or rather my brain, is mixing some of the black into the green and making it darker.

My new priniple: By placing black fabrics side by side with light ones I can make the light ones appear darker.

What if I change the greens in the center to a lighter green?

Now they look closer to the original green.

Corollary to my new principle: If fabric is mixed in with a lot of black, I have to chose a lighter color to keep it from appearing too dark.

What if I start over with two different color version of the original design?

What if I combine the 2 blocks to make a quilt design?

The purple designs look tilted to me.

Why?

When I put 4 of the purple designs together, I think I find the answer.

The arms of the design don't line up, they are staggered. However, the arms join up and so they create a tilted line.

I'm not sure how to state this as a principle. Perhaps you have a suggestion. In any case, I know I can use it when I design.

If you start playing, I'm sure you'll find all kinds of ideas and principles you can use when you design.

2011-06-06T22:23:00.001-06:00

This Is Me

A few of my quilts were on display at the Linden Alberta quilt show, last Friday and Saturday.

Alice Klassen, of Jo-Al designs, does a great job of organizing the show every year.

While we were there, my wife Linda and I enjoyed seeing all the great quilts and meeting so many nice people who just happened to be quilters.

2011-05-31T09:56:00.002-06:00

The Secret To Creating Quilt Designs

Do Something, anything.

And then change it.

Then change it again.

And again.

Keep changing it.

Until you find something you like.

And then start over to see if you can find something you like even better.

2011-05-25T17:16:00.002-06:00

Look For The Hidden Shapes

In Familiar Blocks

Too often we look at a familiar block and take it at face value. We don't look for its hidden depths. Which is too bad. Because there is more to most blocks than what you see at first glance.

Shoo Fly and Friendship Star are 2 simple blocks that we are all familiar with.

When we join them together and color the negative space between them, something wonderful happens. The familiar blocks disappear and the negative space takes over.

We can do the same thing with Shoo Fly and Snowball. This time we'll include a plain square as well.

Again we'll look for shapes that form in the background and color these so that they stand out.

We'll try Friendship Star and Snowball this time.

We are looking at the background shapes in each block and trying to see what kind of design we can create by joining them together.

Instead of alternating Friendship Star blocks with Snowball blocks, what if a Snowball block is surrounded by Friendship Star blocks, some of which are mirror image?

What if we surround a Friendship Star block with Shoo Fly blocks?

This time the Friendship Star remains as an important part of the design but the Shoo Fly blocks disappear.

Go back to the quilt design at the begining of this post and see if you can find the Shoo Fly, Friendship Star, Nine Patch and Snowball blocks in it. Notice the shapes that are created by coloring the negative spaces between these blocks.

We normally ignore the backgound in blocks. But there are shapes hidden in the background; negative shapes that we can use to create interesting and surprising designs. When those negative shapes are highlighted they become the foreground and familiar blocks take on a whole new look.

2011-05-22T09:01:00.001-06:00

It's Okay To Try Something Different

You don't have to make the same quilts that your grandmother made. You can design quilts that are totally different.

I'm going to play with these 2 blocks and see what happens. The one on the right is Drunkard's Path. The one on the left doesn't have a name but it is similar to Snowball. They don't look like they belong together, so I should get some interesting results.

I wanted to create designs I hadn't seen before. So I picked 2 blocks to play with that I don't remember as ever being used together. You don't create something new by using the same old blocks in the same old way.

Trying something different doesn't always result in something good. So what? All you loose is the few minutes you spent designing. And you have fun trying. But if you find something you like, you get to smile for the rest of the day.

2011-05-21T09:12:00.002-06:00

Do You Want To Design A Quilt?

Play With

A Couple

Of Blocks

And See What Happens

Designing is playing.

Too many people think of it as problem solving. Who needs more problems? Not me. Not you.

However, everyone deserves more play time. So grab a couple of simple blocks, start playing, and see what happens.

I'm going to play with these two blocks - Friendship Star and one that looks like Snowball with the middle missing.

I'm going to try changing colors and the way they are combined. I have no plan other than to let things happen and hope that something I like shows up.

When you solve a problem, you have a specific goal you want to achieve. But you can play without any goal in mind, except to have fun. When you play you can try anything. When you play results don't matter; you don't have to achieve anything.

The surprising thing is that when you play you achieve amazing results. Try it.

2011-05-20T05:53:00.006-06:00

The More You Look,

The More You Find

Often when you take a new look at an old idea you come up with new ideas.

I've played with this idea before. I start with a Friendship Star in the middle of a grid and then add to it to create new block designs.

What if I try it again?

There's always something new to try, something new to be found. What you didn't think of yesterday, you'll think of tomorrow. If you keep searching, if you keep designing, you'll find a design you like.

2011-05-19T08:33:00.002-06:00

Make Your Quilt Backs Interesting

I recently finished this quilt. It's called Airdrie/ Iron Horse Park. You may recognize the design from my 25 February 2011 post.

The big question when you finish piecing is always, "How should I quilt this?"

I decided that anything too elaborate would detract from this design. To keep things simple I settled on inlining the black bands and the cream bands, and stippling the red background.

This was only my second attempt at free motion stippling; I felt it would be prudent to stipple red on red and to use red bobbin thread. That way no one would notice my mistakes.

Since the bobbin thread was red, that meant the lettering on the back (my initials and the date) would have to be red and that the back would be a light color.

The red thread disappears on the red lettering and doesn't impair its readability. It also has the added advantage of creating an interesting pattern against the light background.

The next time you quilt you may want to try a contrasting thread on the back to see what shows up.

2011-05-09T12:29:00.002-06:00

Even If At First You Do Succeed,

Try,Try, Again

It's easy to stop designing when you find something you like. But sometimes, if you keep designing, you find something you like even more.

For example, I did a number of designs starting with a Sawtooth Star in the center of a grid (See my 29 April 2011 post). I looked at them again today and thought of a different approach I could try.

I suspect that if I were to come back to this a few days from now, I could create even more designs based on a Sawtooth Star.

And I know that if you were to try, you could use a Sawtooth Star to create designs that I would never think of.

2011-05-08T11:01:00.001-06:00

Do You Want To Design A Quilt?

Try Adding Icing To A Cake

Okay, I admit it, this title doesn't make a lot of sense. But if you give me a chance I'll try to explain it.

Think of a traditional block as a newly baked cake that you can decorate. If you start with a simple block like Shoo Fly, or Sawtooth Star, you can add to it and make it your own. Think of what you add as the icing.

Here, let me show you.

Take a simple block, in this case Friendship Star, and place it on a grid.

Use the grid to add a design around the block.

The result is a new block that is yours to use in a quilt.

Here are some more examples.

There are a lot of different ways to ice a cake. You can use traditional blocks as the foundation for a lot of different new blocks and quilt designs.

2011-05-07T08:54:00.003-06:00

Planning Your Lettering

Adding lettering to a quilt takes a little planning.

I sewed this quilt, featuring an African batik picture in the center, from a pattern that I designed (see my 3 April 2011 post). Now I want to add my initials and the date on the back using my Deerfoot alphabet (see my 23 April 2011 post).

The first step is to draw the lettering on a grid leaving a 1 unit space between letters and a 2 unit space between lines.

This looks good; except for the AJ combination. Because there is so much empty space in the J it feels distant from the A.

By reducing the space between the A and J to 1/2 a unit the problem is minimized.

The next step is to draw a piecing diagram.

Then the pieces are sized. The Deerfoot alphabet was designed 5" tall. The quilt is 24"x24"; so it is best to resize to 2 1/2" tall.

This diagram can now be used to calculate fabric requirements.

It is a guide for cutting pieces for the letters and the background.

It is also a guide for sewing.

The planning for this quilt came down to: 1) Choosing an alphabet, 2) Choosing the best size for that alphabet, 3) Adjusting the letter spacing to get the best result.

It's not a lot of work; but it makes a big difference.