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.

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.

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?

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.

It Doesn't Matter Where You Start

You Can Always Go Someplace Else

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.

     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.

What If You Designed

Rectangular Blocks?

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

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

Quarter of Nine #1

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.

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.

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 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.

What If We Go Back To June 2010?

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

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?

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...?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?....

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 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.

The Secret To Creating Quilt Designs

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?"

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.

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.

Planning Your Lettering

Adding lettering to a quilt takes a little planning.