Tuesday, December 28, 2010

 


Quilt design doesn't happen in an instant. It takes time. It starts with a small idea that grows and changes many times. Sometimes that small idea never stops growing and changing.

A couple of years ago I was doodling on a nine patch grid and came up with this simple design. I thought it was interesting.
I got rid of the unnecessary grid lines and decided this is how it should be pieced.
When I put 4 of my simple design together I got this block.
I used that block for this quilt which I sewed in 2008 and which I call Cochrane.

When I published the pattern for Cochrane as part of my Alberta Series I thought it would be interesting to include a second version in which the block was colored very differently.
This is the second version of the block. It makes a quilt that looks nothing like the original.
When I revised the pattern for Cochrane in 2009, I decide to included several other color versions of the block for people to play with. This blue and white version was one of them.
I also suggested that the blue and white version could be used like this to make a table topper.


Recently I got the urge to actually make this quilt. But I wanted to change it a little first.
In May of 2010 I bought a Go fabric cutter. It uses dies to cut shapes for applique.

While playing with one of those shapes I discovered this Tulip-like flower.

What if I were to use this flower as part of my new Cochrane quilt?
I had to extend the pattern by a block to fit the flowers in. And I experimented with making it a 3 color quilt.


Is this the end of the story? I don't know. I do know that I have already designed other quilts using the Cochrane block; I might  be inspired someday to sew one or more of them. I will probably make a change to the design when I do.

6 comments:

  1. You make it look so easy and give me incentive to keep pushing myself to be creative instead of relying on just the patterns I see.

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  2. I want to make this quilt! There is something about it that just speaks to me! Thank you for designing it!

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  3. Sarcastic Quilter

    It is easy. It gets easier the more you do it. And it gets better too.

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  4. Staci

    When you make it, email me a picture; I'd love to see it.

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  5. I love how you design the quilt, it is so much more interesting. So you say it gets easier the more you do it. We will have to see.

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  6. Millie

    Everything gets easier with practise - driving a car, sewing, designing quilts - everything. If you can sew a quilt you can design one.

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