Try Experimenting

With Block Size                          Part 1

It's easy to make quilts where all the blocks are the same size. However, it is possible, and fun, to make quilts where the blocks are different sizes.

Today seems like a good day to conduct an experiment and combine 2 sizes of a very simple block.

The simple block in this experiment is a four patch made using 2 squares and 2 half-square triangles.

What if 1 large and 5 small four patch blocks are combined to make this new block?

What if one corner of the four patch blocks is very dark?

What if the half-square triangles are lighter in the smaller four patch blocks?



What happens when this new block, made of 2 sizes of a four patch block, is combined in various different ways?

It is obvious that using this one combination of two different sizes of a simple four patch block results in a number of different quilt designs. Even more designs can be created by changing the way the 2 blocks are positioned and/or colored.

The difference in scale of the 2 blocks adds variety and interest to the designs. They have both bold details and fine details. The bold details create emphasis; the fine details create a kind of counterpoint.

The resulting quilt designs may look complex, but since the components are simple both to design and sew, the quilts are, in fact, simple too.

I invite you to try designing one and see how simple.