Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Quarter of Nine Blocks

Two Quilts from Moose Jaw


Last October my wife Linda and I were in Moose Jaw to do a trunk show and teach classes. I taught how to design Quarter of Nine quilts. On the weekend we went back with some friends for the Prairie Hearts Guild quilt show.Two of my of my students had Quarter of Nine quilts that they had designed in the show. I thought you might like to see them.


This one is by Daphne Hunter.


This one is by Dorothy Schaff.
(I couldn't get far enough back to get the whole quilt in the picture)

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Paired Blocks #24

 

Swing in the Center

 

 

 

 

 

Linoleum








I was looking for two more traditional blocks to pair up when I found Swing in the Center and Linoleum.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Paired Blocks #23

 

Shoo Fly  

 

 

 

 

 

Rolling Stone







What if I pair Shoo Fly and Rolling Stone blocks? Will the combination give me any interesting quilt designs?

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Paired Blocks #22

Nine Patch







Twin Star







I chose the blocks Nine Patch and Twin Star for an experiment. I want to see what sort of quilt designs I can create using just these two blocks by changing colors.

Friday, April 19, 2013

Four Patch Block #8

Kamloops



























This quilt design uses a four patch block that I named after Kamloops, British Columbia.

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Four Patch Block #7

Golden



























I designed this quilt using the four patch block that I designed and named for the town of Golden in British Coloumbia.

Here's how it happened.

Friday, April 12, 2013

Half & Half Block #6

Kindersley



























I named the Half & Half block I used to make this quilt design Kindersley, after Kindersley Saskatchewan.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Half & Half Block #5

Pipers Lake



























This quilt design is made using a half & half block that I've named after Pipers Lake Saskatchewan.

A half & half block is sewn using two each of two different units.



Thursday, April 4, 2013

Wonky Block

Capital T











The traditional block Capital T comes in 2 versions. Roos Kuyper decided to use the first version as the basis of a wonky block.

She sent me a couple of her sketches.

Monday, April 1, 2013

Playing with Fabric

Elegant Spirit

by Kay Koeper Sorensen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recently on her blog, Quilts + Color, Kay Koeper Sorensen showed some fabric she had designed, called Elegant Spirit.

Saturday, March 30, 2013

Wonky Block

Spool



























It has been a while since I made a wonky block by changing the grid on a traditional block. So I thought I'd try a simple block that would resist my attempts to create something interesting. I chose Spool. Sometimes this block is known as Bow Tie.

When I changed the grid, I also changed Spool from a 6" block to a 12" block.

Although, if I had used a 1,2,3 grid, it would have remained a 6" block.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Quarter of Nine #15

Dublin Steps



























When you cut a traditional block which is assembled from nine units, such as Dublin Steps, into quarters you get four Quarter of Nine blocks.









When you change how the Quarter of Nine blocks are colored and arranged, the result is a new block that can be used to make original quilts.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Quarter of Nine #14

Flying Shuttles



























You won't find a Flying Shuttles block anywhere in this quilt design; but you need to sew Flying Shuttles blocks to make the quilt.

Far left: The 9 units that make a Flying Shuttles block
Center:  A Flying Shuttles block
Near Left: A Flying Shuttles block cut into quarters


Cut a Flying Shuttles block into quarters and you make what I call Quarter of Nine blocks. You'll notice that it makes two different Quarter of Nine blocks. You can use these new blocks to design your own quilts.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Scrambled Block #6

Flying Shuttles



























To create this quilt design I started with a Flying Shuttles block which I broke down into the 9 units that go together to make it.




Saturday, March 16, 2013

Scrambled Block #5

Clay's Choice


























If you're looking for design inspiration, you might want to try starting with a traditional block and scrambling the units to make new blocks.


Clay's Choice is a traditional block that is constructed from eight units.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Scrambled Block #4

Friendship Star



























I look at this quilt design and I find it hard to believe that it started with a Friendship Star block. But it did.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Scrambled Block #3

Card Trick



























This quilt design doesn't look like it was made using a Card Trick block. It wasn't. Instead, I took the units that go together to make a Card Trick block recolored them, scrambled them, and put them together to make a new block.This quilt design was made using that new block.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Quilts From Quiltmakers 100 Blocks Part 2

Trail Mix


























My quilt Trail Mix is in Quilts From Quiltmakers 100 Blocks.
To see what else is in the magazine and for a chance to win a free copy go to Quilty Pleasures.

Friday, March 1, 2013

Quilts From Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks

Trail Mix


















On 5 March, Quilts from Quiltmakers 100 Blocks hits the shelves. My quilt Trail Mix is one of the quilts in it.

I designed it using my Indian Cabins block which appeared in Volume 6 of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks.

My 7 November 2012 post shows a variety of quilt designs using the original version of the block


I've tried coloring the block different ways and playing with the setting. I thought I'd show you some of the results.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Scrambled Block #2

Balkan Puzzle





















Its fun to take traditional blocks and use them as the inspiration for new blocks. I make what I call Scrambled blocks by putting the units from a traditional block together in new arrangements.