Take a closer look at this striking sampler that recently showed up on Pinterest. According to the sign, "Color Study with Kaffee in Pink" was made by Lisa Watts and quilted by Kerry Rood. (I hope I got those makers right -- the sign was a little blurry. Photo was taken at the 2016 Sonoma Quilt Show -- which is, as near as I can tell, sponsored by the Santa Rosa Quilt Guild.)
What makes this piece so remarkable?
*It focuses on color. Two colors, actually: red (the primary) and orange (the secondary. Yes, I know she mentioned pink...) Separating your fabrics by color could give you the same results. (If you're not sure which pile to put a print in, check it out from a distance. The first color you 'see' is the one you choose.)
*It uses a variety of scale, from small to extra-large.
*The blocks are simple to construct. I see Nine Patches -- and large block patches that take special advantage of larger-scale patterns. BUT:
*They're randomly placed... right? I thought so, at first. Actually, Nine Patches alternate with plain blocks. I'm guessing that the quiltmaker laid them out for some time before she made a permanent decision.
*An enclosing inner border blurs the lines: made up of squares the same size as used in the Nine Patch blocks. They seem pretty random, too.
*The outer border is not only a stripe -- it's a variegated stripe. That's just fabric, Gentle Readers -- not strip-pieced units. (Although you certainly could piece this border.)
Simply brilliant -- literally. Is this quilt easy to make? Well, yes -- and no. And yet it is.
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If you need a lesson in working with color, this would be a great way to start. If you need a fairly-quick quilt for a wedding, birthday or graduation, this is another strong possibility. Find out the recipient's favorite color(s) -- 1 or 2, maybe even 3. Then start looking for the striped print while you cut squares from your stash. As near as I can figure, looking at the photo --
The blocks are in a 5 x 5 set. (No sashing, though that could prove an interesting variation.) The inner border is 1/3 block sized; the outer seems to be slightly more than 2/3 block wide. Soooo...
Assume that the blocks use 3" finished squares for the Nine Patches. That means, of course, that you cut 3 1/2" squares. (Seam allowances...)
For each Nine Patch, cut 5 of one print -- and 4 of another. You'll only need 12 Nine Patch blocks -- or a total of 9 x 12 = 108 squares.
Note: Press (iron) regularly throughout the stitching process of this quilt for best results.
Back to the quilt at hand.
Now cut 13 plain blocks -- big ones: 9 1/2". Use the large-scale prints for extra impact. (See how easy this is going to be?)
Use the leftovers to cut a random mix of 3 1/2" squares. Basically you'll need 3, pieced together randomly, for the edge of each of the joined blocks. (5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20 x 3 = 60 squares needed for the inner border. That makes a total of 60 + 108 (Nine Patches) = 168 squares. See how quickly you could use up scraps with this quilt?
Piecing:
Make 3 rows of 5, starting and finishing with a plain block.
Make 2 rows of 5, starting and finishing with a Nine Patch.
Join the rows, alternating and using the photo as a guide. Piece enough squares to make an inner border on all four sides -- then add those to the top, matching seams as you go.
Measure the top -- then cut your outer border strips -- say, 7 1/2" wide. Why am I suggesting you wait? Because your seam allowances may not be exact anymore -- so the strips cut would be slightly too long -- or, God forbid, too short. (Add extra if you're going to miter the corners, like the quilt shown.) Fold the border strips in half, then pin them to the top, starting in the middle, then out to the edges. Stitch. (Yes, you can just start at one corner, then sew until you get to the opposite corner -- but that encourages the quilt judge's biggest bugaboo -- rippling.)
Your quilt top is done!
As near as I can figure, if you start with a 3" finished square, you'll have a 9" block -- and a 45" x 45" pieced block section. (Assuming you're sewing a perfect 1/4" seam allowance, that is. You probably aren't -- but will be close.) Add the inner border (6" -- 3" on each side) and the outer border (14" - 7" on each side), and you have a respectable quilt top measuring 65" square. This quilt could be easily made larger or smaller, just by adding or lengthening the block rows. (Write me in 'Comments' if you get stuck, and we'll work it through together.)
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Special note: The squares used for the Nine Patch determine the size of the quilt. Make it smaller, if you like. Or, for a larger quilt, you could easily expand the 3" patch to 4" (4 1/2" cut). You'd get 12" blocks (70" x 70" pieced section), plus borders (4" inner, 9" outer), for a total quilt top size of 96" x 96" -- king size! Personally I think that this makes for a clunkier design. But if you are in a special hurry, it might be the way to go.
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Lisa used Kaffe Fassett's fabric lines for this quilt. ('Kay-ff,' in case you're wondering.) I like his enthusiastic approach to color and scale, and it certainly shows up here. Note also that she included a few exceptions to the 2-color approach, including a purple block and a yellow/green sunflower (??) print. Those wacky disagreements just make the piece more interesting.
A Nine Patch block should take no more than 30 minutes to sew, once the squares are cut -- and closer to 10 or 15 minutes, once you get going. You could:
*Cut the patches in a morning,
*Most probably make the pieced blocks section in a long afternoon.
*Add the borders the next day to finish the quilt top.
A beautiful, complicated-looking quilt top... in two or three days?? (And of course, quilting and binding will take longer.) The other nice thing: this quilt could use up a lot of your fabric stash. You'll need at least 20-30 different fabrics, if not more, plus the stripe. (I'd buy fat quarters, for a start -- and at least 2-3 yards of the stripe, plus 1/2 yard of a binding fabric, something more neutral.) Don't fall into the temptation of using 4 or 5, or even 10 fabrics -- it just won't look the same.
I need something to practice on, once these appraisal reports are finished. Guess what my next project will be?
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