Tag Archives: BlockBase

Plaid Quilt Block

Posted on March 18, 2013 | 6 comments

Plaid, a block found in the perpetual calendar, 365 Quilt Blocks a Year by Nancy Martin, is drafted from a 5 x 5 grid.

It can also be found as #1827 in BlockBase.

Plaid looks like this when set side-by-side (a straight set):

I like it better with sashing and cornerstones. Some of the blocks have been rotated:

Small changes in color placement:

And the Plaid quilt block placed on point:

Sashing and cornerstones added:

Another color shift on the Plaid block in the center of the quilt, plus the addition of an alternate block and a plain block:

If I were to make the above quilt, I might redraw the alternate crossing block so that the seams match the Plaid block.

I thought I was gonna be bored with this block. Turns out that I was wrong! There are more Plaid designs to play with in my Electric Quilt file.

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Tagged BlockBase, Electric Quilt, LCsCottage, Nancy Martin's Perpetual Calendar, patchwork, Plaid Quilt Block, quilt design, quilting

Love In A Tangle Quilt Block

Posted on January 25, 2013 | 6 comments

This week, we are exploring basic quilt design with the Love in a Tangle quilt block.

This block can be drawn with a 9 x 9 Grid.

If you have BlockBase, it is number 2066.

Let’s see what the block looks like when set side by side in a straight set with borders:

*Clicking on any of the photos will show a larger view.

Let’s add another design element by adding sashing:

Love in a Tangle has alot going for it. The framed center block is an area to showcase a focus fabric, favorite photos, or quilting designs. The sawtooth piecing (triangles) that surrounds the framed blocks provide ‘excitement/movement’.

The block can be colored in any number of ways. I chose to color it in such a way that the blocks will connect. The sashing emphasizes the connection and adds a dimension of depth to the quilt design.

I like the quilt without an alternate block. However, just for fun, I added a nine-patch to the framed blocks.

The next design shows the Love in a Tangle quilt block on point. Often, blocks will become much more interesting when set this way. At the least, you can get a different perspective.

With the sashing and a few alternate blocks, I think the design becomes more interesting:

Lots more alternate blocks added:

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Tagged BlockBase, Electric Quilt, LCsCottage, Love in a Tangle, patchwork, quilt block, quilt design, quilting

Lighthouse Quilt Block

Posted on January 18, 2013 | 4 comments

Let’s explore some basic design with the Lighthouse quilt block.

If you have BlockBase, it is number 2851.

The Lighthouse quilt block can be drawn with 5 x 5 or 10 x 10 grid.

Here is what the block looks like when set side by side in a straight set with borders:

*Clicking on any of the photos will show a larger view.

Delete a few lines from the original Lighthouse quilt block to come up with some alternate variations to play with.

And change the value placement as well.

A design with all three blocks included:

A design with a crossing alternate block (called Devil’s Puzzle):

Maybe you would prefer the Wild Goose Chase block instead:

Sometimes we want strong lines; lines to draw the eye side to side, or diagonally, across the quilt. How strong the lines are depends upon the type of crossing blocks we choose.

The next design shows the Lighthouse quilt block on point. It is easy to see the blocks because of the sashing (another way to include strong lines in the design).

Space can be created by adding a plain block to the design. Spaces are places for the eye to rest, and to show off great quilting.

The previous quilt design, and the following design, use the same blocks. Except for the center block (and a couple of other blocks), they are merely reversed. Fun to see the difference!