Some Questions Answered

Sometimes I get a lot of emails and lose track of some of them that have questions about things I am making.  This past week or two while I have been so busy making items for the shop and getting ready for Thanksgiving has been one of those periods where a few lovely folks have emailed questions to me that I fully intended to answer, but got side tracked and never did.

One reader was interested in finding this issue of APQ with the pattern for this gorgeous Double X quilt on the cover.  She asked when the magazine was published.  February 2003.  So good luck with finding that one!  I do think the quilt would be very easy to make without a pattern however.   Many classic quilts that you see in magazines or antique shops can easily be copied.

The quilt calls for 6 1/2 inch (unfinished) Double X blocks, the pattern for which would be easy to find in any quilt block pattern book.  If you don't have that info on hand, basically a six inch finished Double X block consists of six half square triangle units that measure 2 1/2 inches unfinished and three 2 1/2 inch unpieced squares.  In the quilt on the cover of the magazine, half of the blocks have center squares that match the background fabric (light), and the other half have center squares that are red. 48 blocks with white centers, 42 blocks with red centers.  The quilt in the magazine is very large (97 1/2 by 88 1/2).  Ten blocks by nine blocks–90 Double X blocks in all.  If I make this quilt, I believe I will make it smaller than the one in the magazine.  Maybe eight by seven–56 Double X blocks.

You can see that I made my blocks very scrappy with the reds, but used a consistent background.  You could make your blocks with scrappy backgrounds, which would be even more interesting.  Alternately, you could make your blocks with all matching reds and all matching creams.  When I examine the photo in the magazine, the quilt blocks are all over the place.  Some match, some are scrappy, some have matching half square triangle units in the block, and a center square in a different red.  It's up to you! 

When I make my black version of Double X, I will be extremely scrappy, both with the blacks and the backgrounds.  I just love scrappy, what can I say?

The blocks are set on point, with alternating six and half inch solid unpieced blocks.  There is a 2 inch unfinished narrow containment border and a wider 4 1/2 inch unfinished outside border.

As far as yardage goes,the scrappier the better I think.  The pattern suggests at least 12 third yard cuts of reds and 12 third yard cuts of cream prints for the Double X blocks.  If it were me, I would use fat quarters or smaller scraps and have more variety.  Just keep making blocks until you have what you need.  If you run out of fabric, just get more–it's a scrappy quilt after all!

For the red alternate blocks and setting triangles you need 3 1/2 yds to make the large version in the magazine.  For the inner border they call for 3/4 yard, and for the outer border 2 1/4 yds. 

To make setting triangles, there are lots of quilting reference books that tell you what size triangles you need to correspond to specific sized quilt blocks.  The magazine instructions call for 12 inch squares, cut in half diagonally twice for a total of 36 setting squares, and two 8 1/2 inch squares, cut in half once for the corner triangles.  These triangles are a skosh larger than needed, and will be trimmed down once the quilt top is assembled.

In summary, to figure out how to make this quilt in any size, your first step would be to determine the size you want the quilt to be.  Twin?  Queen?  Next you need to choose the block size you want to make.  Six and a half inches?  Four and a half inches?  How many of them will it take to make the size quilt you want?   Seven blocks by eight blocks (56)?  Eight blocks by ten blocks (80)? Graph it out to get a visual of how your blocks will look and how many alternate squares you will need.

There are lots books that have common quilt blocks with the dimensions given for several different sizes that will be helpful.  Everyone should have one of these in their library for reference.  C & T Publishing has a tool you can order that lists 500 quilt blocks in 5 different sizes!  (http://www.ctpub.com/productdetails.cfm?SKU=10322).   Whatever your ultimate block size is, your alternate squares obviously would be that same size.  To figure out the size to make the setting triangles and corner triangles, I would refer to a quilting reference book or google "how to make setting triangles".  There is a common mathematical formula on how to do it for any block size.  To figure out your border fabrics, you just need the final measurement of the quilt top.  My general rule of thumb is a yard for an inner border, two and half yards for an outer border and a half a yard for binding.

It seems like a lot of steps, but actually the process is easy if you approach things in an organized way. So, don't be afraid, give it a go.  You will be so happy in the end to have a unique quilt that you designed.  Make it your way!