Old 01-15-2012, 11:23 PM
  #5  
MacThayer
Super Member
 
MacThayer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Nevada
Posts: 1,103
Default

It looks to me as if the blocks are only 4" big. Double them and make them 8" big, and you will get to your Queen-sized quilt faster and easier. First, figure out how big the 4" size will give you. Then double that , and that will be the 8" size. From there, start adding 8" rows to the sides and end to come up with your queen size, taking into account the border of course. For the fabric, figure out how much you need for the 4" size, then doubt it when you double the size of the quilt. Then figure out how much you're adding to that, and how that relates to what you're already getting. Are you taking that doubled size and adding a third more? Then you'll need a third more of the fabric you need for the double size. When in doubt, add up all of the 8" blocks both ways, allow for seam allowances, allow a bit more for comfort, and see what that is in inches, divided by 36 (1 yard), and you'll have your needs. I always do it down and across because 36 isn't far from 42-45" wide, if you see what I mean. Then you'll need to figure out what percentage of the quilt belongs to each color. Normally I just look at the original break down. It's not going to change. If "blue" is, for instance, 1/3 of the total fabric needs of the original quilt, it's going to be 1/3 of the enlarged quilt.

Really, enlarging the blocks is he best, easiest, fastest way to go. In a larger quilt, the 4" blocks would likely look out of place, undersized, too fussy anyway. You need to enlarge the blocks in proportion to the size of the quilt to make it look natural. I'm not pulling this out of my head. I'm pulling it out of a very good book on re-sizing quilts.

Best of luck to you!
MacThayer is offline