Marylake

Hi I have a pattern for a square quilt that I love but I want to make it into a rectangular quilt. Any tips to help me do this.
Thanks

PaperPrincess

Welcome to the board.
It does depend on the pattern and how it will be used. If it's a very symmetric pattern or block placement that produces a secondary pattern, you may be able to add additional pairs of rows to both the top & bottom of the quilt. If there is no secondary pattern, just add more blocks. Bed quilts often have uneven borders, narrower on the sides & wider on the top & bottom (or vice versa!). Or, if its a be quilt and you are going to have a pillow tuck, you can a different treatment on the top.
If you tell us what pattern you are considering we can provide more specific suggestions.

feline fanatic

Hi and welcome to the board.

Hard to say. Is the quilt a medallion with one central motif (like a lone star or similar) or is it comprised of blocks? Can you provide a picture of the pattern or a link to the pattern?

Without seeing the pattern it is hard to offer advice other than putting additional borders on the top and bottom or adding another row of blocks. We are good but we aren't clairvoyant

Jo Belmont

Jenny Doan has a great technique if you're using a very basic construction. A great way to sew rows of blocks, then make angular cuts, reattach, and all are on point. Fast and easy. See the video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uyd3jbTXRS0&t=56s

Iceblossom

I'd also like to see the pattern in question. I'm not big on square quilts myself but the way I make them rectangular varies. Easiest but not always effective is to double the width of the borders on the top and bottom from what is on the sides, that turns a square into a crib sized pretty easily but maybe not so good on bigger/wider quilts.

Another trick I use pretty often is to take a sub unit of the block and turn it on point, basically that makes it about 1.5 times as wide as block straight set. I'll put those to the top and bottom of the square. You can put a frame of a coordinating fabric around your square to whatever measurement you need for the width. I used to be good at math but I have a heck of a time post-50 so I just make the units and connect them and figure out the width from there...

Likewise, when the square isn't as big as you want it, turning it on point and putting corners on all four sides quickly makes it much bigger and shows off the center square (now a medallion!). Then you can put on the additional borders/widths.

quiltingshorttimer

I just quilted a customer quilt that she used a series of 2 blocks top & bottom to convert from square to rectangle. Looks good. It is a large 8 point start medallion for center.

DottyD

Hi from the UK. I have done this - but just need to know what pattern you would like to use ? Someone here will be able to help and what a great question !

klswift

Depends on a couple things. Easiest is if it is a pattern that allows you to add blocks, then add an additional row to the bottom. If not, then look at borders. If the pattern allows, you can add a wide color border to just the top and the bottom and then a regular border (or 2) around the whole quilt. Or make a complete inner border but make the bottom and top wider than the sides and then a regular outer border. My suggestion is to lay the various versions out on a bed and leave if for the day. Every time you walk into the room, register your reaction to the look of it. The one you prefer will make itself very clear.

Kari Ruth

This is a new quote panther by Robin Pickens. It is called mod flower box. I want to make the 78 x 78 quilt but I would prefer if it could be 78 x 90. Any suggestions on how to make this rectangular?This is a new quilt pattern by Robin Pickens. It is called mod flower box. I want to make the 78 x 78 quilt but I would prefer if it could be 78 x 90. Any suggestions on how to make this rectangular?

sewingpup

ummm...I would think of adding rows of pieced blocks using the left over fabrics on both the top and bottom with a strip of the border fabric between the center and the rows and then repeating the border? May be some flying geese or half square triangles.? I would do these rows both on the top and the bottom and leave the side borders until the end so everything is framed? You could also do the additional pieced borders by using the arch's pieces used i the body of the quilt.