Complex Piecing Issue.
 

Hi, Everyone,

I began a quilt last weekend at a workshop at the Modern Quilt Convention in Pasadena (it was wonderful--if you ever have a chance to go, I highly recommend it). I'm really excited about a quilt I began, but I've come across a complex problem that's over my skill level. Can you help?

The quilt is based on an antique trivet I found in my mother's basement. I'm attaching a picture of it here. It reminds me of a Frank Lloyd Wright design and I love it.

What I love about the design is that the symmetry of the squares is disrupted in the upper righthand corner. I'm almost finished with the nested series of squares in the middle (conceptually, that was simple). Now I'm ready to tackle the upper righthand corner, but I'm not quite sure how to piece it. In particular, I'm stumped by the narrow horizontal lines that run perpendicular to the left side and bottom side of that upper right hand corner. Should I overlay the narrower horizontal lines over the side and bottom of the square and appliqué? Is this a situation where I should consider foundation piecing (which I've never tackled, but this might be my opportunity)? Are there other techniques out there I should consider?

Any advice by the experts here would be much, much appreciated! Also, I struggled to describe my challenge with as much clarity as possible--if it's still difficult to understand or if you all need me to post pictures of what I've done so far (not much), I'm happy to do so. Just didn't want to inundate with TOO much information!

Thank you all!

Fondly,
A

Did you graph it out on graph paper first? That's what I would have started with. Paper piece is definitely a possibility but I don't think you have to go that way. If I graph it out I can usually figure it out.

Yes, I would recommend graph paper too. I recently designed a complicated pieced quilt, and I ended up with squares and rectangles and had to partially piece seams. It's like a big puzzle. You can do it!

I can't really help you but I would be very interested in seeing the end results. Hope you can get it figured out it, looks like it will make a very neat quilt.

Ditto on the graph paper. Draw out the trivet on graph paper where each square represents some measurement. I try for 1 square = 1". That way I can see the divisions clearly. I love the pattern of the trivet - can't wait to see it finished. It will be a great quilt.

I was also going to say draw it on graph paper and you will see how they click.

Love this design. Can't wait to see your finished project. Are you going for a wallhanging size?

Wonderful inspiration for a modern quilt. I also recommend graph paper. Or, go to a copy center when they aren't super busy and have them place your trivet on the machine and copy it and blow it up to the size you want. Then, you can cut it apart, label the pieces, add the seam allowances to the pieces and sew it together in an awesome piece of quilted art. I have done this with applique images and I can see no reason it wouldn't work out nicely for your project.

If you can't figure out the seam lines for regular piecing, foundation piecing isn't going to do it. I think I would go with piecing the squares, then applique the 2 horizontal and vertical elements. The only other option is to graph it out as suggested, then piece in small squares & rectangles. This will probably add a lot of extra seams, however. I'm not sure how that would look when joined to the center section you have already completed.

I just finished piecing a simple maze and you really need to have a plan drawn out and know what order to sew the pieces together. If you are able to draft out the pattern, I would suggest you make a copy and then start sub-cutting it into sections to discover the order of piecing your quilt together. Good Luck!

Ditto to drafting it out first ... the graph paper will help you do your proportional sizings.
Just be sure to remember to allow the seam allowances in your calculations.

..... When stitching together, I would probably do some partial seams to avoid extra seams.
It really is not that hard to do them ... just a bit of patience for the first couple and then
you will see how easy they go together.

As everyone else has suggested your best bet is to graph it out. I would actually make those two narrow lines that jut to the left and towards the bottom a bit of the unit below and next. your upper right hand unit will need to be set in also known as a Y seam. Here, I modified your picture in paint with one option of how to break it into units drawn in red. Because you said you have already pieced the center nesting squares your options are limited in how to break this out. [ATTACH=CONFIG]543521[/ATTACH]

The trivet looks like it is made out of wood. You can do many different thinks with a saw that with fabric. Perhaps you might want to adjust the pattern to make the pieces easier to put together/ sew by eliminating a couple of the "bumps" in the corner. that probable will not effect the look of the quilt but may make it easier to sew.

Wow, that's an incredible design! I can see why you chose it. It does present some piecing challenges, but you've already gotten a lot of great suggestions here.

Graph paper drafting would be my choice. If the size of the finished product is relatively small I might use some of the fancy stitches on my machine or thread painting.

my first impulse was drafting w graph paper as mentioned by most here. then the response by quilterpurpledog made me rethink. yes ..i'd go to copy center or a mail box place as they all have nice copiers. i have my oversized patterns done for me at my ace mail center here locally as we don't have copy centers per sé. i am also a fan of difficult set in seams. after you have a copy at the size you want, draw the straight piecing seams as demonstrated by feline fantatics image. but instead of cutting off the offset areas i would do set-in seams for those areas. i love this design & i too think it resembles a frank lloyd wright design, definitely art deco. good luck w your project ..hope you are successfull and please do post a pic when finished!

My thought was the same as bigsister and the one with the red lines. I would get rid of the two small bumpouts and make them stop at the red line personally. I don't think it would change the look that much and the design would be much easier!

Pure Frank Lloyd Wright!
Love it! Can I steal it?

In my opinion ! ! ! the bump-outs need to be there. I would figure out a way to do it. Perhaps make more sections, as in more red lines. It wouldn't hurt to make sections stop at a different place, as at the end of the bump-out. Looking at it, I think there would need to be several more "sections", especially at the top right corner. The graph paper or enlargements will help out there. Just be sure to label everything before you cut it apart or you'll never get your Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Love that pattern. My husband would love it. He is a math PhD and loves all things gometric.

Wow! Thanks for all the positive comments and helpful advice. Thanks especially to feline fanatic for the red lines. Somehow, those tiny red lines made all the difference in my comprehension. So grateful. Long week at work and now a Saturday and Sunday with some graph paper! Will definitely post when I'm done piecing.

This sort of makes me want to drop some cash on EQ7.............:o

great suggestions on here for graph and draft.

I'd try the graph paper first. EQ is not that easy to draw a complex block like this. I'd blow up a picture to the size you want the whole thing to be and then use graph paper to draw out the design. I'd even use a light box to get the dimensions or to draw it straight onto the graph paper for the first pass. Then I'd redesign the whole thing to get the dimensions as pieces that could be cut. I'm not good at odd size pieces....8ths instead of quarters or 16ths.

I agree that you should graph it. You may find that one or two simple little changes to the size of a line will make everything work. And who will know that it isn't exactly the same as the trivet!!

This is the webpage for the Frank Lloyd Wright Ennis Block Trivet. It is a nice, square picture. Thought it might help.
http://shop.architecture.org/product...et-ennis-block

My husband loved this picture. Even he could see how complicated that would be to make into a quilt.

I love that design! Anxious to see your finished product. What colors are you using?

Love your idea and wish you the best of luck. You didn't mention your fabric or color choices, but I am looking forward to seeing a picture of the end result. Glad you enjoyed your workshop.

What a great design idea! This one's gonna be tricky. The graph paper is a must, I think. I'd do some mini-piecings to make sure that your ideas on paper will work out in fabric. Please share the results with us. I'd love to see how it turns out.

~ Cindy

Just have to say...AWESOME IDEA!!!