confused - on point size
 

I've been making quilts for years, but since my TIA I am totally confused as to what to do. Perhaps some of you sweet people will enlighten me?
I have some quilt blocks already embroidered and I embroidered them on point thinking that if I did them on point it would make the quilt larger, right or wrong? If it is right then how much larger will my quilt be I had planned on 9" finished blocks with 9 rows across and 10 rows down. The way I feel right now, I could just shove everything in a box and drop it off at Salvation Army store

I think maybe this blog will help you a bit

https://catbirdquilts.wordpress.com/...point-setting/

Could you lay them out to see how they look and see what size it would be?

QuiltnNan, this is exactly what I was looking for but I am wondering how you figured that out, is there a formula? I got in answer within 28 minutes, that is remarkable. I also want to thank feline fanatic and Eva, you all are my rock again!. Thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Wow, QuiltnNan, that does make a difference. Viva la on point!

i designed each type in my EQ. i love my EQ!

The diagonal measurement of a square is (approximately) 1.414 times the length of the sides.

1.414 is an approximate measurement, but close enough for most quilting purposes.

Examples: The diagonal length of a (finished size) 9 inch square is 1.414 x 9 = 12.726 inches

1 x 1.414 = 1.414
2 x 1.414 = 2.828
3 x 1.414 = 4.242
4 x 1.414 = 5.456

and so on

For quick approximation - you can "think" 1.5 times the side length for the diagonal measurement.

How big your quilt top would be? That would depend on how many blocks you have. When you cut the setting triangles, you need to allow for seam alllowances.

A 9x9 square only has 81 square inches of area, no matter which way you set it.

I just lay a square ruler the block size and measure diagonally across it. that helps my mind figure things out.

bearisgray is right. You don't get a bigger quilt unless you add more fabric. You can do this with setting squares or with borders. In Nan's example (not sure how she got the numbers - I don't get the same ones with EQ) the on-point quilt setting of 9 rows by 10 columns is set with 90 9" blocks, but has an additional 72 9" blocks filling in. You can't magically make a bigger quilt out of the same blocks by setting it on point. But I do think that on-point quilts often look more dramatic than straight sets.

See example - this is what EQ means by a 9x10 on-point setting. There are 90 of the blue blocks, another 72 plus setting triangles of the yellow ones.

ETA - I see where Nan got her numbers. EQ automatically adds a 1" border, which you have to remove if you don't want it figured into the size calculation.

I don't have EQ. When I wondered about the dimensions of an on-point quilt that I was working on, I cut out squares of newspaper that were the size of my block, placed them in a row, and measured. I was amazed how much larger the on-point setting was.

But this change in measurement involves having additional fabric for the setting triangles and extra blank 9" sqares of fabric as Dunster points out in her diagram. A straight set doesn't have those, so you need to keep that in mind patchitpat.

As Bear pointed out a 9 x 9 block only has a finite number of square inches of surface area no matter how you set it. The increased size is because of the additional fabric used in the setting triangles and alternate squares.

For each square on the diagonal (on point) you will add extra inches. That is what gives the extra size in the quilt. You may have a 9"x9" block (square) but on the diagonal it will be almost 12". just turn one of your square rulers then measure the diagonal distance from one corner to the opposite.

How many embroidered squares do you have?

Are you planning to use sashing or alternate squares between them?

Do you have a particular finished size in mind for this top?

Will you need more embroidered squares to get the size you need? Are you willing to not use some of them?

Do all these embroidered squares have the same background fabric?

For now - maybe laying them out somewhere - (on a bed, on the floor, on a design wall - whatever you have) - will help you decide what to do next. Also - if you can - take pictures of your layouts so that you can remember what each one looked like.

The attached drawing is very close to being true scale
(I used 1.4 to 1 instead of 1.414 to 1 for the ratios on these drawings)

I measured the sides of the squares - and on my tape measure - they are all two inches.

For those that use graph paper for drafting and planning -

I use 10 units across for the "straight setting" units and 14 units across for the "diagonal setting" units. The result is about 1% variation from "exact."

Ratios that would work:

5:7
10:14
15:21
20:28
25:35

How about using your on point blocks, add triangles on the corners and make it a square in a square block? Your setting will be straight, but you will retain the on point look. If you need more width, a nice border will do the trick.

Another way to think of it is to count the blocks.

In a 9 across 10 down setting straight set you need 90 blocks. Assuming no sashing and no border you will have a quilt that is 81 x 90 (7,290 s/i)

If you take those same 90 blocks and turn them on point you will only get 6 across and 8 down. The resulting on point quilt made with 90 9" x 9" blocks set 6 across and 8 down plus adding setting triangles will measure about 81 x 100 (8,100 s/i).

The additional surface area is due to having to add the setting triangles.

The OP will need to make more embroidered blocks or add plain blocks to get up to the size Dunster illustrated above.

What feline fanatic said about the on-point blocks

and if you don't have many embroidered blocks you can center them in the design and use other colors going around them. all design choices. Good luck!!!

You are right bearisgray, but setting triangles add aiot of square inches to the top, and if you use sashing the area is even bigger. You and QuiltnNan are both right.

You've gotten some great advice from other quilters. I want to encourage you not to give up though. I had a stroke and it took me several years before I could "multi-task" again. I, like you, would be so confused but with lots of concentration, I am back to teaching quilting again. Just stick with it. Try to stay as organized as possible so you don't have to use all your energy finding stuff and just enjoy your quilting. Don't let yourself get too discouraged. It's worth the effort.