I need help with a design....help me please....
 

My friend (not a native English speaker) has been commissioned to make this quilt, only with 6" stripes of color and 12" stripes of white.

How do you do it in blocks? Would it be better to just sew the strips together, tilt them and chop off the ends? Help? It seems so simple, but maybe not quite as much as I had thought. What I'm doing isn't working. I thought 12" blocks would work, but obviously not...maybe I need 24" blocks...

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Actually, after she is done with this, she is supposed to put a heart on top so the end result is this:
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It needs to be a large size...about queen size.

How would you do it?

I refigured these blocks at 18" and the strips seem to be close to 6" wide but this is how it appears when finished at 92"x92"
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But is there a good way to make this?

I will use tubular triangle stripsets and applique the heart :)

Can you describe the problem you're having with the blocks? Is it a matter of cutting the right size, or sewing, or ???

If you approach it as sewing strips rather than blocks, what is the problem there?

How would you do it, dunster? Would you just sew strips of colors together and then chop off the ends?

That definitely seems the easiest way, but later, how do you square up the corners?

My problem seemed to be making the colored strips 6" wide (as blocks), but it appears that if she makes 18" blocks, then the colors are 6" wide. But, it seems like it would be a lot easier just sewing strips of fabric, turning them on point and trimming. But how would you do that so it doesn't get all wonky?

I would just sew them as strips, then cut at the 45 degree angle. I wouldn't bother making blocks.

To eliminate wonkiness, I would try using a walking foot. Also be sure the machine tension is good. I would try sewing the whole thing in strips, but since I've never tried something quite like that I might run into issues like you did. It's harder to work with bigger pieces of fabric and longer seams when you're used to making blocks!

If you want to make blocks with the resulting colored strips being 6" wide, the block's diagonal will be 24". The pythagorean theorem says the block's finished side is then 16.97".

To make blocks, I would still start with a strip set, so I'm not sure of the purpose of cutting it into pieces and putting it back together, but that is what quilters do! ;)

But how would you do it, dunster? I mean, would you sew a bunch of strips sets with the two browns and white and then what?

Cut a corner white triangle and sew a strip set to that white triangle--just use the 45 degree angle cut on your ruler and trim that way?

OK. I think I can figure it out. It's the trimming so things are straight across the top and sides that concerns me.

I would also just cut strips the appropriate width, and close to the length needed leaving them squared. Sew the strips together. Mark the perimeter of the entire quilt, then stay stitch about 1/8" inside the marked line, then cut. Can't remember... can you get starch over there? If so I would also starch the yardage before I start. You are going to have to handle the whole thing gingerly until it's quilted because it will be entirely on the bias.

I like how you did a photo of EQ7. Normally if you export the quilt from the program, you won't get the top and bottom tabs. How did you do it?? Just curious. I agree with Dunster. Easiest way would just sew long strips together. I would sew them in sets of three. Good Luck.

I like the way PaperPrincess approached it. Don't do the final cut around the edge until it's all sewn together, and do be careful of those bias edges.

Maniac - she might have used the old-fashioned print screen, or the newer snipping tool. I love that snipping tool!

I would sew the two colors into 6" finished (so 6.5" unfinished) strip sets, then use a triangle ruler to cut into right triangles. As you're cutting with the triangle ruler, you'll rotate it so every other triangle has the opposite color in the corner:

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Another option would be to sew your strip set as above, then take your 12.5" white strip, sew along the top and along the bottom (right sides together), then cut your triangles, unfold and press and voila, you would have 2 sets of blocks and you would arrange accordingly:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]522619[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]522620[/ATTACH]

Eesh, I'm sorry my pictures are so huge! Not sure how to adjust!

Oh, and I just noticed RNquilter already suggested this method. :o Sorry for the giant pix and the repeat advice...

I would do blocks like Huskyquilter suggests.
I think the other way would be one gigantic bias stretch nightmare.

I would do it in strips. The only bias you'll have will be on the four sides, and as mentioned you can prevent an issue with that by stay stitching. Doing it in blocks doesn't prevent any of the bias edges if you're using the strip method to make the blocks, and it does create problems in matching points and seams.

Doing it in strips would also make an easy quilt as you go project, and the batting and backing would provide extra stability for the bias issues.

The blocks can be made super simple using the Strip Tube ruler technique. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3k85E3lzfU

I too would just do it in strips. Before cutting the diagonal on each strip I would stitch just inside the cutting line to stabilize. Then as you stitch the sections together it is very easy to keep everything stable and lined up properly.

This is how I have done it. It is true that you will have bias on all four sides, but if you just guide the fabric through your machine, without pulling, you shouldn't have any problem. Some quilters would suggest you starch to help with the bias sides. Ann

This can be done, but I would draw my cutting line on the 45 degree angle, stay stitch just inside the line, then cut so no stretching of the outside edges...just my thought... Oops! Should have read all posts first, someone beat me to this advice.. Lol!

I have drafted the finished block with measurements in inches.

Are you sure that the person wants the stripes to be THAT wide?

If I figured correctly, that would be a (finished size) 17 inch block with a 24 inch diagonal.

Or did she mean 12 inches this way?

That is definitely a different pattern.

I would make half square triangle blocks and then sew and flip the extra colour on the corner. You could make them whatever size you wanted.

Such a simple idea - but an excellent one! :thumbup:

There would be no bias edges to worry about!!