Using a Panel to make a quilt - how do you decide on a pattern?
 

I have a ton of panels that I have bought over the years and I am having a hard time figuring out how to turn them into quilts. I am so used to using a pattern that I find it hard to figure out what to do with the panel. Often times the panels have different size squares on them and sometimes they come in odd numbers. For example I may have a panel that has three or five images and I struggle with the layout of an odd number of squares etc. I would really rather "cut" the panel out instead of leaving it whole so do you have any suggestions or websites you use? Thank you in advance for your replies.

Cut the panel up into squares and use other fabric with it to make whatever size square you want or need!! Then you will have a quilt of your design, not their design!!!

Mainly that is what I wind up doing if it is many blocks within one panel - and fit in other blocks between the blocks that I cut out of the panel.. If it is 5 big pictures in teh panel - cut them apart - center the one and make the others like cornerstones to the center one and make blocks of other fabric to fit in between the blocks. Depending on the original block pattern - you might just do like rail fence between teh blocks of all teh colors in the blocks - to outline the center one - and if you want it bigger - then do another design around the entire thing - many ways to use these; I find many make great baby quilts or throws... good luck and have a great time figuring new ways to use these.

This site gives lots of great examples for using panels - http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/techni...jects_ss1.html and if you do a search you'll find lots of other creative ideas. However it all comes down to your panel, the number of separate design elements in it, their sizes and number. It is a headache for me when I try to use a panel, and yet some of them are so cute that I can't resist them. I usually turn to the web or books and magazines for inspiration, and then I use EQ7 to finalize a design. Good luck!

I try to find blocks that fit the theme of the panel. I just did one with a fall theme. The blocks were houses tress etc. I made sunflower blocks large ones and smaller ones to fit where i needed them. I also made pumpkins. Fil in spaces with HST'S using the same fabrics used making other blocks. It was a lot of fun and creative to do.

Here is one of mine where I cut out the panels. Maybe it will give you an idea.

If you have at least 4 of the same panel you can "fracture" it. I'm working on one now. It's probably the only way I'll ever use a panel.

Here's another one I found with panels.

I took many of my panels and used them as is and quilted them this way for wall hangings I hang over my windows for the seasons as they are long and narrow and with limited wall space it works great for decor in my house. After many of seen these in my home I now sell them as people kept asking me for these. The really like them as they are affordable when comparing to a large seasonal quilt and they are lightweight so they simply hang with just a couple of paperclips from the curtains or blinds which are already up. Also if they are small enough I have cut them apart and made table runners for my various stands to use for coordinating seasonal decor and if the designs are small enough even can use them for mug rugs. Horizontal running ones I have used for back of couch covers and bed runners when adding some borders to each side. Also with just adding a couple of borders to the sides of a vertical one they make great baby/childrens quilts.

I just finished one with five different panels. No two were the same size. I just varied my sashing strips to make everything fit and made my filler blocks the same way. I tied it all together with a flying geese border. I just saw a picture of it and there's only one thing I'd change, but it's too late now.

I too have some panels, looking forward to some great ideas here!

Thanks so much for asking this question. I have been stumped for days about this. I have a couple of Beatrix Potter panels to make up a cot quilt - and I am stumped too. I thought using a panel would be so "fast", but it's what to add around it all that has me stumped. Then there is the sourcing of getting the fabric to do so. I went a bit made thinking this would be a quick way to sew quilts for the grandkids, so I bought a lot of panels..........thus I am following this thread very keenly.

Question for DogHouseMom If you have at least 4 of the same panel you can "fracture" it.
Do you mean if you have 4 panels?? I would only have one panel. However, I think I understand about fracturing it - cutting out sections to use as blocks????
Regards,
Anna Australia

I took Dunster's link to AllPeopleQuilt, and then typed in Panels in the search bar and this menu of quilt patterns made from panels came up

http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/search...&cof=FORID%3A9
Might be something here to help me too.
Regards,
Anna Australia

here's something i did when a small quilting group had a block swap and we were all to use all the blocks... i like the way they came together and blend disparate types of blocks...and it meant that you get 2 blocks from each 1 you have, so spreading them out is easier... it will tie together even better after quilting...

this would work for a panel as well... and if there are 5 of something? remember the outside corners and center of a 9 patch use 5 squares... put some alternate plain blocks in the other spaces and you're good....then just reverse the process if there are only 4....

I've used panels in a couple of quilts in the past 5-6 months; one a specialty quilt and the other a baby quilt. Both were fine with the addition of some borders and sashing.

I have two book on using panels. The first is called Clever Quilts and the 2d is More Clever Quilts. I think the author is Sue Dissmore Teagarden. If you will Google the titles, Amazon has them. You can also Google Using Panels in Quilts. I love panels and these books gave me all kinds of good ideas. froggyintexas

I have seen convergence quilts done from panels -- and they were wonderful.

I too have problems with Panels, but usually because I have problems squaring them up.

I made the back of a quilt using a panel and scrappy around it...will try attaching a picture of it.

Spotlight is a great pattern to use for panels. Works with any size panel.

Funny you should ask. I just quilted a panel for the first time. I spent the entire time trying to quilt it to make it "look" like it was pieced together and not a whole panel. It looks cute on the back of my couch, but if I ever purchase another panel, I will cut it apart and add my own sashing and borders.

If you go to the websites of the various fabric manufacturer's, you'll find their free patterns featuring their fabrics. You may not have the same fabrics/panels they've used, but their patterns will give you ideas of things you can do with your panel.

For example, this morning I was looking at this site for ideas and found several cute ones...
http://www.northcott.net/?sid=3&layo...tterns_archive

I also love the Clever Quilts books by Susan Teegarden Dissmore and have made quilts using panels and her ideas.

Dot Collins has a pattern for a "Tossed Salad" quilt which uses panels with pieced blocks. I bought my pattern at a guild meeting recently...Dot will be coming here to do a workshop on it next month. Here's what it looks like...
http://www.dotcollinsquilter.com/Workshop1.htm
It reminds me of the designs in Susan Dissmore's Clever Quilts books.

I also get ideas from the LQS which generally has some darling quilt tops on display that they've made using panels.

I love panels, but I find them much more challenging to use than a lot of traditional patterns. I'm always triple-checking my math to make sure the panels and blocks are going to fit together properly :).

Good luck with your endeavor!

I like the book Setting Solutions by Sharyn Craig for ideas on how to make blocks or panels of different sizes/shapes/numbers work together.

I like the whole panel (have 3 waiting, dogs, funky cats, and dinosaurs) and adding color-coordinated borders. It's all personal preference.

I have the same problem. Lots of panels- no ideas.

Panel Pattern
 

Greetings. I really like this pattern using a panel. It comes from Benartex and is using their Once Upon A Christmas panel. The pattern is called Home for the Holidays. I use this pattern to make theme quilts. Kids, Baby, animal lover, etc. Hope this helps. Peace, Robert.

http://www.benartex.com/page/once-up...istmas-186.htm

panels
 

I have them too. I was thinking for making a quilt by cutting these up and doing a one block wonder. Of course it's still bouncing around in my head. We'll see.

The one time I used a panel, the pattern was border after border around the center panel--17 borders in all. Two were pieced. I guess you would call it Around the World style.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...e-t119863.html

I never buy panels so really have no expereience here. But I have seen fabric lines that include a panel and many times they provide a pattern. Is it possible you can research the fabric line and find a pattern?

I sometimes receive panels as gifts and have to decide how to use them. Sometimes I use them as part of a quilt back and that works well. But there are lots of great examples here today

There is a quilt book by Susan Teegarden Dissmore called Clever Quilts - Making the most of Panels
Borders and Theme Prints. It deals with making quilts from panels. I to collect panels and got the book
to help with what to do with them.

This is very pretty and I do the samething. Sometimes I buy 2 panels and use one to make pillowshams to match the quilt. I have used cornerstones, flying geese, 1 1/2", 2 1/2" amd 3 1/2" sashings or borders to adjust sizes. Laying out the panel against other colors helps alot. You can add colors to adjust your size. Good luck.

Very nice, I do this alot. Great job!

I sometimes just start adding strips until I reach the size I want.

You ladies are so creative. I have a hard time imagining things to do with panels also. If I see it done I can do it but I am not able to imagine what to do.

I like using the Nine-Patch Pizazz pattern. Cut apart blocks in panel and make coordinating 9-patches to fill in
between the blocks. Add borders.

Visit the fabric manufacturer sites, all kinds of ideas.

I like panels as they provide me with small projects to handquilt. I can then make pillows or placemats, table runners etc. from them. If I want to make it quilt size I just add borders pieced or otherwise until it is big enough. I love the look of applique but only do fusable. The panels I handquilt fool most people into thinking I spent lots of time hand appliqueing.

I just bought 4 matching panels in a "catheradle" (sp) window type print, going to stack them 2 and 2 and sash and border them together with a keyboard print on the bottom to make an oversized queen....think it should work well, or maybe hoping it well...but just a thought for usage...

OK, first time to try and download a pic. Here is one I made using an oriental panel. Use your imagination and go for it. Also, many of the fabric manufacturers will have ideas for their panels on their website.

I have only done two panels, one with different deer scenes where I used 2 inches for the frame, then the tumbling blocks for the border in 3 colors. I called this one Tumbling deer. The other panel was a panel with bears where I used 2 inch frame again and pine tree blocks(three different sizes) on all four sides. I see nothing wrong with cutting out differernt size images and frame them, it they are not already framed. So draw the general idea on paper, then you will have to cut different sizes of material to make it all come together. Don't forget the seam allowances before cutting.