Hi everyone, a little while ago drose posted a picture from the Block Bender book by Margaret Miller and I was intrigued soooo, of course I HAD to get the book! :mrgreen:

It's quite involved, based on a grid system then light, colour and value come into play while you design your layout. I've been doodling some designs the last few evenings while watching TV and here's what I've got so far. My personal favourite is the last one, 'Rainbow ribbons'. I like the way the ribbons go under and over each other and have tried to enhance this effect by running through the spectrum to and from purple in each direction. :-D

When you actually make one of these, you have to cut triangle templates for each size of piece - quite a lot of work! I'm currently wondering if I piece two swatches together then cut out the rectangle with the diagonal on the seam line (like Rhonda's cut down methods) if that would be less hassle... ;)

BTW it's as much fun to think of the names as draw these - indulge me! :lol:

Very nice. How big are the squares then? Looks like alot of work.

That is an incredible undertaking. I know that whichever one you select it will just be fabulous.

Very unique, good luck

Love it, but why do you do this to me??????
Now here is something else that I am just going to have to try!!!!!
I will finish Dad's quilt
I will finish Dad's quilt
I will finish Dad's quilt
I will finish Dad's quilt
I will finish Dad's quilt

LOL :lol: :lol: :lol:

The numbers on the grids are inches but they're drawn half size to fit the paper - you can make them any size you like, just keep the scale the same. A full size of these grids would be around 40" - 60", less borders etc... :-D

Woody - perhaps your Dad would prefer a Block Bender quilt? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Woody - perhaps your Dad would prefer a Block Bender quilt?

My Mum picked a paper pieced star pattern and I am bored to tears, I don't like having to make 30 blocks of the same pattern :cry:
His birthday is in April and I am about 1/2 way through, I am determined to finish it and never do another like it again LOL

Oh goodness I feel for you, I really do! 30 blocks the same would drive me barmy (er!) LOL I made my Mum a quilt once in fabrics she chose - hated 'em myself. After that I vowed that I wuld always chose pattern, fabrics etc since I would be the one working with them. Doesn't help you now though, I'm sorry! :-(

Hi, Love your sketches, love the pot of purple and the Rainbow ribbons, please post pic when you decide on one and finish it.

Nope, all the angles are all different.
(Edited to add: you could actually, but ALL your edges would be bias, and that's just not worth it to me).


If it were me (not that you asked), here's how I would do it:

Pick out all your fabrics and number them accordingly. Mark those on your sketch.

Take the sketch to Kinko's (or wherever) to blow it up to the size you wanted ( block size or quilt size). This will be a few bucks, but worth your time in the end.

Then I would cut it apart into rows. If the rows are really long, then I'd cut them down into sections of 5 or 6 blocks.

And then I'd very, very easily paper-piece it straight across those blocks. Do that for all the sections. Then sew the sections back into rows, and the row into the quilt. Although, I might do it in quadrants if it were too big.

No templates. Perfect angles. Perfect points.

Only thing you need to be careful of is that you PP on the correct side so you get your overall orientation in the right direction. And in that block in the center of the quilt where you have 3 fabrics, start a section in that block and PP to the left.

Take care to mark the sections, and take note of the direction you're moving in.

This method would allow you to have a much more complicated design in a smaller block size. Which has me thinking.......