teacherbailey

There are two ways to do this and it all depends on your taste. For the 30" square that was mentioned, you could make 9 and sew them together in a square for a 90" x 90" quilt OR make 6 and sew them together in a 2 x 3 arrangement for a 60" x 90" quilt. You'd just have to multiply the fabric requirements by either 9 or 6 (and then add a little to each just in case).

The other way is a little harder. You have to know the measurements of each piece that the 30" quilt wanted you to cut. Then you subtract 1/2" (two seam allowances) from each dimension, multiply by whatever number gives you the size that you want, and then add the 1/2" SA back on. Example: the 30" square wants you to cut 2 1/2" squares. Subtract 1/2" and you get 2". If I want to make my quilt 3 times as big for a 90" square, then multiply that 2" x 3 for 6" and add the 1/2" seam allowance back on to make 6 1/2" squares to cut. Repeat for each dimension of the quilt.

The only exception for this is the 7/8" seam allowance added if you are taking two squares, putting them together right sides facing, and sewing on either side of a diagonal line then cutting to make two squares made of half square triangles. In that case, subtract the 7/8", multiply the size of the square and add the 7/8 back on.....and then make one just to be sure it turns out right. It should, but try one to double check.

I'm an old math teacher and glad to help with questions like this. Just PM me with what you're confused about and I'll try to help!

lynnie

I feel your pain....many moons ago i bought a book, said what the hay.
i take books out of the library now, and spend money on fabs.

Silver Needle

Count me in on this rant. I've gotten to the point where I look at the sizes a pattern is available in before I even seriously decide if I like the pattern. Some of us do have King Size beds for heaven's sake. Why not a whole book of king size quilts? I'd buy that in a hot minute. Not all patterns enlarge easily. You'd think LQS stores would jump at the chance to sell fabrics to those of us needing full bed size patterns.

leighway

And what really ticks me off is that often the pictures are taken with a perspective that makes them seem larger than they are.... I have too many lap quilts and I have a king sized bed...I may end up sewing lap quilts together...waste not want not..

grann of 6

Okay, I have to step in and add a different perspective to this "rant". My DDIL is a graphic artist and prints manuals, catalogs, etc. This is what I have had explained to me many times. Every extra page to be printed is expensive. Most books are done by the number of words. Therefore, if she were to add "X number of words" to explain how to enlarge the quilt to other sizes this will add a half page of print to the book. Multiply that by the number of quilts in the book, and you have several pages more. All this comes down to what they will have to charge for the book to the consumer. Therefore, you may be paying an extra $5 just to get those extra instructions. The publisher then decides if he is going to get his money back in copies sold. So it all boils down to the bottom dollar, and it is really not at all about us. For example, my DDIL was told to write this medical manual for the nursing industry; it was to be no more than 5000 words. She said it took her months to condense what they had submitted, down to something that didn't leave out important information. So I guess the quilt book publishers decided we don't need to know any more than how to make that one size quilt.

When I look at a book and see that it doesn't answer all my questions, the book goes back on the shelf to be purchased by someone else.

MissQuilter

I heard this comment about the quilt show in Houston. Way too many wall quilts and way to few bed quilts. In my humble opinion, quilts are art, are beautiful, are expression, but also they are comfort and something to cover up with, wrap up in and FEEL. Not saying that I have never hung a quilt up or enjoyed a wall quilt, but to me, primarily, they are beauty AND comfort and warmth. When I am gone, I would like to be sure that those who love me all have a quilt that they can cover up with and feel my love. Those of us who quilt carry on a legacy of finding ways to care for their families in ways that MORE than met basic needs, but also nurtured the soul.

Wonnie

In re to 'leafing through the book', that option is not available if you purchase on-line and that's how many of us purchase who don't have a LQS close by.

If I had my 'druthers', yes, I would like info for various sizes presented as in knitting instructions with additional size info posted in the same manner. Would take up far less space than a chart. Also, when doing a different size I go through the knitting directions and use colored marker to highlight the size I'm working on but it would be GREAT if this were adopted to quilting iand if each of the different size variations were PRINTED in a different color to begin with and you would just follow the color of the size you wished to emulate.

rj.neihart

I agree - and great you can share your thoughts!

diamondee

​I say go to the website of the Author and tell them. Maybe they can send you a chart that helps with figuring out the amounts you need.

BeckyB

I too agree with you, I am not good at math and feel they should have charts for all sizes!