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Need help?

Need help?

Old 06-20-2022, 12:10 PM
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Is there a free program. That can help me find how to lay out a queen size quilt with different size blocks? I have been working on a couple scrap quilts. Both have 12", 10", 8"and one also has 4" blocks. But I can't get it in my head how to lay them out. HELP
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Old 06-21-2022, 04:19 AM
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My suggestion is to use graph paper. That is what I do
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Old 06-21-2022, 05:16 AM
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If these are works in progress, I don’t think there is going to be any substitution for a design wall (or design floor or whatever space you have). You can google “sampler quilts” for some inspiration, but once you get about half the blocks done, start laying them out and decide what else is needed to fill in the blanks. Here is an example of a sampler quilt I made with pieced star blocks in an Alex Anderson class. Once I had the largest blocks placed, I filled in with appliqué and smaller fillers.
Attached Thumbnails chicken-stars.jpeg  
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Old 06-21-2022, 07:23 AM
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I agree with laying out what you have and then deciding what you need to fill in. I do that often with blocks just to see the colors on the wall.

Graph paper is definitely my friend when making quilts. I use it for everything from enlarging or reducing blocks to layouts to figuring out fabric requirements.
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Old 06-21-2022, 07:52 AM
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Good suggestions, also consider looking at t-shirt quilt pictures, some people design them with different size blocks. As all your blocks are divisible by two, if you used graph paper to do a layout, the fillers should be fairly easy to figure out.
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Old 06-21-2022, 01:39 PM
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i have sucessfully used Excel as an alternative to graph paper to more easily move things around. I changed the cell size to small squares and considered each square a one inch block. then used different fill colors or borders or both to block out where I wanted things.
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Old 06-21-2022, 03:06 PM
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Throw out the 10 inch block first.

8+4 will work with the 12 inch block size. You can also use 6+6 or a 9+3 inch block. Use a block size that works to make a 12 inch block.

You probably didn’t need help with the math part but it is much easier to coordinate different block sizes when the block sizes work with 12.
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Old 06-21-2022, 03:30 PM
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Originally Posted by LAF2019 View Post
i have sucessfully used Excel as an alternative to graph paper to more easily move things around. I changed the cell size to small squares and considered each square a one inch block. then used different fill colors or borders or both to block out where I wanted things.
Brilliant!
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Old 06-22-2022, 04:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Rhonda K View Post
Throw out the 10 inch block first.

8+4 will work with the 12 inch block size. You can also use 6+6 or a 9+3 inch block. Use a block size that works to make a 12 inch block.

You probably didn’t need help with the math part but it is much easier to coordinate different block sizes when the block sizes work with 12.
You could make the 10 inch block into a 12 inch by putting borders around it on 2 or 4 sides.
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Old 06-22-2022, 05:06 AM
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Originally Posted by sewingpup View Post
You could make the 10 inch block into a 12 inch by putting borders around it on 2 or 4 sides.
Or make it fit your grid by putting a 10” block next to a 6” block, and putting a 12” block next to a 6” block or 2 8” blocks next to each other, etc.
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