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Bow Tie Strippy Tut
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Today we're going to have fun making a great big Bow Tie quilt! It reminds me of Cat in the Hat's bow tie! The types of fabrics that can be used for this quilt are just unlimited as to what you could do and the many different ways to lay the block make it a versatile pattern! It's my own creation and the only Bow Tie of its kind that I know of in the world! Even though I made the pattern, let me say first off that it's not for the fainthearted! If you have low patience levels, get frustrated easily and are confused easily, this pattern is not for you! First let's take a look at the pic of the quilt we're making.
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Let me say that no other pattern I've ever made has given me such a challenge as this one! I was half-way done before I even got the technique down pat! It was also when I was more than half-way done when I decided I didn't like the blocks the way they were laid so I inverted them into the bow tie shape! The hard part of this quilt is not that there are opposite blocks to make, but that the 2 blocks that are identical have opposing positions to be sewn in, i.e., strips are sewn flush to the left or flush to the right.
Here's a pic of the quilt in its early stages where the blocks are laid with the bulk being in the middle and tapering to the ends. I thought the shape resembled a cummerbund or obi that is worn around the waist. Believe me, I was so relieved to see the blocks inverted to being narrow in the middle and wide at the ends, the Bow Tie position! Is shape important in a quilt? You bet it is!!! What can be cuter than Cat in the Hat's bow tie? When it comes down to abstract or familiar, we humans always love the familiar better that we can relate to! Therefore, the Bow Tie has more of a 'connection' factor to us and we love that! (When cropping this pic, the color button got stuck and wouldn't shut off so that's why the colors are off key.) |
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Now let's take a look at the block:
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Also, don't worry about the knot area if the seams don't line up well. Here's a pic:
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WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Aside from the typical quilting tools, |
SPECIFICATIONS:
Quilt top: 72 x 82 # of blocks: 20 # of 2.5" strips needed: 240 (cut in lengths of 5", 6" and 7" or uncut) # of 2.75" strips needed: 80 (cornerpiece) # of 2" squares needed: 20 (bow tie knot) (fin. size: 1.5") Inner border: cut size: 4" x 55" muslin cut size: 3" x varied lengths - assorted colors Final border: cut size: 6.5" x 60"; 6.5" x 70" muslin Well, now that we are going with the Bow Tie layout, let's talk about how we are going to tame down this confusion factor with these blocks! I've never given as much thought to other blocks as I have this one because it demands some considerable thought! |
THE EASIEST WAY TO MAKE THIS QUILT: Before we start on the process, let me say this. If you decide to make the 20 blocks in the quilt (so that's 80 quarter sections ~ 20x4=80) and there are 2 types of blocks to make, (one is a mirror image of the other), you could always just strip piece 40 blocks**, cut the corners off, turn the template over and make the remaining 40 blocks and repeat. Then lay the blocks on the design board and try out your colors for the Bow Ties then and finish the quilt off. There would be absolutely no confusion there! In fact, the easy way I'm going to show you will be easy but it may take a little longer because I like to design as I go and I am also using up odds and ends of pre-cut strips. Therefore, 3 identical blocks strip pieced is not my goal. We are going to first do the blocks that are identical and then the last 2 that are opposites. This will hold down some of the confusion factor! ** Please note: If you do strip piece this quilt, you cannot flip the template as you will then be making its opposite side. You would have to rotate the template and not flip it to get the same block.** ABOUT THE BLOCK: I took the background cornerpiece of this pattern and made it the focal point of my quilt. Adding the bow tie knot just adds another layer of depth, dimension, color and design element to the quilt. I did not intend to do another tut on creating depth in a quilt like my most recent one. It is just coincidental that this is a quilt all about depth and dimension, but a lot could be learned because we are adding another layer of depth when we put the knots on. If you want the block to come out at 6.5" cut like I did, you will want to use SCANT 1/4" seams to make a 12" finished block. |
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ALL ABOUT THE TEMPLATE:
Here's a pic of the template for you to download. Just for those who need it, right-click on the image and save to your file. The template measures 4.25" x 6.50" if you want to make your own and not print this one out. |
In order to make it easy and to keep you from getting turned around, I drew arrows on the widest end of the template showing you where you are to lay the template lengthwise on your longest strip. I found I needed to do that very much to keep things straight!
While taking pics for this tut, before I've even finished the quilt, I found that I had sewn strips together the wrong way and had to take them apart for 2 blocks!!!! Then I discovered I was showing you how to assemble the blocks according to the old way in the cummerbund position!! Need I say more?? I think if we go nice and slow, we will get the bugs worked out of this and lick this problem for good! ABOUT THE KNOTS: The knots can be machine appliqued, needle turn appliqued, hand appliqued, or simply raw edge and/or fused and reinforced with topstitching. They can be square, round, oval or wonky. Be sure to mimic fabrics to give it that 'designer' look. |
WHAT WENT WRONG:
So you can learn from me and have a better idea of where the trouble lies in this block, you'll need to know what went wrong, how and where and what to do to avoid it. Nothing could be more frustrating than having your colors picked out with all strips laid out and ready to sew thinking you are doing the bottom right block when you find out by laying the template on top that nothing jives!! It won't work! You can't cut the corner off because it's not at the correct end of the block! You accidentally had the template turned on the WRONG side! And the shortest piece is at the wrong end! After awhile, I just used all strips the same size from my pre-cut stash. This prevented material waste as well. You might want to just do the same. To avoid this, simply stop chainsewing 4 quarter sections at a time, slow down and do one block at a time to avoid picking up the last strip and either sewing it to a previous block or the wrong end!! I did both of those numbers too!! What a bummer!! First, test your strips out that they are either at one end or the other by laying the template on top before sewing anything! Do one block at a time and you'll avoid having to resew the strips a 2nd time or take the suggestion from above and just do all strips the same length! When laying your cornerpiece face down on the block ready to be sewn, make sure the design you want to be shown is at the correct end of the block and won't be cut off! The very flowers I wanted in a print to be included got cut off! Slow down on joining it all and you'll conquer the ins and outs of this block! The whole goal of this quilt was to use up odds and ends of 2.5" strips so maybe I would've done better not paying attention to the order of things or colors and just sewn my strips together and let them fall where they may have turned out just as well!! For that reason, this quilt could be good for a beginner's type quilt for someone who is new to scrappy quiltmaking since the background is easy putting mediums and lights together and the bow ties are deep solid colors. I don't think it would be that hard for them. |
PLACEMENT OF BLOCKS:
In talking about the deep bow tie colors, there is actually no need really for the discussion of placement of blocks. In this particular style, I think it would be rather easy for good placement. I would recommend placing blocks below one another that shows a definite color distinction for easy discernment. I wouldn't put a rust block underneath a red one, for example. Colors that blend too easily should be separated. |
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ABOUT THE QUILT:
Let's take a quick peak at the quilt again so you can see the 2 colors I did want to scatter through the quilt! First of all, by the pic you can see how I stairstepped the light blue color diagonally bottom left to top right. I also wanted to stairstep the yellow colors diagonally. That's about all I wanted to do as far as scattering any colors. More on that topic in the 'About the Colors' Section. You may have other colors in mind that you want scattered in your quilt. Consider stairstepping them for a more organized look to the quilt and centralize it even if it's more noticeable to you than anyone else. |
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Here is a pic of the quilt again where you can see how only the colors differentiate the block from being a Bow Tie block to becoming a Cummerbund block. Amazing! Now you might think of this block as being a giant-sized tumbler block, only that it is a pieced one at that! Or you may think of it as haystacks or Fall Harvest bundles!
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The nice advantage to this block is having it both ways on the bed! One quilt with 2 different views! The bow ties will either be horizontal or vertical depending on the way you lay it on the bed. For this reason, you might want to make it a more 'squarish' type quilt so that either way you lay it is the correct way! You could have it displayed in your favorite setting.
I actually made another quilt using a similar pattern to this one and it's my own pattern too. The cornerpiece is wider and the block is smaller than this new pattern. I just turned the blocks to form the stars and I called it "Twist and Shout." Here's the link to that quilt in case you missed it. It has not been posted in the Pictures section; only on another's thread. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ml#post5730446 Here's a pic of Twist and Shout: |
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Here are some other pics of the quilt. It's always fun to include a novelty or two. Besides novelty of funny cars and dinosaurs, I used a panel print, a really soft cotton suede, a pique, some glitters and a corduroy.
I'm also showing how the quilt looks from the side of the bed. |
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ABOUT THE COLORS:
In this quilt, I stayed away from bright red in the strips. I only used one. It's right in the center of the quilt. I used a few lighter reds though. As stated earlier, I picked out light blue and yellow to scatter through the quilt. Staying away from the bright reds helped the bow ties stand out better! The bow tie colors are strong and vivid and that was the goal. They needed to be lifted above the background colors to show their wonderful depth and twisting feature in the quilt. Those 2 toned ones really make a difference! There are no rules here! You might want red all over your quilt or it may be your theme! You may want the bow ties watered down in color. They'll be diffused if you overuse red in the background. I used color and shape in this quilt to cause the bow ties to stand out which is why I opted for deep toned fabrics rather than pastels or medium colors. I made it my focal point so naturally I would want them to be first noticed. Speaking of focal point, I didn't plan it but naturally placed the all white bow tie in the 3rd row from the top and 3rd row from the bottom. I think it should stay right there centrally located! In looking over my quilt so far, it definitely says 'I'm the focal point of this quilt.' Use oversized prints to help your focal point block stand out the most! |
Since I liked the colors I used in the first 3 rows (12 blocks), I decided to mimic them in the last 2 rows of the quilt by either different shades or different fabrics. For example, the top row block is olive greens and the 4th row is kelly greens. Since I like the colors of those I've used so far, why not repeat them again only in different shades and different fabrics? You might want to do the same. It's a good idea as it helps to unify all 5 rows better!
My only suggestion concerning colors for the strippies would be to just limit the really dark ones. Your background colors of mediums and lights would be a nice palette for the bow ties. I haven't done my last row yet but I'm looking forward to it! It's more fun to get going on this tut to help you do a nice Bow Tie Strippy quilt too! Once the blocks are all made and placed on the wall in order, we will be machine appliqueing, hand appliqueing or raw edge fusing the little bow tie knots to the centers. Then we can join the blocks together! Next, we will get started with the steps! |
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STEPS:
Please note that even though the step pictorial shows the block layout in the cummerbund arrangement, the blocks can be turned any which way. To see exactly how they will appear in the block, I would suggest turning the cornerpieces vertically and laying the strips horizontally before sewing so you will get exactly what you see! Habits die hard so I was already accustomed to laying the blocks by my previous design before changing to the Cat in the Hat arrangement. Now here comes the step pictorial! |
all i can say i love this quilt
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Steps 7 - 12:
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Steps 13 - 18:
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Steps 19 - 24:
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Steps 25 - 30:
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SOME TIPS/REMINDERS/SUGGESTIONS FOR YOU:
1) To make your Bow Ties stand out the most, avoid using their same color in the background pieces. 2) In creating the depth of the Bow Ties, use 2 prints mixed with 2 solid colors and placed in opposing positions to each other or vary the prints and solids used throughout the quilt. 3) In supplying a lighter shade to the Bow Tie, consider using a print on its backside. I did this on one block where the solid black doesn't stand out as much as turning it to the wrong side and showing its mottled black/gray appearance. It mixed in with the other prints better on the wrong side. The purpose is to get your color to burst whereas a black solid would not do that. 4) Consider using a shade of color from another color family in your Bow Ties. I did this for 6 blocks. I used a deep rose in the rust Bow Tie as you saw in the Steps Pictorial section, a fuschia in the red, a light blue in the turquoise, a teal in the kelly green, a navy in the black, etc. It helps in adding better depth and dimension in doing this and makes the Bow Tie block stand out even more. 5) When trying out the colors for the Bow Tie knots, stand 8 ft. back from the design wall to check and make sure the knots stand out and don't clash with a background fabric nearby. Then make adjustments. After all, this last touch is the most important design element of all! Choosing the right colors will really brighten your quilt up and give it lots more depth! 6) Consider making a quilt with the Bow Ties all done in shades of one color only -- all reds, whites, etc. 7) Fussy cut the Bow Tie knots from fabrics you used in the Bow Ties to give it a coordinated 'designer' look. Also fussy cut some of the bow ties so another color shows through other than the theme color. It adds a punch to the Bow Tie. Refer to the quilt picture to see how I used large scale versus small scale prints in the Bow Ties. 8) I suggest mixing the shapes of bow tie knots. A few oval knots would be eyecatching too! 9) Here's a great trick: On the knots, allow the knots to extend a little from the bow tie to give it 'a look of fullness.' Fill in with some splashy colors to create more depth! 10) Consider other layout designs also! There are stars, half-stars, cummerbunds, bow ties, and even flying geese and probably more ways to lay the blocks than I can think of! |
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Some Reminders:
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CONCLUSION:
Thank you for your time and interest in my tut! I certainly hope I covered everything you could possibly run into in making this quilt. If not, it will be a happy accident that only you will know about! I enjoy designing and teaching and have learned alot from my own patterns, especially this one, and hope you have learned something valuable too that you can use and/or pass on to others. Happy quilting! n2 |
thank you for a very comprehensive tut. it's a great quilt. and i love the twist n shout, too.
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It looks like a fun quilt to make. It would be a challenging quilt to make, but I consider this a challenge. I've got plenty of 2 1/2" strips scraps!
I made one last year like your twist and shout. It was challenging, but the directions had me originally making a roman stripe variation (in blue) and an accent color of yellow (the stars), then cutting off the excess. Still had to use seem rippers a few times when I drew the diagonal line incorrectly on the accent fabric. However, it came out very nice and I shipped it off to a man in the armed forces. Thanks for the tute! |
Wow! What a great tutorial. It must have taken you forever to put it all together. Looks like a great project! Thank you for all your work.
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Ah, you are the one!
I kept searching for a tutorial like this, but had no idea what it was called. Then I followed these links and things started popping into place. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t175057-4.html http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ml#post4868554 http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...is-t58040.html Now I want to attach a stray part of a tutorial you must know about and ask if it belongs to you or if you know who it belongs to. It is B&W so no clue about color. Anyway, the layout seems to be an important part of a pattern and a tute that goes with it. The hand drawn layout is the one I particularly want to find out about. Thanks for looking! |
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Originally Posted by GramMER
(Post 5943700)
Ah, you are the one!
I kept searching for a tutorial like this, but had no idea what it was called. Then I followed these links and things started popping into place. http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...t175057-4.html http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...ml#post4868554 http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...is-t58040.html Now I want to attach a stray part of a tutorial you must know about and ask if it belongs to you or if you know who it belongs to. It is B&W so no clue about color. Anyway, the layout seems to be an important part of a pattern and a tute that goes with it. The hand drawn layout is the one I particularly want to find out about. Thanks for looking! It's my Jacob's Ladder/Buckeye Beauty combo where I merged 2 patterns together. You can find it when you post on the link above. As to the other computer generated pattern, I have no idea who it belongs to but my guess would be Izzy from the U.K. for her Jacob's Ladder quilt. I can say it is definitely a JL quilt design and looks very similar to my pattern. After reading my tutorial, everything may click together for you better and you'll discover who it belongs to. Thank you so much for finding me and my pattern! Am glad things started clicking together for you!! Perhaps it was my JL quilt after all you were searching for. Your search is now ended! Thank you so much, GramMER, and I hope your search is over and you'll post your creation of it some day!! Happy quilting to you!! n2 p.s. don't know whose quilt this is but it looks like it fits your comp layout! Another similar JL quilt pattern I just recently saved to file. |
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Thanks everyone so much for your nice comments!!! In reply to kbatky, no, the quilt and tut together took only 2 weeks!!! I think the quilt could be made in 4 days!! Looking forward to seeing your quilts one day posted!! :thumbup:
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So cute! Thanks so much for posting! :)
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