Variable sized blocks setting

Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada

Welcome to the group Lesley
Having participated in a couple of these type of exchanges I will suggest
that one way is to first put them on your design wall in a way that pleases
you. Then by either using one or many co-ordinating fabrics build sashing
strips to make the groups fit a block size.
You could do some filler blocks such as flying geese or four patches to make
up your sashing. I received a tinner round robin that had some odd sized
blocks. Fortunately a few were appliqued and I could resize them to help
the piece work. I'll send you a copy of a picture of them to see how I put
it together. It's sort of like puting a puzzle together, you work in groups
and then the larger pieces finally go together.

--
Sandi in New Westminster B.C.

"Sewwhat" wrote in message
om...
Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada

Hullo Lesley
Welcome to our cyber quilt frame.
This is a great way to make a quilt, I love it.
I have done the scaled down paper block exercise, and it works like a
dream. It might help you to think of achieving 'sections' which are the
same size, so that you can eventually put the whole thing together.
This does not mean you have to have a give-away straight line all the
way down or across, as you can disguise it by means of your filler
pieces.
Charlie's idea of using strips of flying geese is good. You can also
use strips of herringbone, or a strip of chequer-board - two or three
squares wide.
But, if you have special chicken fabric to use, you needn't worry about
more piecing, if you don't want to.
So, draw out the square or rectangle you want your final quilt to be,
scaled down appropriately. Scale down all the blocks with the same
scale and cut out these little paper blocks. Begin to set them on the
'whole' in a balanced way (if the 'whole' is drawn on squared paper, you
will make your life much easier). I would work with finished
dimensions, you can add the seam allowances to your fillers just before
you cut.
When you have a balanced pattern that appeals to you, set the blocks to
the nearest line on the squared paper. Then, by working in rectangles
and squares of fillers, on the squared paper, between the paper blocks,
you should be able to arrive at a viable pattern. As I said, it is
preferable to aim at square or rectangular sections within the whole,
before getting to the 'whole', but I'm sure this will become clear as
you go along.
Good luck. It will look terrific when you have finished.
..
In article , Sewwhat
writes
Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada

--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

I think youre on the right track with the graph paper idea, but if I might
suggest you draft a copy of each block, to scale, and cut it out to lay on
the graph paper it would give you a clear picture of how to lay them out,
without having to draw each idea of how to set them seperatly?
Or, do the same thing on your puter.. sort of... If you have a good graphics
program you can make each block up then copy and paste them to a quilt sized
"page".. or use your printer to copy them out the right size...
HTH
Diana

--
http://photos.yahoo.com/lunamom44
"Sewwhat" wrote in message
om...
Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada

Lesley,

If you have access to a photocopier: Photocopy all your blocks and your
filler fabrics at the same percentage-setting to "shrink" your blocks.
Then you have grayscale copies to cut and move around to your heart's
content. In addition, the grayscale will have removed the color and give
you an idea of light/dark areas (which may or may not affect how you
like a layout, it's just another piece of info...)

I also remembered hearing about a book that deals with blocks of
different sizes. A good ol' Google search brought up this post (below)
by ME exactly one year ago today. How weird is that?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I think you are looking for Smashing Sets : Exciting Ways to Arrange
Quilt Blocks by Margaret J. Miller.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
(If the link breaks, just go to Amazon and search for the title to see
if this is the book you are looking for.)

A friend of mine took this class from Margaret and used some really
diverse orphan blocks from friends.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bert
Ramona, CA
bertklimas at yahoo dot com


Sewwhat wrote:
Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada

really GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!

--
Mauvice in Central WI USA
"Bert" wrote in message
news:zmP6b.29884$S_.15990@fed1read01...
Lesley,

If you have access to a photocopier: Photocopy all your blocks and your
filler fabrics at the same percentage-setting to "shrink" your blocks.
Then you have grayscale copies to cut and move around to your heart's
content. In addition, the grayscale will have removed the color and give
you an idea of light/dark areas (which may or may not affect how you
like a layout, it's just another piece of info...)

I also remembered hearing about a book that deals with blocks of
different sizes. A good ol' Google search brought up this post (below)
by ME exactly one year ago today. How weird is that?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I think you are looking for Smashing Sets : Exciting Ways to Arrange
Quilt Blocks by Margaret J. Miller.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...glance&s=books
(If the link breaks, just go to Amazon and search for the title to see
if this is the book you are looking for.)

A friend of mine took this class from Margaret and used some really
diverse orphan blocks from friends.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bert
Ramona, CA
bertklimas at yahoo dot com


Sewwhat wrote:
Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada

http://community.webshots.com/script...48437690Vblwdc
I hope this link works if you go there photo 7 is a picture of the Chicken
Quilt my group made for our local fair.
All different blocks.
--
Mauvice in Central WI USA
"Sewwhat" wrote in message
om...
Hello!I have a number of similar themed blocks of various sizes which
I want to set into a quilt somehow and am struggling with how to get
started on this. My one thought was to create scaled down paper models
of the blocks and work with them on paper to arrange into a setting
and go from there, creating filler blocks where needed. Does anyone
have any wisdom for me on this? The blocks are all chicken blocks of
one kind or another and I have a large assortment of chicken type
fabric I hope to use in setting these blocks. I'm new to this list but
not new to quilting. Thanks in advance for all the help I'm sure will
be offered.


Lesley in Woodstock, ON Canada