Helpful aids to design your own quilt

There are so many different ways of doing something. There are so many quilts that one can make. There are so many kits to purchase if one is so inclined BUT, have you ever thought about designing one that would be your very own and therefore unique? It's not hard and you could use your own stash. You wouldn't even have to own any electronic software - just use your imagination and some paper and a pencil (or two.) You could make it any size you wanted - from a mini quilt to a king-sized bed quilt. 

Here are a few online aids that could help you get the brain cells firing up. Don't say you can't draw. Buy some graph paper and use a calculator if you have to but just try it.


Making Octagons

So, I was thinking of making a quilt using octagons. The easiest way, of course, is to cut squares and sew the corners diagonally, using smaller squares. But what size? What if I want to use a 6 inch square? That would be 6.5 inches unfinished. What size should I cut the squares for the corner? Well, being a researcher, I posed the question online and here is what I found: a calculator. Yes, a calculator for carpenters but it could very well be used by us quilters.

http://www.pagetutor.com/octagon_layout/

So, I used the drop-down menus that were provided. For a 6.5 inch square, I would need a square almost 3 inches - to be more accurate, it would have to be cut 2  11/16 inches.

So, go ahead, design your own quilts. Use the calculator and be free to make whatever kind of quilt you want.

Colour Theory

Want to have some fun while learning about colour theory? My daughter gave me this link.

https://color.adobe.com/create/color-wheel/

Just choose from the "Color Rule" drop down menu and then move the 'dial' around. Loads of fun.

Division or multiplication

Did you ever want to know how many charm squares you can get from a fat quarter? Or how many 2 inch squares you can get from a fat quarter?

http://quiltville.blogspot.ca/2005/06/how-many-squares-in-fat-quarter.html

I do hope these sites have given you some fun playing and perhaps your mind is working on a new quilt, an original quilt - one that is your very own.

And now, for the requisite photo.

This is the last big quilt that the Champagne Quilters finished. It is being raffled off between now and November, when the winning ticket will be announced at the annual church bazaar. There was a tea yesterday at Marg's church (I was invited) for the unveiling of the quilt and also the beginning of ticket sales. I asked if I could have a couple of books of tickets and so far I have sold 9 tickets - all to my family so far. It doesn't have a label and so that is one of the projects on my 'to do' list.

By the way, this was our own design. Made on the fly and not even on paper. It's actually the second one we made. The first one had thinner sashing and therefore, more stars.