Hey Everyone, welcome back to Story Time Monday.
Rectangles and Squares is a pattern I created a year and a half ago using only rectangles and squares hence the name. A great project for someone just starting out in quilting to learn proper cutting and piecing with accurate ¼″ seams. This pattern is also great for the experienced quilter who needs a quick project as a gift for a new baby, graduating teenager or just someone who needs a quilt to snuggle under. The pattern can easily be enlarged by adding more blocks.
Eight coordinating fabrics are used to create this great little quilt. The fabrics use a variety of values ranging from light to dark as well as a feature fabric or two. When I have created this quilt I have always started with a feature fabric and then pulled from that fabric the other colours that I want to put in the quilt. Using a feature fabric with a few colours certainly helps. This is a very versatile pattern suited to many different types of fabric – florals, contemporary, children’s and batiks.
The fabrics used for the online class version with the floral fabric as the feature fabric
The first one I made with orange, pink and yellow fabrics using squares and wavy lines as the feature fabrics. Today I was discussing how I was really into orange lately but I think I have to say that I have been fascinated with the colour for over a year now. I do love the combination of orange and pink even though my friend Ruth doesn’t.
My first Rectangle & Squares Quilt
The quilting on this quilt I did wavy lines to mimic the fabric.
Wavy quilting lines mimic the waves in the feature fabric
The second one I made was leaning more towards the male population in colours and designs with camouflage puzzle pieces and bicycles. I really like the colours in this one.
Bicycles and puzzle pieces are the feature fabrics in this version
This one I did very simple quilting outlining block sets.
Simple quilting to mimic the pieces and blocks
The third one went all the way to Australia and was a different block configuration than the first two. I love the feature fabric – looks kinda futuristic with the stars and circles – kind of reminds me of the Jetsons. The fabric was great in that had many colours and I was able to pull all my colours for the other fabrics from it.
Stars and circles are the feature of this quilt
The quilting was done with free motion stippling and stars.
An all over quilting design of stippling and stars
There are several different block configurations with this one single block. In fact I was quite surprised how many I came up with – both on point and square on.
Not only is the quilt a pattern available for download, but I have also developed and online class called Beginner Patchwork scheduled to start Sept 12 at The Academy of Quilting a division of Arbee Designs. This class is not limited to just beginners but it has been written to walk a beginner through the whole process of creating a quilt top. There are two layout options to pick from and lots of helpful hints, pictures and videos to enhance your learning experience. Along with a classroom to ask questions and receive feedback from fellow quilters and the instructor. This is a great way to learn especially if you live somewhere out of the way and do not have access to a quilt shop or guild.
The block configuration for the quilt in this class is even different from the ones above. A bit of a twist on the block.
The on-point design with the blocks creating pinwheels
It is a fun, easy quilt that is suitable for all levels of quilters. With all the different fabric choices each quilt looks so unique.
Happy Quilting!
