Friday, September 16, 2016

2 Color Interpretation = BYU Blue Tutorial

Do you look at pictures & patterns and mentally disect them into blocks and change up their colorway?
I do!

I needed a masculine BYU blue quilt, which to my mind meant 2 colors and linear.

I remembered a client's quilt from the Spring that was soft & yummy colors (made using Interlock pattern by Amy Friend; found in Modern Patchwork Winter 2015).

But I, also, remembered thinking while making it = 
"I would make this differently."
"I would simplify the piecing." 
"I want to modify the pattern & remake it in high contrast, 2 colors."
SO  I  DID!

I may still add a blue border all the way around.
What do you think?
Current size is 50x78,
with border it would be, at a minimum 54x82.
I began with my Quilt Journal graph paper, pencil, and an art eraser.
I determined I could make this design with just 4 units!

I like to do speedy unit piecing = 
clustering individual pieces into a streamlined unit.
For example:  see that triple strip unit of White, Blue, White?  

I strip pieced (3) 2 1/2 x 42" WOF strips together. 
Make 6 WOF triple strip units.  Press the seams open.
white:  (12) WOF strips 
blue:  (6) WOF strips
Then subcut into the unit size, 6 1/2 x 10 1/2". 
Each WOF produces 4 units.  
Cut 21 units.
**From the 6th triple strip set CUT ONLY (1) 6 1/2 x 10 1/2" unit.
***From the remaining triple strip set, subcut into (12) 2 1/2" units.  Set aside for later use.

The "crab" unit is made from 2 1/2" strips cut:
white:  (60) at 6 1/2" length
blue:  (24) 2 1/2" squares & (30) at 4 1/2" length
Stitch each row together:
row 1:  white, blue square, white
row 2:  blue, white, blue
row 3:  white, blue square, white
Stitch 3 rows together.  Press seams open.
Now for the blue rectangles and squares!  Easy beasy.
Cut (14) 6 1/2 x 10 1/2" blue rectangles.  **or make using 3 strips.
Cut (18) 6 1/2 x 6 1/2" blue squares.  **or make using 3 strips.

Stitch the triple strip units to the blue rectangles: 
strip, rect, strip, rect, strip
Press seams to blue rectangle.

Stitch the crab units to the blue squares:
square, crab, square, crab, square
Press seams to blue square.


Take the set aside 2 1/2" triple strip units and stitch one onto each end of the crab rows.  Press seams to blue squares. 

Stitch rows together, first row should be the triple strip/rect row.
Press seams open.

I used Quilting Treasures' Lola Textures fabrics that have fine lines with a look of spinning balls (footballs & basketballs.) 

3 yds blue (includes binding) *** add 3/4 yd if adding a border***
1 2/3 yds white


Hope you give this EASY, FAST tutorial a try!
Special thanks to Interlock for sparking my imagination 
to play, play, play.
Take a look.  I would love to see what you create.

3 comments:

Summer said...

Wonderful tutorial! Love the colour ♥

summerdaisycottage.blogspot.com

Marcelle said...

Beautifully done! And great tutorial. My eye thinks it needs a blue border. Can't wait to see how you decide to quilt it. Go cougs!

Marcelle said...

Beautifully done! And great tutorial. My eye thinks it needs a blue border. Can't wait to see how you decide to quilt it. Go cougs!