| Quilt designs are created by combining
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| | create a pattern that looks like a big X
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| blocks that have different color
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| | in your quilt simply by placing the
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| variations.
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| | colors in a particular position in each
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| A block is the basic unit of a quilt top.
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| | block. Thus, the Irish Chain, and
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| Typically blocks are square. They can
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| | variations of it.
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| be made any size, and frequently a quilt
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| | Adding a little more complexity, you can
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| is made using many blocks with the same
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| | take some of the square patches in the
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| design. They can be pieced together from
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| | blocks and divide them in half from
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| smaller pieces (called patches) or could
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| | corner to corner (commonly called
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| be appliqu? It is also possible that a
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| | half-square triangles in the quilting
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| block could be a solid piece of fabric.
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| | world), and create a star design.
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| The smaller components of a block are
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| | Using only half-square triangles and
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| called patches. They can be many
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| | square patches, by simply re-arranging
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| different shapes - triangles, rectangles,
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| | the fabrics, your checkerboard or square
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| squares, diamonds, or curves - but the
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| | turns into a basket, or leaf shape, a bow
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| idea is to sew patches together so you
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| | tie shape, or even a series of diamonds.
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| end up with a square.
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| | Another type of triangle that is easy to
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| By changing the shapes of the patches
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| | make is a quarter-square triangle. That
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| within a block (i.e., substituting
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| | triangle is made by cutting a square
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| triangles for squares) and/or changing
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| | patch into half-square triangles, and
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| the placement of the colors of the pieces
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| | then cutting the half-square triangles in
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| (i.e., switching light fabric for dark
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| | half once more, thus creating four small
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| fabric), you can create a whole new quilt
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| | isosceles triangles.
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| design while keeping construction of your
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| | You can add complexity to your design by
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| quilt the same.
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| | increasing the number of colors in your
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| Simple is the name of the game for many
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| | quilt, and your design changes once
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| quilters. Using one or two shapes for all
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| | again. What once was a black and white
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| of the pieces in your quilt makes it easy
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| | checkerboard can transform into a block
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| to sew; and squares and triangles offer
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| | that looks like the letter H.
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| many advantages in terms of simplicity.
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| | Your block can look like it is
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| As a beginner quilter, making the sewing
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| | 3-dimensional by using specific colors in
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| simple gives you the opportunity to focus
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| | designated places.
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| on learning and practicing basic quilt
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| | And all of those design changes can be
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| making techniques that you will use as
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| | created by using only three basic shapes
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| you develop your craft.
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| | - squares, half-square triangles and
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| Interesting variations in quilt blocks
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| | quarter-square triangles - plus a little
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| can be achieved through placement of the
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| | imagination in the placement of your
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| fabrics in addition to how each patch is
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| | colors.
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| divided.
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| | As you sew your blocks together, they can
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| A simple nine patch quilt block can be
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| | look completely different. For example,
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| used as an example of how different a
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| | you could take blocks of two simple
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| block can look just by changing the
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| | half-square triangles, place them in
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| placement of colors within the nine
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| | columns, alternate the direction of the
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| patches of one block.
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| | cut of the triangle, and create a quilt
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| Using only two colors of fabric in
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| | that looks like columns of zigzags.
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| alternating squares creates a design like
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| | Using the same blocks, placing them so
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| a checkerboard. With the same nine patch
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| | all of the diagonals are facing the same
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| of two colors of fabric, using only
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| | direction, your quilt could look like an
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| square patches in each block, you can
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| | old-fashioned scrap quilt.
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