if you've purchased Dan's Climb quilt pattern and made it to this blog post
then you're probably looking for instructions for either
the yardage or for the scrappy version of the pattern.
so before we get started i do want to note that this pattern wasn't
intended for just a few yards of fabric.
the wide variety of fabrics you get with a fat quarter bundle is what
gives this quilt it's lovely stained glass effect.
now, having said that, if you really must use just a few fabrics it is my
recommendation to go no fewer than seven.
and you can see why with the graphic inside the pattern.
you'll end up with like colors next to each other thus looking like large squares of fabric.
note: the fat quarters are not used to make the "handrail" (small but long rectangles).
that is what your accent fabric is for...and the inner border.
right.
let's get to it!
for yardage:
looks the same, right?
well, it's not.
this is the 76" x 76" quilt.
and instead of using 16 fat quarters,
i used eight 1/2 yard cuts.
here's how it works:
from each fat quarter you can cut enough pieces for one full block.
that's 14 pieces squares of three sizes.
so if you want to use 1/2 yard cuts simply half the number of fat quarters needed.
then follow the cutting instructions.
the exception is your final yield will double.
example: instead of two 8 1/2" squares you'll end up with four, etc.
make sense?
this really doesn't work for the two smaller quilts.
just stick with fat quarters for those.
for 1/2 yard cuts:
76" x 76": eight fabrics
76" x 92": ten fabrics
94" x 94": thirteen fabrics (you'll have 1/2 yard extra...or twelve fabrics and one fat quarter)
94" x 110": fifteen fabrics
110" x 110": eighteen fabrics
still too many fabrics with the larger quilts?
half the number again and quadruple your yield.
94" x 110": seven fabrics and one fabric of 1/2 yard
110" x 110": nine fabrics
now what about the completely opposite direction?
what about a scrappy quilt?
such a good question!
i'm so glad you asked.
:)
pretty scrappy, right?
what holds this quilt together isn't the crazy, wild and varied fabrics
but the red "handrails" (accent) fabric.
you'll want to be sure to pick a color, preferably a solid,
that will keep the fabrics from becoming a chaotic mess.
i can't tell you exactly how much yardage to use, sadly.
however, i can tell you the simple math.
we'll use the 8 1/2" squares again for our example.
keeping in mind that you'll get two of those guys from each fat quarter
simply multiply the number of fat quarters for the quilt size you want
(94" x 94" has 25 fat quarters, multiply 25 x 2 (8 1/2" squares) = fifty 8 1/2" squares)
and that should give you the number that you need to cut out.
so for our example you'll need fifty 8 1/2" squares.
then sort through your fabrics to use all that you want.
the story behind this fantastic quilt...
a gal contacted me and asked me to make a quilt for her sisters wedding.
the idea was simple enough.
ask all invited guests were asked to provide a piece of fabric
that symbolized the couple to them.
i got all sorts of fabrics!
fleece, upholstery, satin, cotton...old shirts...and even one block that had pieces glued to it!
it was a challenge that i never expected.
LOL
here's the back of the quilt...
(the fabric under the picture was the glued one...i ended up
stitching around the pieces to make sure the didn't come up...
i may have even soaked it to try and remove the glue!)
i do want to apologize again for not having this up sooner.
it was up on my last blog but that was attached with a website
that went away (against my desperate protest).
i hope you enjoy Dan's Climb quite as much as i have!
xo,
~ h
p.s. if you haven't purchased the pattern but have fallen in love with it
you can get it
here.
