CHANGE THE SIZE OF YOUR QUILT

 I am often asked for help by a quilter wanting to change the size of a quilt pattern. Perhaps it's too big. Perhaps it's too small. How do you increase or decrease a quilt to be size you want?

Let's look at Laurel Ridge, the 2025 Block of the Month quilt designed by Lynn Wilder exclusively for THE QUILT SHOW. As designed the quilt is 90" square:

For some people, this is too large and they want to make it smaller. How do you convert a pattern from LARGE to SMALL?

1. Make the blocks smaller: this works with larger blocks, say 10" or larger, but these blocks are only 5". Making them 2.5" finished would be quite a challenge. 

2. Make fewer blocks. Because this quilt is a Medallion-style, it makes sense to keep the middle the same and work out until the quilt is the size you want. 

I played around with EQ8 for some possibilities. The middle would remain the same as the original pattern. I didn't draw it, you can imagine it there. This quilt is 52" square with a 1" border on the outside. It can easily be enlarged with more or wider borders:

More borders, now it's 62" square:

Let's add another row of blocks. The blank spaces are for the applique yet to come. I am replacing those blocks with pieced blocks so will save that REVEAL for a few more weeks. It is 62" square now, an outer border would easily enlarge it:

What if you don't want a square quilt? Add additional borders on the top and bottom to lengthen it. Now it's 74" x 80":

Your first decision should be the finished size of the quilt. Once that is set, more or less, play with a variety of options until you say "Aha! That's just what I want"!

Here is one more example. For many years I planned to make this quilt, designed and made by Catherine Butterworth, who lives in Australia:

I called it "Diamond Jubilee" and expected to have it done by MY Diamond Jubilee--my 60th birthday. That was more than 10 years ago and here is what I have today:

It may get a little bigger, and a pieced border is definitely in the plan:

None of this is set in stone just yet. Why did it get smaller? I no longer need another King or Queen size quilt. This has been incubating for so MANY years it is just time to get it done. While I still love Catherine's original, my blocks just aren't speaking to me any more. So my current plan is to have three more Feathered Star blocks, then decide on block placement, sashing color, pieced borders--style and colors--and then get this one DONE in 2025. Finished is better than perfect.

If you have a pattern you like, don't be afraid to "tweak" it a bit to make it your own. Always be sure to credit the original designer on the label--you DO PUT A LABEL on ALL YOUR QUILTS, RIGHT??!!

I am a stickler for LABELS:  here is my TUTORIAL: QUILT LABELS--DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM  

Let's quilt.

Barbara