How to Layout and Set Your Quilt

Layout and Setting the Quilt
By Terry White
The layout of a quilt is when you decide where the blocks
are going to go and how you will sew them together.
Setting the quilt is when you set them in the arrangement of your layout.

So, here are two sets of nine-patches. As I make them,
two at a time, I’m laying them out to see how they look.

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 1 Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 2

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 3

I could sew them together as they are laid out just above in PHOTO 3, but I want to add lattice strips. Lattice strips are strips of fabric sewn between quilt blocks. This will separate the blocks like frames
and make the quilt bigger.

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 4

Here, I’ve separated the blocks and I like the amount of white space between them. There is about 1 1/2″ of white space between the blocks.
So, I’ll make my lattice strips the same width.
This is the layout I’ve decided upon.

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 5

The next thing I do is to try out different fabrics to see what would work as lattice strips. Green is a good choice because it is the color of grass and leaves…it is a natural neutral. I lay my different blocks against this color of green to see how they look. I like this green with the blocks. It doesn’t overpower the fabrics in the blocks and some of the blocks have this soft green in the fabric prints. I tried a few other colors before this one. I tried a blue and several brighter greens, this one was the best choice for me.

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 6

I cut strips and laid them out to see better how they would look. I like it!
I cut the strips 2″ wide, so after they are sewn
the strips will finish at 1 1/2″ wide.

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 7

Make sure that your nine-patch blocks are all the same size. You may have to measure and cut some to make them the same size. This is called, “Squaring up the blocks”. I prefer to always sew every block perfectly the same size every time. Yes, we all want that to happen. However, because we are not all perfect machines, the term “squaring up” was invented!

Layout and Setting the Quilt  by Terry White Image 8

Here is a detail shot of the corner of the quilt top to show the fabric I chose for a border. This fabric is softer than the fabric prints in the blocks and it picks up a lot of the colors in the quilt.

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