Wake Up Call and Transmission Quilt Pattern.

Wake Up Call

Getting things up in my Craftsy store always takes a few more days than expected. This month, I was fortunate that the delay was due to our recent caravan holidays. I'm putting two new patterns up this week and trying something new. It may be hugely popularly or it might be a big fail. I'm willing to take that chance. The new patterns need a little explanation though.

I'm really excited about owning your quilts - putting creativity back in the hands of the maker.  The reality is there are many creative blog readers following Badskirt. I've seen what you've done when given a simple block. You've turned the x+ tutorial into masterpieces. You've gone batty for the paper-pieced bee. You've laid out airplanes in ways I would have never imagined. You are clever. You are brilliant with fabrics and you don't need to be told exactly what do to.

When we put the same block in the hands of three different people, we get three very different looking quilts; and that's what I love about modern quilting!

The original Wake Up Call layout

Wake Up Call with merged circles and expansive negative space

Wake Up Call with unexpected chaotic color placement

Instead of publishing full quilt patterns, this month I'm giving you building blocks to make wonderful quilts with. I'm starting first with Wake Up Call which comes with a bonus block inside called Transmission.  You can see three Wake Up Call examples above and two Transmission ones just below. The blocks are based on curve-pieced quarter square triangles paired with diagonal pieced central cross bars. The seams are intentionally misaligned and the circular pieces are expanded to give an explosive feel. The templates include 1/4" seam allowances and dots on curves to help with piecing. Changing fabric colors or shuffling pieces around leads to an entirely different look.

Transmission with radiating crossbars

Transmission with double X cross bars

Of course, you aren't limited to the Wake Up Call or Transmission layouts in the pattern. The curve-pieced quarter square triangle offer all all sorts of possibilities.

I need to send a huge thank you today to my team of pattern testers who worked quite hard making sample blocks and even full quilts with this pattern and the one coming out later this week. I'm going to do a separate post to thank them and to show you their projects. None of them balked at the idea of block patterns, I hope you're willing to give it a go too.

Here are a few of my own blocks to remind you what these designs look like made up in fabric:

Transmission quilt block

Wake Up Call variant with four curved sides 

The finished Wake Up Call and Transmission blocks are 11" square.  I'm certain a few people are going to ask me why I made that unusual choice, so I'll go ahead and explain. Honestly, I am tired of seeing quilts with 12" blocks. 12" blocks became the standard because they subdivide easily into 2, 3, 4 and 6 sections. This made it easy to mix and match traditional blocks. It's 2015 though, and I'm not afraid to step away from tradition.

When you start working with this 11" block, I'm sure you'll find it aesthetically pleasing. You'll also find the templates fit nicely on both A4 and Letter paper - an added bonus in the modern PDF age.

I hope you're as excited about building block patterns as I am. I really want you to take ownership of your quilts - make them your own, experiment and have fun. If you're keen, you can find the block pattern on Craftsy for $2.50.  At that price,  can you really go wrong?


#wakeupcallquilt