Craig's other quilt.

Since seeing them around the web, I've wanted to try my hand at the interlocking plus quilts that have been popping up in the last couple of years.

So with no purpose in mind, I walked to my newly tidied fabric stash. I tried to remember what fabrics set apart the interlocking plus quilts that I liked best. I decided I wanted to make something with a fairly neutral background with pops of colour. So I raided my pale grey section (depleted it actually) and then added some reds and coal for contrast.

This bugger is only 36"x36". I thought I was making a play mat size quilt sans border, but the mister spied it and asked if he could "trade in" the quilt I made him a few weeks ago for this one. So I'll add a border and size it up for him. I'm thinking it will be something in the charcoal family, but I'll have to check my stash.

I didn't follow a specific pattern, but if you are looking for one there is one in Rashida's Coleman-Hale's I Heart Patchwork book. I used 3 1/2" squares (3" finished) and roughly 10 prints for variety. I simply started in one corner and worked by rows making up my layout as I went.

With the right colour scheme, these quilts can have big impact and are a perfect starting point for the beginning patchworker. If you're new to quilting and aren't sure where to start, I'd give this layout a big thumbs-up.