Small Scale - Big Impact
What makes one quilt stand out over another?
Color – of course.
Workmanship – no doubt.
Originality – it never hurts.
What about doing something else that can transform the look of the quilt and make it appear more complex than it is? It works on piecing or appliqué, traditional or modern, any style or fabric. It can be the answer to the question: “Why do I like this quilt so much?”
Scale.
Scale?
Scale a wall? On a scale of 1 to 10? The scale tells me I have been eating well? Lizards have scales?
Wait, what?
Scale – don’t look up the definition unless you have plenty of time. There’s a ton of meanings for this one word.
We are looking at scale as it relates to design and it is one of the basic elements of design.
Scale (here) refers to the relative size of an element in a design when compared to another element. Like the size of the block compared to the size of the quilt.
When looking at a quilt, scale can be seen in the size of the block, the size of motifs in printed fabric, and the relationship between blocks and sashings or borders.
I want to share with you some regular size quilts composed of small blocks. They are pretty fabulous.
I have contrasted some “regular size” blocks in tops or quilts with smaller scale blocks for your viewing pleasure.
This top measures 68 x 70 inches and is circa 1900.
This quilt measures 85 x 96 inches. It is Circa 1940. Both of these are machine pieced. The quilt is hand quilted.
This pieced design goes by many names: Churn Dash, Monkey Wrench, Hole in the Barn Door, Shoo Fly - and maybe a dozen others. I prefer Churn Dash for these examples.
The larger block measures about 14 inches while the smaller scale block is 4.5 inches. Quite the difference.
Another example of scale to help you relate.
Another great design - Ohio Star. The top is in pretty sad condition and dates from around 1900. It measures 70 x 84 inches. The quilt was made by Sarah Snyder Baum of Ashville, Ohio in 1903. It is 68 x 84 inches.
I know! We all need to make one like this!!
Large blocks - 12 inches. Pieced by machine. And the maker had trouble with those star points. I hate it when that happens.
Small blocks - 2.5 inches!! Set into 7.5 inch Nine Patches. Pieced and quilted by hand.
My goodness!
This is a great Pennsylvania quilt Probably 1870s. 75 x 77 inches.
The pink basket quilt is also a Pennsylvania quilt. It may be a little earlier than the other one. 1860s? 68 x 89 inches. Both are hand pieced and hand quilted. The set of the pink basket quilt is great too. It is constructed in vertical rows.
Of course, they are not the exact same block pattern. When I looked up the names in Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns, I couldn't find an exact match for the larger basket block. Several that were close were very practically named "flower basket". Oh well. The small block had several names including "baby basket" and "flower basket". Back to work - we have an 11 inch block and a 3 inch block.
That is a pretty small basket! And there are so many of them!!
Of course, I may not have a regular size example to partner with every quilt I would like to share with you!
Here are some other small scale quilts that give a really big impact:
Circa 1940s Field of Diamonds, 76 x 82 inches. Hand pieced and mostly hand quilted but you can see the border is machine quilted. I guess she had just had all she could take. Looks like ¾ inch hexies and lots of them.
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty impressed with this.
Cactus Basket quilt, circa 1940, 78 x 82 inches. 4.25 inch blocks. Hand pieced, hand quilted. Don't you love the layout? Like a medallion.
Burgoyne Surrounded. Circa 1880. 78 x 78 inches. Hand pieced, hand quilted. These are some small pieces! About a 9.5 inch block with those small squares measuring less than ½ inch!!
Even the larger pieces are about 1.5 inches. Very eye-catching.
If you've stayed with me this long, I have a fun one to wrap this up. The pattern was published in the Kansas City Star. The instructions did not include measurements. You just pick a size and follow the diagram. What could possibly go wrong?
Maker 1:
I think I'll just make my donkeys with big squares... Hmm. 3 ½ or 4 inches should work. Accuracy isn't that important. This top measures 87 x 102 inches.
Maker 2:
Well, I think I will make my squares 1 ½ inches and you know, accuracy is important. This little guy is 19 x 23 inches.
Both are hand pieced. That is a lot of squares, no matter which size you choose.
Sorry for the crooked photo. I just ran out of steam to get a better shot. But, look at the size difference from 1 ½ inch pieces to 3 ½ inches. They both make me smile!
Now what? You could go small for impact. You could also go big. Mix things up, do the unexpected. One of the things I love about studying quilts is seeing the personality of the maker shine through, even after decades or centuries.
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