Offset & Opposite

Description

As an engineer, you’d think I’d be all about order. In some ways, I am. But what I really love is the pattern more than the order itself. I’ll never forget my dad walking me past the old brick buildings in upstate New York, pointing out the different brick patterns in the walls. The one that stuck with me most was Dutch bond. He told me the bricks were turned that way to improve the structure’s stability, and it turns out he was right. Turning some bricks to show their short end instead of their long side actually locks the wall together more securely. To this day, I can’t walk through a historic town without staring at the brick walls, tracing the patterns masons laid down centuries ago.

This quilt channels that same instinct. Blocks offset and turned against each other, exactly the way those old walls were built, using partial seams to lock everything together. It’s a simple technique, repeated enough times that it becomes second nature by the time you’re done.

Finished Size: 61” x 83 ½”

Skill Level: Intermediate

Introduction: This quilt has a little challenge – partial seams. The larger pieces make it a great candidate to learn how to sew partial seams through simple repetition.

Fabric Requirements for Benartex’s Shadows & Light:    

        * Including binding