Fractured Light Pattern
By Kimberly Einmo
I love to doodle with my mouse while using my favorite quilt design software, Electric Quilt®7 software. With nothing more than a vague idea in my mind, the click of the mouse can conjure up all sorts of potential designs.
While playing with the traditional T block on the design drawing board, I found an interesting effect when four T blocks were joined and rotated at consecutive 90° angles. I copied the new, larger block and pasted four large blocks side by side. With the addition of large Flying Geese units through the center, I arrived at this original quilt design. The soft, pastel colors from precut fabric bundles remind me of the first rays of sunlight streaming through frosty branches on an early spring morning. Glorious!
Getting started
Layer cakes are made up of 40 different 10″ x 10″ squares from a single line of fabric. Choose 1 of the squares for the center piece F. Trim to 8½” x 8½”. Separate the remaining squares into 2 stacks: light to medium value, and medium dark to dark.
From the light to medium stack cut 16 E and 16 D. From the medium dark to dark stack cut 48 A.
A jelly roll contains 40 different 2½” x 40″ strips from a single line of fabrics. The pieces for this project could actually be cut from just 9 strips. However, if you select a larger number of different colors and prints from the jelly roll, your T blocks will appear extra scrappy.
Separate your strips into 2 groups: mediums and darks. From the medium strips cut 64 C. From the dark strips cut 80 C.
FRACTURED LIGHT PATTERN
- Skill level: Easy
- Quilt size: 52″ x 52″
- Finished block size: 8″ x 8″
FABRIC & CUTTING REQUIREMENTS
- Requirements are based on 40″ fabric width.
- Strips are cut from selvage to selvage unless otherwise noted.
- An extra 2” has been added to the length of the border strips to allow for adjustments.
Layer cake – (40 squares 10” x 10”)
Jelly Roll – (40 strips 21/2” x 10”)
Light Background – 7/8 yard
- 16 A, 64 B
Brick Red Print – 1/3 yard
- Inner border top/bottom, 2 strips 11/2” x 441/2”*
- Inner border sides, 2 strips 11/2” x 421/2”*
Salmon Print – 1 2/3 yards
- Outer border top/bottom, 2 strips 51/2” x 541/2”**
- Outer border sides, 2 strips 51/2” x 441/2”**
Binding – 1/2 yard
- 6 strips 21/4″ x 40″ for 218″ of continuous binding
Backing – 3 1/2 yard
2 panels 31” x 60”.
Sleeve: 2 pieces 9” x 32”
Batting : 60″ x 60″
* These strips need to be pieced. If you prefer unpieced strips will need 1½ yards.
** These strips are cut parallel to the selvage.
SUPPLIES
Fabric marking pen or pencil.
ROTARY CUTTING
Rotary dimensions include seam allowances.
PATCH MEASUREMENT
A 47/8″ x 47/8″
B 21/2″ x 41/2″
C 21/2″ x 21/2″
D 41/2″ x 41/2″
E 91/4″ x 91/4″
F 81/2″ x 81/2″
Piecing the blocks
Join a background and a dark A triangle (fig. 1). Press seam allowances toward the dark fabric. Make 16 W units.
Using a fabric marking pen or pencil, draw a line from corner to corner on the wrong side of the C squares (fig. 2).
Following figure 3, position a dark C on the left side of B. Stitch on the drawn line. Trim ¼” from the stitched line. Press the seam allowances toward C. Repeat for the other end of B using a medium C square. Make 32 X units with the darker value wing on the left and 32 Xr units with the darker value wing on the right. Pay close attention to the color value of the wings in each unit (fig. 4).
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| Figure 3 | Figure 4 |
For unit Y, place a dark C on a corner of D (fig. 5). Stitch on the drawn line. Trim to ¼”. Press seam allowances toward C. Make 16.
Following the image below, join 2 Xr units. Press seam allowances in the direction of the arrows. Sew to a W unit. Join 2 X units. Sew to a Y unit. Join the units to make a block. Make 16 T blocks. Tip: Use a design wall to lay out the fabrics for one block at a time without repeating the same fabric in any single block.
Following figure 7, sew dark A triangles to the short sides of an E triangle. Press seam allowances toward the A triangles. The Flying Geese unit should measure 4½” x 8½”. Make 16. Join 4 Flying Geese units to make a Z unit. Press seam allowances all in one direction. Make 4.
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Assembling the quilt center
Referring to the quilt assembly diagram, join 4 T blocks. Press seam allowances open. Make 4. Lay out the blocks and units as shown. Sew together into rows. Press seam allowances open. Join the rows and press seam allowances open.
Adding the borders
Press the quilt center well. Measure the vertical length of the quilt through the center and cut 2 inner border strips to this measurement. Sew them to the sides of the quilt. Press all seam allowances in the direction of the arrows. Measure the width of the quilt through the center, including the side borders you just added. Cut 2 strips this length and sew them to the top and bottom of the quilt.
Add the outer border to the quilt in the same manner.
Quilting and finishing
Layer the backing, batting, and quilt top. Baste the layers together. To give them more definition, quilt curvy lines along the lines of the Flying Geese. Since the quilt is very geometric, I decided on a light and airy overall floral design for the rest of the interior of the quilt. The outer border is quilted with a complementary floral design.
Sew the binding strips together to make 218″ of continuous binding. Finish the edges of your quilt with double-fold binding. To display your quilt, make a sleeve and sew it to the back of the quilt.
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What colors would you make this fabulous quilt in?
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I would use red and aqua. Thanks.
I would use as many as I could from my blue stash–the biggest of all the color stashes!
I think this pattern would look nice in blues and browns.
I’d like this quilt in Fall colors- Warm yellow, burnt orange, warm brown, a touch of red, and cream for the background pieces. If anyone makes one like that, I’d love to see it! My list that has to be done before this is too long for me to try this coloration now.
I would make it in light blue, green, and yellow.
I would use all different shades of blue. I’m looking to create something soothing for the bedroom.
I would probably use teals, blues, and purples.
I would use shades of blue and white. It reminds me of snow flakes and my daughter is a HUGE Frozen fan… It would make the perfect Christmas gift for my little munchkin!
I would use green and blues.
sure would like to know how to print out this pattern. Looks like something I could do.
Varying shades of reals and blues
Navy blue and pale yellow
May be reds, black, grays and white. Blues would also be beautiful
I don’t particularly like this pattern, so I probably wouldn’t make it.
Purples and blues, one of my favorite combos!!!
Considering I’m in Christmas mode and the person I’m next making a quilt for wants purple and gold, that’s what it would be. The fun part about quilting for other people is using color combinations they like that might not always be what I would put together.