GeoOptics Quilt Pattern

Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by to check out the new GeoOptics quilt pattern. I am really excited about sharing this quilt with you too. It has been an idea floating around in my head since the beginning of spring this year. I wanted to create a pattern using a simple and traditional block and flip it into something different and unexpected. And if you love mini quilts, there is a mini version just for you. I hope you will enjoy the pattern.

The log cabin block is one of the oldest quilt blocks around. In fact, you might have sewn it as your first ever quilt block. It was one of the first blocks I added to my repetoire and used a quick strip piecing method. We still have that quilt in our household after nearly 20 years!

Well, there is a sister block - the quarter log cabin. She is just one-quarter of the original block. Now, you could sew log cabin blocks together and cut them through the middle twice to get four slivered log cabins, but it is simpler to just sew the block below without slicing. 

This block creates many exciting designs with simple rotations and repetition of blocks. Here are just a few common designs made with the quarter log cabin that you may already know:

 

I wanted to really maximize the interest of the quarter log cabin by spinning and rotating the blocks. I wanted more elements such as color value and color placement to really shape the design. I sat and tweeked for weeks until my idea evolved into my most favorite design - GeoOptics. See the use of darks, medium and light fabrics to ceate the design. What do you see? There is no wrong or right answer here.

In quilt design and pattern writing, it is very important that others understand what you are saying. So, this time, I wanted to get back in alignment with my own thinking and learning process. I wrote the pattern with little text, more diagrams and more tables. Hopefully you agree that this method is easier to understand especially if English is not your first language. 

I sent out the preliminary patterns to my favorite quilt testers and was amazed to see what they delivered! I am always so stunned to see what others can do with my patterns.

This gorgeous version was created by Ute, who threw in just a hint of color to make it a stunning wall/art quilt. My eye just keeps dancing and dancing around the quilt discovering the different color pops.

Sewn by Ute of Uma.Saar

What truly illuminates this design is the use of color value – light, medium and darks and their placement within the design/blocks. The slow transition in color or value allows a secondary design to emerge. Do you see it? 

But let’s kick it up a notch. What if we bring color into the design?

The original design of lights, mediums and darks is still there, but another design in rainbow transistion flows across the canvas diagonally. Isn’t it beautiful? The added use of rainbow fabrics for a pieced binding with the lightest color in the corner, frames the quilt nicely. This is another added feature to the quilt design. Of course you could just use a one color binding, but I love how the corners sparkle with the yellow color.

If you are looking for a quilting desing, you could go with really fancy custom quilting, but I think a practical allover quilt design also does the trick just as well. Here it is mocked up with an orange peel quilt motif in EQ8 - Electric Quilt Software.

If you have a large stash or want to make up a throw or queen size quilt with your favorite fat quarters, this pattern is perfect for you! Here is another one of the layouts included in the pattern. I will definitely be making this design as well! This pattern will truly become your go-to, patchwork pattern.

Just take a look at our next quilt from one of our pattern testers. I especially love the use of a dark background to bring out the colors. This beautiful quilt was made by Hanna. She chose one of the other four designs found in the pattern booklet. Just look at her sparkling color transition within her blocks!

Sewn by Hanna of hannas_liebe

There are four different size quilts each with the same adjusted block size. You can pick which quilt you prefer – mini, wall or art, throw or queens size. The skill level increases as the blocks and quilt gets smaller. The mini quilt is the hardest.

Hanna had so much fun sewing the pattern, she made the mini version as well. This is one of the other layouts listed in the pattern book. It truly is fun to spin this block around and come up with new designs!

Sewn by Hanna of hannas_liebe

I am currently finishing up the hand quilting on this beauty – the mini quilt version which finishes at 24” x 24”. I think it will make a great oversized pillow.

 

If all of these quilts are too colorful for you, take a look at Martina’s quilt, she is known for her soft use of soft and sublte shades. It is an amazing scrappy, tone-in-tone, low contrast quilt!

Sewn by Martina  of malu_27117

Are you just not into square quilts? Well, Ulrike had a very interested recipient who was eying her design in process, but wanted a true rectangular bed quilt. No problem – Ulrike and I talked about how she could stay true to the design. She added another row to the top and bottom with a continuation of the design. She also adjusted the borders to make them slightly thinner. The pattern is easily adjustable to whatever suits your needs and preferences.

Sewn by Ulrike of Ulrike_Brauns

May, another of our incredible pattern testers, decided to use the three-fabric design to create this lovely throw sized quilt. It is so stunning with a slight Christmasy touch, don't you think? She quilted it on her  home sewing machine with some awesome matchstick quilting. Check out a glimpse of the super cool striped binding!

Sewn by May of fabraholicquilts

I would like to thank our pattern testers for their awesome work! They all used their own fabric stashes, creativity and know-how to produce their very own one-of-a-kind quilts. Photos courtesy of the creators! They totally hit their designs out of the ballpark! Each one is so lovingly made with an eye to detail. We are so fortunate to have such a great crew!

I had so much fun making samples and testing the pattern myself, I just couldn’t stop. I first made the mini, the the wall, then a super fun scrappy, stash buster accented with Figo - Earth in black.

I had a lot of fun picking out the rainbow gradient fabrics from my stash. I have a lot of fat quarters but most of them are slightly cut into. When choosing shades and gradients, I tried to always have a very luminant color as the middle value and worked lighter and darker from there. It was a fun way to play around with some of the lighter, neglected fabrics in my stash.

During the cutting phase, I realized sometimes, there wasn't enough fabric, so I just picked out something else and rolled with it. It really was so much fun.

 

I asked the very talented quilter, teacher and shop owner, Sabine Feldmann of Quilt Oase to make a simple allover design, because this will be our new sofa quilt. My husband has already adopted it as his own. It finished at 70” x 70” and is wonderful for snuggling in the autumn months. I just love this allover design!

One day I was thinking about where or how to finish with a photoshooting of the Rainbow (Scrappy) Gradient quilt and wanted to incoroporate my home. I live along the Danube River in Germany, not more than one mile away. In the autumn months, it gets incredibly foggy but oh so much fun to go walking along the river. It's been really foggy around here, so I convinced my husband to go with me on Sunday mornging before our famous Sunday breakfast for a quick photoshoot. Let's give him two thumbs up for a great job!

You might have noticed that the quilt design is upside down. I rather like it that way with this backdrop and the seasonal mood to it. The blues represent the sky, the green the trees and the yellows and reds the fall leaves.

If you like what you see, you can purchase the printed ordigital pattern in my Etsy shop. Starting today and running through Sunday, enjoy 20% off all patterns! 

Would you like to support your local quilt shop? You can also purchase at these stores in Germany:

• Quilt ét Textilkunst - Munich, Germany
  
• Quilt-Oase - Nersingen, Germany
  

If your shop doesn't carry easypatchwork patterns, ask them too!

The pattern also shows a quilt on the back cover made only with Kona solids. I am finishing up the binding on it this weekend and can't wait to show you more. This quilt will be kitted and available at Quilt ét Textilkunst. Kits will be available soon. Please ask at your local shop for more information.

Thank you for supporting my quilt pattern and training business. I would like to extent my appreciation with a GIVEAWAY! Leave a comment below stating your favorite color combination or version of the new GeoOptics quilt pattern. One entry per person please.

One lucky person will receive 27 – 5” x 10” cuts of all of the fabrics used in the pattern book to create your very own GeoOptics - Rainbow Gradient Mini. You will also receive two printed copies of the pattern and one Creative Grids 3 ½” x 3 ½” ruler. All products and supplies courtesy of easypatchwork. 

Drawing will be held on Thanksgiving, November 26, 2020. Not associated with anyone other than easypatchwork. Not valid where prohibited. You must be 18 and older participate. Good luck to everyone.

- - - - - - - - -

All photographs were kindly used with permission by the original owner - the one who sewed the quilt. All rights reserved to the originator. 

* * * * * * GIVEAWAY CLOSED * * * * *