Calling all Quilters. Add your input.

Believe it or not, I am a male, and I do quilting. I have over 55 quilts I've completed.

It's an age old tradition, mostly lost.

What I need, to find, is the center block pattern for a DWR quilt. (Double wedding ring.) I made a four block quilt with a 4 inch border from a 20" block pattern, but it's not quite right. It puckers in the middle.

Yes, I can order the templates, I know. I prefer to figure it out on my own. I want the pattern to make my own templates, but all the quilting books I have exclude the center block.

This is the pattern I have:



I need the one like this:



This is the pattern I am missing:
(That is not to scale!)

I have the rest of the block, save that pattern. Grr.

Any help?

Here are a few other designs I've done:

Brown's Quilt:
Sold.

Baby Blanket (Niece).
Gift.

Woven Borders. (Nephew).
Gift.

Nine Block.
Personal Use.

Scrap Patch (Cancer Survivor).
Gift.

Snail Trail. (Friend.)
Gift.

Runic Quilt.
Personal Use.

Runes #2 (Embroidered).
Personal Use.

I've done Crazy Path's and Drunkard's Paths, so I have sewing on a curve down pat. I made my own stilletto. I just am searching high and low for that center block to scale.

Feel free to add any quilting related experiences. Quilting is a lost art. Let's bring it back!

reply to post by Druid42


I'm not a quilter but think it's great that people still do these types of activities. Hand made with pride means quality in my book

reply to post by Druid42


Try this and see if you can make one out of the image.
www.creativegridsusa.com...

Apparently you can also purchase plastic templates:
www.creativegridsusa.com...

reply to post by Druid42
Druid. I am a machine embroiderer and a quilter. I design quilt blocks on my computer with software and my embroidery machine sews out what I design. I have done a number of these quilts and also have a few vintage ones from the 1930,s. This pattern usually is only tackled by the really ex[erienced quilters as it can be a really frustrating one to sew. I have many patterns for this design but dont know how to send them to you as this website refuses to let me upload pictures or anything else. I can however probably find one on a website that you could possibly download yourself and print to scale. Ok, I found one. Hope it helps.www.mccallsquilting.com... www.icerocket.com

reply to post by Druid42


I'm sorry, I don't have the pattern, but I wanted to say how cool it is that you quilt! I don't have many pictures, but I have fun with wall-hangings and design my own blocks.

Wait - does this help?

reply to post by SLAYER69


I like to think I have a post-collapse mentality. I need to know some people will be able to make quilts and clothing if said event occurs. To keep warm.

I also have 3 vintage treadle machines, a 1900 Singer, a 1910 Singer, and a 1925 Singer, all rebuilt from scratch and perfectly serviceable just in case. Each machine made me 3-4 quilts before being carefully oiled and put into storage. Foot power in case of a power outage. Yeah, and I collect them but I think old machines are fascinating.

My main quilting machine, however, is an orphaned Sears Kenmore, believe it or not, that I found along the road waiting for it's demise in a landfill. I had to repair the cabinet, solid Mahogany, it was flood damaged on the lower 5 inches, and reset the reverse lever, which was jammed. Linseed Oil really makes Mahogany shine. Best feature? Feed dogs that drop with a flip of a switch.

reply to post by Opportunia


That pattern creates a 17 1/4 " block, But when you try to print it scales it different. Thanks for the help, but you can't just print from a template, as the image gets distorted in the transition from image to paper.

reply to post by mipher


Aha! This is kinda what I am looking for, a .pdf file with guides to ensure template accuracy. Not the exact design I was looking for, (I abhor paper stiching! Ugh, so messy!) but I will print the file and see if they match up to the other templates I already have.

I know it's challenging. It's why I quilt. Straight blocks are easy, and curved stitching is trickier. The only piece of the puzzle I was missing was a stiletto to help finish the seams.

I may wind up creating a new set of templates, but will keep hunting for a pattern. I'll be trying a block this afternoon.

Uploading pics are not that hard, but the templates need to be in .pdf format to prevent image skewing. If you need help uploading, just let me know.

Thanks for the link, most helpful!

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


I snatched that pic, and will print it to see if it matches up. It looks scaled, but the proof will be in the final paper version. Thanks.

reply to post by Druid42


I think it is great that a man makes quilts.I do hand embroidery
and have made quilted pillows in the past.
I have been going through my wedding inventory and have repacked
all of my tableclothes and napkins.I am planning to use them for the
materials they are made of,mostly heavy-duty cotton.Will make great
quilts and stuff from them.
It has been very difficult for me to dismantle my inventory,it took years
to get it all.

reply to post by Druid42


If you need me to make it larger or smaller, let me know.

reply to post by mamabeth


While it used to be only the women that did quilting back in the day, I see no reason why a man can't learn how. In fact, I'm taking on the DWR (Double Wedding Ring), because it's one of the most difficult designs out that.

It is a cash paying customer, as well. They specifically asked me to make one for them, having seen some of my other work. I've actually only sold about 20 of my quilts total, made to order, of course, and the rest are usually gifts or personal use. Every one of my family members have gotten a quilt of mine at some point.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


What program is that? I would love to be able to design my own blocks.

But I think I've found what I was looking for:

DWR pattern!

Can you alter the size of those patterns? Just curious, not a request. Those make a 12" block. The other style DWR made a 20" block, and I made four of them. At 12" per block, that's gonna be a lot of extra sewing.

I'll post a pic perhaps later today, as I already have all my material. I have some free time today, and hope to get a few blocks made now that I've found the pattern I wanted to use.

reply to post by Druid42


It's EQ7

I did a lot of research before I decided to buy this. It seems to be the best. It's very... adaptable (I can't think of the right word!) So, yes, you can make them any size you want. You can do a LOT with it, and I am only just starting, but I'm taking quilt lessons at Quilt University to learn how to use the software.

Originally posted by Druid42
I also have 3 vintage treadle machines, a 1900 Singer, a 1910 Singer, and a 1925 Singer, all rebuilt from scratch and perfectly serviceable just in case. Each machine made me 3-4 quilts before being carefully oiled and put into storage. Foot power in case of a power outage. Yeah, and I collect them but I think old machines are fascinating.

My first sewing machine was a hand crank Singer...it was my Grandmother's...and it still works - perfectly. My Mum still has her Grandmother's treadle Singer and it is all that I want to inherit from her.

I have an electric machine now, with loads of fancy capabilities, but would never ever part with my hand crank. That thing will still be working long after I've turned to dust.

Love your work, Sir, thanks for sharing. I'm not much on quilting, but I love patchworking, though I prefer to hand-sew for some bizarre reason...so such things take me years...

I'm currently on a knitting buzz...happens from time to time...everyone is getting hand-knits for pressies this year...whether they like it or not

The lost art of quiltmaking is making it completely by hand. Beautiful wether made by machine or hand. I do hand embroidery and other needle crafts as well as make jewlery, gift baskets etc. It helps to be crafty, saves you a LOT of money and you can be proud that you made it by yourself!

Keep up the good work!

reply to post by KilgoreTrout


I tried crochet and knitting. Can't do it. I need a machine and material.

I have the utmost respect for afghan makers. The knitting is a pressure related tension on your supply thread, which I could never master. My grandmother and step-mother could do both, but my lines always remained bunched and gankly.

Still, it's a hand craft, which I adore, regardless.

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Dang, that's pricey.

Still, I would love to tinker on my computer with designs. I am especially fascinated with curves at this point in time. Blocks and triangles are easy now, so I'm looking for challenges.

reply to post by Night Star


I like embroidery, and would do more, save lack of ideas. I just can't compete with the new fancy computerized machines, where you pay to download a pattern, and have to switch thread colors to complete the pattern. Fancy, OMG, yes, expensive, yes, but easy, yes as well.

All my attempts at embroidery have been by hand, the feed dogs down, the material in a hoop, (I have 4 different sized hoops) and following hand marked lines with a short zig-zag stitch.

Awesome quilting!

I've dabbled into it, made a Go Diego Go quiltsquare for my brother when he was little.

I've also added some more cross stitch if you want to see:
More Avengers!