Designing With Tracing Paper

Designing With Tracing Paper

I am often asked how I design my quilts. I do not like to have the quilt drawn out on graph paper before beginning. By starting out with a block pattern that interests me, once ten to twelve blocks are complete I "play" with the set. Ideas come to mind over the months it has taken to piece the blocks. Since our log home has no extra space for a "studio", a design wall is incorporated into the living room where progress can be gazed at daily. "Warm and Natural" batting hanging from a curtain rod serves as the temporary designing area.

Pictured is "Timepiece" in progress. Upon completion of the various elements each were pinned in place while working on other sections.

In order to help visualize the applique portion in the center medallion of "Timepiece", I used tracing paper depicting an outline drawing of the vine, berries and leaves. By placing four such tracing paper drawings on top of the quilt I could see how well they would fit the space. Was it too big? Too small? Should they all be reversed? Should every other one be reversed? How many variations could be achieved using this particular drawing? Nothing had to be "etched in stone" without trying the combination. Also, I didn't have to draw the quilt out on graph paper showing each possibility. That's too tedious and I don't get a true feeling of what it will look like.

Tracing Designs on Timepiece

The tracing paper technique is also great for auditioning quilting patterns for the quilt top. By tracing a quilting design on "see through" paper it is easy to determine where seams and intersections will be crossed by placing the drawing on the quilt top. You know how it goes. The Murphy's Law of Quilting - " A quilting design will always fall across the thickest intersection of seams. "! I can turn the paper, change the angle of the design and see if there is any improvement for ease of quilting. Simply try another design if necessary. If the design does not fit the space it may need to be reduced or enlarged which is done at a copy machine.

I often use tracing paper to create an original design to fit the "negative space" in a quilt top. Negative space is usually the background area to be filled with quilting. Place tracing paper on the quilt top and copy the major design areas with a soft pencil or removable marker drawing only the outline of the blocks. There is no need for detail. Concentrate on the contours of the background area. Design patterns for this area by placing a second sheet of tracing paper over the outline. Using a second sheet leaves the original template intact so that several possibilities may be tried.

Once the pattern is finalized, lay it over the quilt top and check for those places where quilting through many layers will be necessary. Maybe that line could be moved or eliminated.

Using tracing paper patterns to visualize the effect on the actual quilt top is very useful.

I hope you'll try this method on your next project!

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