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| Kinabalu Quilt |
Exploring the Magic of the Kinabalu Quilt Pattern
When you've ever been fascinated by a quilt that looks like it moves, flows and curves only to find that it's made with perfectly straight lines, then you have experienced the true magic of patchwork! Now it's time to dive into one of those amazing optical illusions: Kinabalu quilt pattern.
It is a masterclass in design, whether you're looking to take your next step as an intermediate designer or just want some ideas on using those beautiful border prints in your stash.
Pattern Details & Techniques
The Kinabalu pattern, appearing in the May/June 2010 issue of McCall's Quilting, may seem a complicated array of curved templates, but it is no such thing with traditional piecing.
The key specifications for the important pattern:
- Finishing Size: 76” x 76” – this is a great size for a queen bed top, or a very large living room throw.
- Skill Level: Intermediate. It takes concentration to cut and lay out, but it is very easy to sew.
- The Core Block: The entire design is based on this block of log cabin, which is not centered. The design is forced outwards, but unevenly, depending on the width of the "logs" on the various sides of the central square.
- The pattern is heavily dependent on the use of fussy cut triangles to create the subtle and elegant curves that sweep across the quilt top, the Illusion Technique. These triangles are cut from the border print fabrics and strategically positioned in the corners of the blocks. These triangles form secondary circular patterns when connected together with the blocks, which deceive the eye.
Why You Should Quilt It
This Kinabalu pattern is a fantastic stash-building piece of exercise especially if you're looking to work on your fussy cutting practice. It shows you how to use a border stripe as more than a frame for your quilt, but as a building block for interesting, internal blocks. The foundation being a log cabin will allow you to chain piece the majority of the blocks and save your brain for final layout and block orientation.
Final Thought
Quilting is as much geometry and illusion as it is about fabric and thread. With a clever off-center log cabin block, and a beautifully quilted-finish by professional quilters such as Susan Boxell, sweeping mountain landscapes can be created right in your own sewing room with the Kinabalu quilt pattern. If you've always been intimidated by curved piecing, try this straight seam illusion, you might be surprised at what you can make!
Full Pattern: Kinabalu Quilt Free PDF Pattern 🎁
