As a quilt designer, I know one thing for certain: it is impossible to create a quilt pattern that is exactly the right size for everyone.
We all have different beds, different walls to decorate, different spaces to fill - and sometimes we simply have a particular size in mind for a quilt we love.
But here’s the good news: just because a quilt pattern is designed in one size doesn't mean you have to make it that size.
A quilt pattern can be a starting point. With a little planning (and sometimes a little math!), you can adapt a design to suit your needs.
There is one important distinction, though. Making changes to a quilt pattern for your own personal use is very different from reproducing those changes and publishing the resulting pattern as your own. Changing someone else's pattern does not give you ownership of the design or the right to publish it as your own - that would be a breach of copyright.
So, with that important reminder out of the way, let's look at some of the ways you can make a quilt work for you.
The easiest way to make a quilt bigger: Add a border
Adding an extra border - or making an existing border wider - is probably the simplest way to increase the finished size of a quilt.
First, decide how much larger you want your quilt to be.
Let's say your finished quilt needs to be 6" wider. Because the border will be added to both sides, divide that extra 6" by two.
That gives you a 3" finished border on each side.
Remember that you need to include the seam allowance when cutting your border strips. For a 3" finished border, you would cut your strips 3½" wide.
It's a simple change, but it can make a surprisingly big difference.
And you don't necessarily have to stick with just one border. You can use several borders to increase the size, change the proportions, or even give the quilt a completely different appearance.
A real-life example: Renate, one of my students in Twisted Bargello, wanted to make her Cherry Blossoms quilt larger.
Rather than changing the whole design, she used additional borders to increase the finished size. The result is a lovely example of how a little extra design around the outside can transform the proportions of a quilt.
Renate's Cherry Blossoms is the blue one on the right.
Sometimes the simplest solution really is the best one!
Want the whole design to be bigger?
Borders are great when you need a little extra size, but what if you want the actual quilt design to be larger?
For an applique quilt, this can be relatively straightforward. You can enlarge the applique templates so that the finished motifs are bigger.
I've actually written about this before, including a useful tool that can help you enlarge applique templates:
This approach is particularly useful when you love a design but want to make a larger version without simply adding more space around the outside.
Adding more blocks takes a little more planning
Perhaps you don't want a larger border - you want more of the actual quilt design.
This is where things become a little more complicated.
Unfortunately, you can't simply double all the cutting instructions and expect the quilt to come out twice as large. Quilt blocks contain seam allowances, and those need to be taken into account when changing the size of a block.
For example, when resizing a block, you first need to remove the seam allowance from the measurement, calculate the new size, and then add the seam allowance back in.
It sounds complicated - and depending on the design, it can be!
If calculations aren't your favorite part of quilting, don't be afraid to ask for help.
Susan's Spring Bargello
Susan did exactly that while learning to make Bargello in Spring.
She had a particular size and design in mind, so she needed help to work out how to adapt the design to suit her needs. She repeated the design and enlarged the borders to create a quilt that was the size she wanted.
Bargello in Spring (left) and Susan's Spring Bargello (right)
This is a great reminder that you don't always have to accept the dimensions given in a pattern if they don't suit your needs.
JoAnn's Simply Sunflowers
JoAnn took this idea a step further in my Simply Sunflowers workshop.
She wanted a larger version of the quilt, so I worked out the necessary calculations for the background blocks and enlarged the applique templates.
The result is a beautiful, larger version of the original design.
JoAnn Hayes's Sunflowers
It's still recognisably the same design, but it has been adapted to fit JoAnn's vision.
And that's really what quilting is all about.
You don't just have to change the size!
Once you start looking at a quilt pattern as a starting point rather than something that must be followed absolutely, a whole world of possibilities opens up.
You can change the size, change the number of colors, change the purpose of the project - or even turn the design into something completely different.
Here are a few examples from other quilters who have taken my designs and made them their own.
Jennifer's Color Connections
The original Color Connections quilt uses three colours, but Jennifer decided to make hers using just two. Jennifer's two-color Color Connections:
and the original....
A relatively simple color change, but it gives the quilt an entirely different personality.
Christine's Bargello Tote
Christine took Bargello in Autumn and changed its purpose altogether.
Instead of making a quilt, she turned the design into a tote bag.
Christine Bargello Tote
I love seeing this kind of creativity. The original pattern provided the inspiration, but Christine found a way to make the design work for something she wanted to use.
A Zodiac Jacket
And then there's this one!
One of my students took a Zodiac applique design and added it to a denim jacket.
Unfortunately, this was many years ago and I can no longer remember her name. If you recognise this jacket as your own work, please let me know so I can give you the credit you deserve!
What a fantastic way to take a quilt design beyond the quilt!
So, what could you change?
The next time you fall in love with a quilt pattern but find yourself thinking, “That's not quite the size I need,” don't immediately rule it out.
Ask yourself:
- Could I add another border?
- Could I make the borders wider?
- Could I enlarge the applique?
- Could I add more blocks?
- Could I change the number of colors?
- Could I repeat part of the design?
- Could I turn the design into something other than a quilt?
Of course, some changes are easier than others. Some will require careful calculations, and some may require a little help. But don't let the original size or intended use stop you from exploring the possibilities.
Your quilt should work for you - not the other way around.
I'd love to see what you've done with my designs. Have you changed the size, colors, layout, or even the purpose of one of my patterns?
Tell me about it in the comments, or send me a photo. I love seeing the creative ways quilters interpret and adapt designs!
Patterns and classes mentioned in this post
Cherry Blossoms quilt pattern and workshop
Bargello in Spring quilt pattern
Simply Sunflowers online class and quilt pattern
Color Connections quilt pattern
Bargello in Autumn quilt pattern
Quilt Your Zodiac eBook
