Quilters Lead Pieceful Lives.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Labyrinth

About a year ago I posted my Bulging Checkerboard quilt (Stand Back!), and got a lovely email about it from a quilter in Portland, Oregon named Margaret Ellis.   She also wanted to make that pattern, but in the same size as I did (51 x 51) vs the original 102 x 102 size of the pattern.

Since that time we have corresponded regularly and shared photos and ideas about a number of projects. And, yes....she did make the Checkerboard quilt too.

I have had a pattern in my queue for a long time, "Labyrinth Walk", (click for link to pattern). This pattern also makes a huge quilt: 84 x 84! Maybe it's just me, but this is waaaayyyy to big to put on a wall (unless you had a specific large, prominent space in mind), and I think the whole effect / impact would be lost if it was used as a bedspread. Why do these creators make these quilts so big?

I had been able to scale down the Checkerboard to one-fourth size, but for some reason was having trouble doing this one. Margaret reminded me of a fun math fact: halve the dimension and you get 1/4 the size! So she was kind enough to put together a complete set of cutting instructions at the new size of 45 x 45 and sent them to me in December (along with a picture of her version of Labyrinth). The reason it is not exactly a one-quarter scale is that the white strips in the original are cut to 1.25" wide. There is no way to scale those in half and still have room left for a 1/4" seam allowance on both sides. So she just made those 1", which still worked out fine.

I put these new instructions in my "stack of things to be done" because a) we were going away for a week at the end of the month, and b) I was working on another quilt. Then, just after the first of the year, I saw a Facebook posting for an Art Auction at Homer Plessy School in New Orleans. Loyal readers know that my daughter lives in Nola, and one of her good friends is on the board of this school. YES!  I will make Labyrinth as it is a perfect candidate for an auction. But the art piece submission deadline was March 15th! Suddenly, I had to get very busy working on this. Luckily, we have had a string of single-digit and below-zero temp days, and my wife had an out-of-town weekend conference, so I had plenty of time to work on making this quilt.

Here is my finished piece:

As in some other 3D quilts, the farther back you stand, the better the dimensionality.

And, like a lot of quilts, this looks so much harder to make than it actually is! The fabrics are white, light gray, dark gray, and black batiks. There are really just two different blocks and they are arranged in 3 x 3 rows: the "2 concentric squares" block (5 of those), and the "maze" block (4 of those). Each block is about 12" square. It's all in the design, cutting and piecing. The former block is made up of 30 pieces for each, while the latter needs 64!

The two gray borders on the right side and bottom, plus the diagonal black corners, reinforce the apparent depth of the body.

As usual, I did minimal quilting: white thread in the ditch of all the white strips, plus grays and black ditching along the border edges as necessary.

Let me know if you can find your way out of the maze!

55 comments:

carol said...

Great job Wayne! Love this quilt.

Anonymous said...

Love it, have to try this! Thank you.

Nancyp said...

Where can I find this pattern?

Wayne Rhodes said...

Nancyp: http://www.easyfreepatterns.com/labyrinth-maze-quilt-patterns.html

Goldie said...

Has anyone did this in a different color? Love it but would like to do it in light and dark blue, would I still get the same effect?

Wayne Rhodes said...

Goldie: As long as there is a significant difference in the VALUES of the colors then blues would work fine.

Lorna Barth said...

My grandson (13) and I are doing this quilt in Light green, Pale Blue, Teal, and Dark Blue (he chose all the fabric. We didn't go with Batik, but all of the colors have the same design.

Wayne Rhodes said...

Awesome Buster! Please post a pic when you are done.

Unknown said...

Did you cut the fabric in the order of print on the pattern? I'm worried about cutting and running out of fabric?
Your quilt is very nice! I'm working with tiffany blue and a darker blue.

Wayne Rhodes said...

Carol Home: It's been a long time since I made this (and I am actually out of the country right now) so I will just have to answer from memory. I also suffer from I'm-going-to-run-out anxiety, so m guess is that I cut the biggest (border pieces) first and then worked using the rest. If you want me to check my notes when I return home (at the end of next week), send me an email at wsrhodes@gmail.com to let me know.

Debby's Fibro Fog Blog said...

I can't seem to find this pattern any where. The site you mentioned above only downloads a jpeg for me. I'm not skilled enough to do a quilt from a picture. I need instructions. Do you have any way of sending me more information? I really want to make this quilt!

Wayne Rhodes said...

Debby: please send me an email at wsrhodes@gmail.com and I will give you more detailed info.

Unknown said...

Hi, Wayne, I would also love to have,the pattern/instructions for the Labyrinth Walk quilt..it will be my very first quilt! I want to make it queen size.catsnapper9@yahoo.com.

Linda K said...

I just got the pattern from Guilty Quilter. Like you, I can't imagine making it that big. I read your comment about halfing the measurements but I am confused. I would also like to make it as a wall hanging.

Wayne Rhodes said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Wayne Rhodes said...

Linda K.: please send me an email at wsrhodes@gmail.com and I will give you more detailed info.

Unknown said...

Hi Wayne if I send you my email would you be kind enough to let me know details as well thank you

Wayne Rhodes said...

I sure will!

Anonymous said...

Can you send the instructions to my email? Km002@comcast.net

Anonymous said...

I'm looking for these instructions as well. Can you please send me the instructions? My email is lndmoore@att.net

Wayne Rhodes said...

KM002@comcast.net: I tried to send you the info but your email was invalid. :-(

MaryJo said...

I would like instructions also? I am sending my email address to "wsrhodes@gmail.com" as posted above. Thank you! This is a gorgeous quilt, I just am not experienced enough to tackle something as large as the original.

Unknown said...

I have been trying to locate instructions for this quilt as well... beautifully done.
If anyone can please send me information I would greatly appreciate it. Email is gsmclerk@yahoo.com

Cat gal said...

I have this pattern for the Labyrinth Walk. I want to make it in hues of blue. I will use the white batik but I want to use hues of blue - light blue, medium blue, dark blue and then a really dark blue. How do I substitute these colors on the material list? And can the darkest blue be substituted for the black?

Wayne Rhodes said...

Hi Cat Girl: The critical thing is the relative values of the fabrics. So as long as you have a light blue, medium blue and really dark blue you should be ok.

Unknown said...

Excellent. I am so envious. Please can you email me a copy of this pattern. Thank you so much. My email address is fpvbaker@icloud.com

MoonShadows said...

How wonderful that you are so helpful with this beautiful quilt. I must say, yours is exceptional. My granddaughter saw it and had to show it to me. I think she wants one for her daughter, my great-granddaughter. Yep, Nana got the hint. I was trying to figure out the instructions on my own. I'm new to quilting so I was having a difficult time with the placement of the 3-7/8 inch square vs. the 3-1/2 inch squares. I saw that you offered instructions of piece placement to others and I was hoping you wouldn't mind offering one more time. Or possibly directing to where I could find them for myself. My email is:Moonshadowslc@gmail.com if you are so inclined. Either way, thanks for sharing the beauty of your creations with us all.

Unknown said...

I would love a copy of this pattern. If possible, please email me at dorothyeman@windstream.net. I have read thru all these comments. Sounds like a super quilt. Thank you.

Unknown said...

i would like to purchase the pattern for this quilt
would be a marvelous project to try
not too good at sewing or may i add using a computer
thank you
carolhill103@gmail,com


Debbie D said...

I would love to have the instructions for this quilt. It is beautiful. My email is debdavis55@gmail.com.
Thank you.

Maggie said...

Hi Wayne, please send me the instructions also. Thank you having such a sharing, caring heart. maggie.mcneill@gmail.com

Lisa M said...

Hi Wayne,
Thank you for being so kind to share this pattern. Can you please send me a copy to mcglothlin96@msn.com
I am recovering from breast surgery and need something to do!

Unknown said...

Can I have the pattern too please? jaguarjxs@xtra.co.nz
I'm hoping to make this in time for my son to take from New Zealand to Cambridge UK where he is about to start a physics doctorate - he loves the 3D factor in this quilt. Many thanks, Heather

Wayne Rhodes said...

Hi Heather: The email address you gave me failed when I tried to respond. Please comment with the correct one. thanks, wayne

Anonymous said...

I would love to have this pattern. My email is vmann0308@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Hi Wayne, I have sent a email through to you, I sure hope you receive it. Regarding your gorgeous Labyrinth Pattern for a King size bed. Thankyou so much
From across the sea Australia
tlf47@outlook.com or tincanbay2014@gmail.com

Tracey

Jan Imhoff said...

Wayne, Please send the smaller size cutting instructions to:
Jan at jjrands@charter.net
Thank you!

Unknown said...

Hello, I live in Karachi, Pakistan. Our weather is warm to very hot most of the year and we have cool weather in nights from December to February. Global warming. It used to be much colder years ago. Anyway, I love quilting and hand piece my quilt tops, and use a thin cotton to line and a backing. Over here we get some great cottons local as well as Chinese. But no Batiks. How do I go about choosing fabrics for this quilt? I purchased the pattern last year. Will prints do? Many thanks. Merlyn Cash

wayne said...

Hello Merlyn: I would not recommend using prints for this. You need 4 fabrics in light, med light, med dark, and dark values. I would try to stay in the same color family.

Laura O'Brien said...

Wayne, I also bought this pattern a few years back, pulled it out yesterday to "downsize" it for a wall hanging or throw size. Ended up with a headache and a lot of crumpled up paper. So if you have time, I too, would appreciate the size changes. Hope we all have a very Happy Quilting New Year! lauraob@aol.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Wayne, It seems you and I think alike. I make small wall hangings and Make very few bed size quilts. If you can can you send the cutting instructions for the wall hanging? I have the pattern and many saved pics of the Labyrinth Walk. You would save me some time in downsizing this quilt. Thank you. Email mkweishan@embarqmail.com

Anonymous said...

Would it be possible to get the pattern for the Labyrinth Walk wall hanging 45x45. I have the pattern for the 84x84 size but that is far too large. Please let me know if I can get it. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Vowels it be possible to get the pattern for Labyrinth Walk wall hanging 45x45. I have a pattern for 84x84 but it is far too large. Please contact me at doanjean156@gmail.com. Thank you

Anonymous said...

Hello Wayne, Would it be possible to get the pattern for the Labyrinth Walk quilt?
I would like to make a queen size quilt of your beautiful quilt. Thank you so much

Anonymous said...

Wayne, I am so sorry but I didn't give you my email address for the queen size
Labyrinth Walk quilt pattern. Please contact me at capklt@twc.com. Thank you

Anonymous said...

Hello Wayne, Just saw this pattern tonight and want to make it. Please if possible pleasne send the pattern for the Labyrinth Walk quilt to my email address. The email address is cayennev6@yahoo.com
Thank you in advance!

Anonymous said...

Hello Wayne, I love your Labyrinth quilt. Would it be possible to get the pattern?
I am going to make a King size quilt for my daughter as a surprise. My email address is: jdouglasfl211@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hi Wayne

saw your quilt and love it. Can only source the 84"x84" pattern which is way to big! Could you help me with the down sized pattern please?
Email: felicity_thomas99@hotmail.com

Thanks for any assistance can provide
F

azgrahams said...

Hi Wayne. I purchased the Labyrinth Walk pattern but would also like to downsize it to you 12" block. Do have instructions to downsize that you can send me?
Thank you!
azgrahams@gmail.com

Unknown said...

Hi Wayne
I am from south africa and desperate looking for the Labyrinth Walk pattern can you please email the pattern to me I would really appreciate it my email address wnk@mweb.co.za
Kind Regards
Wilma

Unknown said...

Minha neta vai completar 15 anos adoraria fazer essa colcha. Como consigo o padrĆ£o?
janicesmae@yahoo.com.br

Marsude said...

Hi Wayne
My grandson want this quilt pattern for his twin size bed.
Where can I find a pattern for the reduced size? Please and thanks for your blog and help.
Lesley
lesleyamann52@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Hola, Me encantarĆ­a obtener patrĆ³n para Labyrinth Walk. Mi correo es maryvilla15@hotmail.com Mil gracias

Unknown said...

I would appreciate the reduced size instructions for the Labyrinth Walk quilt: Email is: judygregory@comcast.net

Arte EducaĆ§Ć£o e Arteterapia said...

Eu gostaria de receber informaƧƵes email carmem.arte@gmail.com