Creating your own Sochi Olympic Quilt

Sochi Olympic Quilt

Click the link above to see our favorite site explaining the process and design of the Sochi Olympic Quilt

 

Like everyone else in the quilting world I too was obsessed with the Sochi Diamonds.  The more I watched the Olympic events the more I wanted a pattern for the Olympic quilt. I searched the internet for a pattern.  Found lots of "posers" but not the actual quilt. So I decided if I wanted the quilt I would have to design my own.

I was thinking that maybe some of our blog followers might like to also design one. I’m going to show you how I design my quilts. A diamond quilt is not for the faint of heart.  It requires a bit of thought but you can do it.

 

The first thing you will need are supplies for designing. Graph paper, pencil, eraser, pen, drafting ruler and template plastic rotary cutter with paper cutting blade, mat and ruler.

 

 

I really don’t care what the finished size of the quilt will be.  I can adjust the size later or add a boarder to make it bigger. Next, I tape 4 pieces of graph paper together. Starting in the top left corner, I count the number of squares across the top and down the side (65 x 85). I also have to decide what size I want my main diamonds to be.  I think 8” x 16” would be a good size. I need my paper to be at least 64 squares x 80 squares for the 16” diamond to work and my paper is big enough.  Each square will equal 1”.

 

 

Start in the upper left corner and count over 4 squares mark with a dot. Continue counting across and mark every 8 squares. Mark seven rows and then count another 4 squares and mark. Do the same thing down the side but we’ll start with 8 squares down, mark, 16 squares down, mark, 16 squares down, mark. Until we have marked four rows of 16 squares. Count 8 squares down and mark. This finishes the side. Mark the bottom  the same as the top and the other side the same as the first side. Using the drafting ruler connect the dots to make the quilt rows. I mark my rows with a pen because I do not want the lines to be erased when I move my blocks around within the rows. I have 12 rows.

 

 

Now I need templates to move around in the rows. I’m going to start with the 8” x 16” diamond. On another piece of graph paper make a mark and count down 8 squares, mark. Count down another 8 squares and mark. Go back to the center mark and count 4 squares to the left and mark and 4 squares to the right and mark. Using the drafting ruler connect the outside dots. Now you have a mini 8” x 16” diamond.  I now make either paper or plastic templates. Plastic because I will be using them a lot.

Remember and this is very important. Everything I am doing is a finished size. No seam allowances have been added. I will do that at a later date.

I use the large diamond to cut all my other template shapes from.  If they fit in the diamond they will fit in the quilt. Try not to make to many shapes. You are the one that has to sew them together. I have 9 total shapes. In the photo you will see how I got my shapes.

 

Cutting mini templates. Lay a piece of template plastic (I use scraps of template plastic) on top of the mini diamond and trace around. I cut 8 or 10 of these so I have extras to play with. Cut out with your rotary cutter. Now you can cut different shapes from the large diamonds.

 

 

I work one row at a time. Take the shapes you’ve cut and start laying them in the first row. When you like your layout trace around each shape. Keep doing this until the row is filled. You may find at the end of the rows some of the shapes will spill out. This is alright. After the quilt top is sewn you will trim the extra fabric away.  If you look at the Sochi art work you will notice the points are sometimes cut off. If you want your points to be perfect you will have to do a lot more designing. Me, I want my quilt to look like the Sochi quilt without treading on their trademark.

 

Fill in the entire schematic. Well that was a lot of work!

 

 

 

Next blog will be about enlarging templates to full size and fabric choices.  Enjoy the remaining Olympic events knowing you to will have an Olympic keepsake.

 

 Here's the layout of mine...so far!

Comments

[Pam]

Yes! I saw those lovely quilt images while watching the Olympics and was hoping for an idea. While I may not be up to diamond shapes, I will watch here so I can live vicariously! I imagined Kaffe fabrics and all the new True Colors by Anna Maria Horner.

[Janie Adams]

I love this! The moment I saw the graphics I knew I wanted to make a quilt of it. Thanks so very much for the work you have done to make this manageable. Blessings on you :) Janie

[Sharyn]

This looks so fun. Looking forward to the next post.