Split Rects | If These Threads Could Talk

Tomorrow I leave for Pennsylvania for the Studio 180 Design Inaugural Certified Teacher Reunion. Whew is that a mouthful! I have been so excited about attending this event that I got sick two days ago. I have been in bed for two days trying to get well enough to drive 8 hours tomorrow. We were the first group of quilters to get certified by Deb Tucker. After our weekend reunion, Deb will start the process of certifying the second group of lucky inductees. We (the first group) are so excited to see each other again, we really bonded over our experience together.

To prepare for this weekend, we were given instructions for a Deb Tucker Mystery Quilt. We had to make many, many ,many Split Rects, Flying Geese, and Half Square Triangles. We were also tasked with creating a challenge block to see if we can figure out what Studio 180 Tools were used to make it. I love playing block detective. I call it being a QSI (Quilt Scene Investigator). The only trouble is I tried making mine while in a NyQuil induced stupor. I guess I will share it as what NOT to do!

We are going to try out a new yet to be released pattern by Deb Tucker. Also, there are rumors about a new Studio 180 Tool! I can’t wait to get there. I’ll let you know what goes on!

While I was at Studio 180 Design Teacher Certification, as I was just trying to keep up two other students; Phyllis Fay and Sarah Furrer were busy creating. Below is what they whipped up.

What I love about this top other than great technique, is all the different tools they used to create a quilt without using a pattern. When I am giving a presentation on all the Studio 180 Design tools I always show this picture. I am crazy about the outer border. I love the way they used the Split Rects tool. It looks just like they paper pieced it but it was accomplished with a ruler!

You start in the middle of the quilt with the Lemoyne Star and work your way out with each new border. I have also listed the pre-finished sizes or trimmed sizes.

• One 12 ½” Lemoyne Star
• Four 3 ½” shaded 4-patch
• Sixteen 3 ½” little houses
• Eight 3 ½” squares of background fabric
• Fifty-six 3 1/2” combo blocks (which means you have to make 28 Half Square Triangles (HST) blocks first; remembering that they yield a double number of blocks)
• Four 3 ½ “Square/Squared blocks
• Twenty 3 ½ ” X 6″ ½ ” Diamond Rects
• 2 ½ ” border of the background fabric
• Four 4 ½ ” V Blocks
• Four 4 ½ ” Corner Beams
• Eighty 2 ½ ” x 4 ½ ” Split Rects (which means you have to make 40 by using the rights sides together method)

Studio 180 Design Tools Required:
• Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star
• Tucker Trimmer I & III
• Diamond Rects
• V-Block
• Corner Beam
• Split Rects

Studio 180 Design Technique Sheets:
• Shaded 4-Patch
• Little Houses

Thanks Phyllis & Sarah for sharing.