How to: Tessellation Quilt

A tessellation fits together like a puzzle.

A tessellation is a design of interlocking geometric shapes that covers an area without overlapping or leaving any gaps. Tessellations can be simple designs like interlocking triangles to more advanced designs of swirling colors and shapes. Essentially, if you take away a piece of a shape, you must give that same piece back to another part of the shape. The piece you give back will fit into the hole of the part that was taken away, creating a new tessellation. Making individual quilt pieces is fairly easy; it's creating interlocking pattern that is both difficult and intriguing.

Things You'll Need

• Sheets of paper
• Ruler
• Scissors
• Tape
• Felt or fleece in at least two different colors.
• Large piece of fleece for backing
• Straight pins
• Threaded sewing machine
• Quilt binding

Instructions

1. Cut a paper into 6" squares. You'll only need one for your final template but may want to practice first.

2. 

   Uneven zigzags will make your design more interesting.

   Draw a zigzag line from one side of the paper to the other. Draw a second zigzag line from the top of the paper to the bottom. Make your zigzag lines random, meaning not exactly centered on the page, and make some points higher and/or wider than others.

3. Label the four dissected parts of your square with the zigzag lines using a pencil. The top left corner will be A, top right B, lower left C and lower right D. Cut the paper apart on the zigzag lines.

4. Rearrange the pieces so the corners are in the center. Pieces B and A are now on the bottom and D and C are on the top. Tape the pieces together forming the newly designed stencil for your tessellation quilt.

5. Lay the taped stencil in the center of a large piece of paper and trace around it. Lift up the stencil and match the bottom edge of the stencil to the top edge of the traced one on the paper. The edges should fit neatly together. Trace the stencil again. Lift up the stencil and move it to the side and fit the edges together. Trace again and repeat on each side, fitting the corresponding sides together. Shade in alternating blocks so you get an idea of what your quilt will look like.

6. Trace the tessellation shape onto each color of fleece or felt. You will need to cut the same amount of each color.

7. Lay the fleece backing fabric on your work area and smooth flat. Pin a tessellation block in the center of the backing fabric. Stitch the shape to the backing fabric using the pressure foot as a guide.

8. Lay the fabric flat again and fit the alternate color into each side of the center block and pin down. You will have a cross shape on your backing fabric. Take the color of the center square and fill in the empty corners, making a rectangle with your tessellated shapes. Pin all the pieces down. Stitch around each shape using the pressure foot as a guide to sew it to the backing fabric.

9. Add pieces to your quilt until it is the size you desire. Cut the edges of the quilt so they are even and straight.

10. Sandwich the edges of the quilt between the folded quilt binding and stitch down to bind the tessellation quilt.

References

• Jinny Beyer: Tessellation Tips and Lessons