Flowing Flowers

A Spiderweb Quilt With a Different Layout


A spiderweb quilt is a type of string quilt and is constructed basically the same way (previous tutorial with instructions here). The difference is that instead of beginning with a square foundation, you begin with a triangle.

As with the square foundation, you secure your center strip. (I use a washable glue stick.)

Add a strip to one side of your center fabric.

Fold back and crease with your fingernail or an iron.

Add a second strip to the other side.

Press back.

Each of these has a center and one strip on each side.

Continue to add strips until your triangle is covered. Trim as shown in previous tutorial.





Four triangles will be sewn together to create a star. As you line up the stars, the spiderwebs form.

Your eyes are not deceiving you--this picture is of another spiderweb I made!

A basic spiderweb quilt has all the stars in straight rows.

A serpentine layout has off-set blocks. I first saw this layout on the Quiltville blog  here. Note the difference in the rows of stars. While the vertical columns are straight, the horizontal rows are off-set. This is accomplished by adding a half-block at the bottom and the top of every other vertical column.

Rather than creating spiderwebs, this off-set layout creates the serpentine pattern.

 I'm not much of a snake fan (even the word serpentine brings "a tighter breathing, And zero at the bone" to quote Miss Dickinson), so I prefer the idea of the currents in a stream. Combined with the fact that all the prints in this quilt are florals, I chose the name Flowing Flowers for this quilt.



Here are close-up shots that show the backings I chose for each of the spiderweb quilts shown above.
 

If you enjoy making square string blocks, give the triangles a try. It is fun to see the secondary patterns come together.