Quilt Settings — Part I

There are no rules in quilting.

None.

Nada.

Nope.

And there are no quilt police.

The closest we get to any absolute in quilting is the ¼-inch seam.  Most of the time that suggestion applies, but not always which is why you should always make a test block.  Pattern directions are good to follow, and you should definitely read them through a couple of times before beginning your project, but always  remember they are merely suggestions.  No one will show up at your door and arrest you if at some point you choose to toss them.  Nothing bad will happen if you opt to swap out blocks or borders for something better.

And nothing – absolutely nothing – will go majorly wrong if you decide to set your quilt differently than the pattern suggests.  This is what I want to discuss in this blog (and maybe the next):  Quilt settings.

A quilt setting is defined as simply the way you assemble your quilt. 

Horizontal rows, vertical columns, medallion, on-point, and it-looks-as-if-it’s-on-point-but-its-not are the most common quilt settings. In this blog, we’ll discuss each setting, how to use them, how effective each is, as well as the pros and cons to using them.  These are all things to consider before you actually start construction.  And the decision usually must be considered even before you purchase fabric or pull it from your stash, as some settings take more fabric than the requirements listed on the pattern.  We’ll begin with the most basic of settings, the horizontal set quilt. 

Horizontal Quilt Settings

This is also known as straight line quilt setting.  Horizontal quilt settings are one of the first type of quilt settings taught.  These are easy and quilt blocks can be rotated, sashed, or alternate blocks added without a great deal of math.  However, don’t let the ease fool you.  When used creatively, horizontal quilt settings can pack a punch, enhance the beauty of a quilt, and take a basic idea and completely turn it into a “Cinderella” quilt.  A basic, horizontally set quilt, with no sashing, cornerstones, or alternative blocks looks something like this: 

This is a great quilt.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with it and if I were teaching a group of true beginner quilters who had no experience with sewing or quilt math, this would be the setting I would lean towards.  I still use this setting a great deal with cuddle quilts and table toppers.  These quilts don’t need to be super big and are generally used up.  With great quilt blocks and great fabric, a basic horizontal set renders a beautiful quilt. 

But…there comes a time when basic can become boring.  You may want to spice the quilt top up a bit.  Sashing is one way to do this.  As a matter of fact, if you’re a true beginner quilter, you may want sashing to be the next step in your quilting journey.  Sashing is defined as strips of fabric surrounding the quilt block – on the vertical and horizontal.  Typically, I like to add my sashing to my blocks as I make them because it helps me make sure my blocks are all the correct size.  For instance, if I am making a quilt which has 12 ½-inch blocks, I’ll cut my 12 ½-inch sashing strips out with the rest of my quilt.  After I finish a 12 ½-inch block, I sew a 12 ½-inch strip of sashing to the right side of my block.  If the block and sashing strip don’t match in size, I can stop then and see if the block is too big or small or if I cut my sashing strip incorrectly.  After I complete another block, I sew this to the sashing of the first block and add a strip of sashing to the right side of the second block.  I continue this way until I’ve added all the blocks in one row, but I do not add a sashing strip to the right side of the last block.  If I want the appearance of vertical sashing on the left side of the first block in a row and the right side of the last block in a row, I can add a border around the sides, top, and bottom of the quilt center (see quilt below).

The horizontal sashing is handled a bit differently, depending on the look you want.  If the horizontal sashing is made from all the same fabric, cut  a strip of fabric the length of the row, and sew it on to the bottom of the row (before starting the horizontal sashing, measure all the rows to make sure they’re the same size).  Do this to all the rows except the last row.  The top and bottom horizontal sashing will be taken care of by the first border.

And by the way, if you don’t want to add that first border, you don’t have to.  Your quilt will look just fine without it. 

Once you conquer basic sashing, you may want to try cornerstones in your sashing.  Cornerstones are squares of fabric positioned at the top and bottom of vertical sashing. 

The basic construction remains the same, except with your horizontal sashing.  This time instead of the horizontal sashing remaining one continual strip of fabric, it will be pieced.  One strip of the horizontal sashing will be the width of the block but then a square of fabric will be joined which is the width of the sashing.  Once you’ve assembled a row of horizontal sashing the length of the row of blocks, you sew it own, matching the seams so the cornerstones line up with the vertical sashing. 

This small cornerstone has infinite possibilities.  It can be a square of contrasting fabric.

It can be made from the leftover scraps of the remaining fabric (which is a great way to harmonize a quilt and use up scraps).

It can be simply pieced.

Or it can be intricately pieced. 

Let me also add your vertical and horizontal sashing can be pieced.  This can alter the look of your quilt immensely, as well as showcase your piecing skills. 

So…while basic horizontally set quilts can be considered predictable, easy, or boring…the fact is they can be anything but easy or boring or predictable.  Sashing can make a quilt Met Gala Gorgeous.  You’re only limited by your imagination. 

And if you decide to forego sashing, don’t worry about your quilt receiving yawns of boring acceptance.  Those pieced blocks can be rotated to make all kinds of designs.  Log cabin quilts are the most wonderful examples of this. 

Or pieced half-square triangles.

What really is kind of mind blowing is using an alternate block between your primary blocks to make a secondary pattern. 

Or using the same block but using a second colorway on half the blocks to make a secondary pattern. 

Honestly…who can think horizontally pieced quilts are boring?

Vertical Quilt Settings

When you decide to set your quilt in columns instead of rows, you have vertical quilt settings.  The most common example of this is the Chinese Coins quilt.

If you have a lot of scraps you need to use up, this may be a quilt setting to consider.  These are quick and easy and show off a vertical setting at its best.  Vertical settings are also a handy-dandy tool to employ if you have blocks of different heights, but the same width.  They also work well if you have a lot of different sized blocks.  You simply frame them with horizontal sashing to make them the same width and sew them vertical columns. 

If you have quilt blocks all the same size, but would like to have an uneven placement instead of horizontal rows, a vertical setting will work.  You simply vary the sashing width and placement between the blocks.   I used this type of setting in my 2023 temperature quilt.  I think vertical quilt settings help pull the eye across the quilt in a different manner.   Typically we “read” a quilt like a book – left to right.  A vertical setting makes you look at a quilt in an entirely different manner. 

Vertical settings are used in bargello quilts, braid quilts, Grandmother’s Flower Gardens, Double Wedding Rings,  and in some landscape quilts.   And I have been known to use them as a background for my applique quilts. 

If I need a particular colored background (in this case blue), I pull my blue scraps and make a  Chinese Coin background.  This way I get whatever background color I need, but I can vary the hues and make it more interesting, but yet it won’t compete with the applique. 

Another thing I really like about vertical settings is the vertical sashing. You can make them super-wide to show off a focus fabric or your quilting skills.  If you want to particularly highlight one color in the quilt to use, you can make the sashing out of that color. 

Admittedly, vertical settings aren’t the first quilt setting you think about as you peruse a new pattern.  But they can be a real quilt life saver.  Picture this scenario.  You find a quilt pattern or even just a quilt block you think you like.  Construction is begun, but after the sixth block or so, you just aren’t feeling this quilt pattern/block anymore.  It’s not that you don’t like it, it’s just that you can’t picture yourself making 30-something blocks for a quilt.  However, you have the fabric which makes you feel committed to the project.  Besides, what would you do with only six blocks?  I mean, you could make a table runner, but you have all this fabric to make a bed quilt.  The answer to assuage your confused thoughts and use up that fabric is a vertical setting.  It’s not hard to do.

First, figure out the dimensions for your quilt.  In the case of the quilt below, it’s a square queen-size quilt, 98-inches x 98-inches. 

Next, taking into consideration the size of the finished quilt blocks, begin to plan your placements.  How many blocks do you need for the vertical columns?  With this quilt, the blocks are kind of large, so we’re using three blocks for the vertical columns.  To get the additional length for the column, we’ll add some sashing to the bottom of the columns.   Since we only have five vertical columns, with three blocks in each, we only need 15 blocks.  That’s half of what we would need if we stuck to the original pattern.

Just like with horizontal settings, the sashing can be solid pieces of fabric:

Or you can piece the sashing so the quilt can take on a secondary design.

Vertical settings also work great for quilts you need to make on the fly.  It’s quick and easy to make a nice-sized lap quilt with a few blocks and some vertical sashing.  This setting also works great for charity quilts for the same reason.  Personally, I love the vertical setting for applique quilts.  It’s unexpected and really showcases the applique. 

The only disadvantage to this quilt setting is the same one as for horizontal settings:  You have to plan in advance if you want to change from another setting to the vertical setting option.  If there’s a particular fabric you want to showcase in the sashing, you may need to purchase more of one fabric than is listed on the pattern. 

Okay, enough about settings this week.  Next week we’ll take up medallion quilt settings, on-point settings (which happen to be my favorite), and the how-to-make-your-quilt-look-as-if-it’s-on-point-but-it’s-really-not setting.

Until Next Week, From My Studio to Yours,

Love and Stitches,

Sherri and Felix