I did decide that the white would go in the center. I made the decision as a way to symbolize the importance of our trans elders, who were often at the forefront of fighting for our rights. It also shows that we can never be excluded from our community.
A pride flag was one of the quilting projects I really wanted to get done, and it works great as a scraps buster.
This is roughly 40 by 65 centimetres (about 16 by 26 inches) and quilted in the ditch with thin cotton batting. I wish I'd used rainbow thread for the quilting, but I didn't have any on hand, and the goal was to not buy any new materials.
Under the cut: diagram and process.
HST = half square triangle; S = square.
The pieces are listed on the diagram above, but here they are again:
Light blue: 10 HST
Light pink: 6 HST
White: 2 HST
Brown: 12 HST
Black: 12 HST
Red: 1 HST, 7 S
Orange: 1 HST, 6 S
Yellow: 1 HST, 5 S
Green: 1 HST, 5 S
Blue: 1 HST, 6 S
Purple: 1 HST, 7 S
The HST are 9 cm (≈3.5 in) and the squares are 8 cm (≈3.14 in). I used a 5 mm (≈0.2 in) seam allowance. I recommend using a bigger seam allowance if you’re making a larger quilt, or one that will be used as a blanket or as part of a wearable piece.
I worked by washing, pressing, and cutting all my fabric into the necessary pieces. I then assembled all my HST into squares, then pressed the seams open, and squared the squares down to 8 cm (≈3.14 in). I assembled those squares into 1x1 pieces, pressed, squared. Those were assembled into 2x2 pieces, pressed, squared. Then into 2x6 bands, pressed, squared. Then into 4x6 bands, pressed, squared. I then assembled the three resulting bands (two 4x6, one 2x6) and pressed and squared one last time to finish the quilt top.
Some progress pictures to clarify what I mean by 2x6 or 4x6 bands:
After all HST were assembled into squares. I recommend taking pictures of your fabric set up before sewing, so you remember which order you wanted to put your squares in.
4x6 piece and nine 2x2 squares, partway through assembly.
Assembling bands together. Press your seams!
The finished quilt top.
I used the bi flag as a backing, but feel free to do a one-sided flag and use the backing of your choice. I know there’s cute pride-themed quilting cotton out there, or just a plain colour would work as well.
I don’t have a diagram for the bi flag: I used 8 cm (≈3.14 in) squares, 16 blue, 8 purple, and 16 pink. Those were assembled similarly, as I find working in full bands results in irregular points.
A similar process could be used to make any pride flag of your choice! I might make a trans pride one eventually. This is a really good stash-busting project, and a cuter alternative to a polyester flag. Please send me pics or tag me if you sew one!
Happy pride, and don’t forget to press your seams.
The blurb said the shot was taken in Granada, Spain, by Agneta Fondén. No other info, so I have no idea how old, etc. There's a game (from 1988) that uses a similar pattern on one of its pieces, but this could predate it by at least a thousand years — or not. But the pattern intrigued me, so I made a texture map and used Blender's geometry nodes (no generative AI) to set up a hexagon grid with random rotations for the tiles:
That's all done with a single design:
You'd think this would have a name, right? (For its historical use as an architectural / decor tile — although I've found out more about its use in games, that's not what I'm looking for.) Like the Penroses do (and no, it's not one of those). But I've had no luck finding it, or any other info. Any (human only, please) help?
HEY KNITTERS, GOT A NEEDLE STORAGE PROBLEM? ESPECIALLY FOR CIRCS?
BINDER + PENCIL POUCHES
They're cheap, readily available during back to school season, and zip closed! (Admittedly not the best for straight needles or DPNs longer than 11" or so) (but those hurt my wrists so I dont use them anyway)
discoholicmusic
snowghoul
stormborns
amandla
areudirty
