a Still Point in the Turning World {quilt + pattern}
Today I am excited to present a finished quilt and pattern!
“At the Still Point of the Turning World,” a compelling turn of phrase by T. S. Elliot, was my inspiration for this quilt. Among the sharp contrast of dark against light you will find a solitary still point, a peaceful place or a lonely place depending upon your story.
But step back from the patchwork for a wider perspective and see how the design pops, twists and dances into so many different patterns. There are large six-point stars and squished stars. There's a pinwheel fan surrounded by shaded squares. There is movement upon movement and a radiating design, originating from that simple still point.
This complex and impressive pattern is made possible by 2 y-seams per block. If you have never sewn a y-seam before, this is the perfect opportunity to learn! I have broken down the block construction into a detailed, photo-rich tutorial. This pattern is ideal for an intermediate quilter who has sewn something with angles before, such as a triangle quilt or any of the projects from my Angled class. That said, the pattern does not assume understanding of angled sewing principles, but rather demonstrates each step clearly.
The pattern includes a printable Block Map and blank Color Sheet to enable you to replicate the color zones to create a "still point" like mine or to experiment with your own color story.
I made up my quilt back from scrap play piecings and stash cuts.
My quilting emphasizes the still point star and each color zone with diagonal lines radiating and turning from that still point.
This quilt has been a pleasure to bring to life, from discovering and fine tuning the block assembly to alighting on the idea to create color zones to trimming each block to an exacting 8.5" square. The pattern strategically oversizes the original cut shapes so that the sewn block can be trimmed to precision. That's right, you don't have to sew to precision! I think you'll appreciate that part too!
Still Point quilt pattern is a 26-page pdf pattern available for purchase now in my pattern shop. Thank you for your encouragement along the way. I hope you enjoy your own journey with motion and meaning!