I'll admit that for years, I looked at quilts that used a clamshell pattern and just stared wondering how to sew them together - let alone design one.
I thought it would be much too difficult for me to stitch together, so I didn't even consider buying a pattern and following someone else's design. What was the point?
Then I decided to go to a quilt camp, and since I was going to have uninterrupted time, I decided to take a class about sewing with clamshells. After all, what did I have to lose?
From the beginning, I was in awe of the quilts the teacher showed, and then when she handed us a design grid, I'll admit that I stared at that paper with lines for quite a long time before I ever started coloring in the spaces.
When I finally finished drawing and coloring, I was pleased enough with the design, that I actually decided to make the quilt.
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The quilt is made using clamshell-shaped pieces. |
For some reason, when I started coloring in the spaces, these little fish popped out.
While I could have made them all lined up, I decided to make them facing each other - as if they were kissing.
Using several hand dyed fabrics in bright colors, this turned out to be a fun quilt to make and have. The bodies of the fish are solid fabric, and their tails are marble-dyed fabric that I had made just the day before in a different workshop.
This quilt presented several challenges - the design, making sure that all of the pieces were sewn in the correct place, sewing the curves, and what to do about the border.
I ended up making squares with the same curved shapes as the fishtails. But, how much more interesting would the quilt have been if I had finished it with curved edges?
Ah, a design idea for another quilt.
In the meantime, here are some basics of my process. I have made larger images that you can print out on your computer and possibly use for your design.
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The first step is to take a grid that has been marked with an overall clamshell design. As you can see, this can be a never-ending design. Click on the image to get the larger version. |
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The next step is to color in the shapes in order to create your design. The thing that is cool about this basic shape is that you can sub-divide it further. Click this image to see a larger picture. |
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If you look closely at the picture on the left, you can see how the clamshell design (in the dark black) was sub-divided into sections that look ovals with points on the end. By dividing the clamshell this way, I was able to create the fishtails. |
Visit the article that demonstrates how to make the templates.
Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren
Master Quilter
