bkay

I've been messing with a "pita" quilt top for a while. I bought it at estate sale. It was not finished.

Meanwhile, I read an article about proportions. The magic number is supposed to be 1 to 1.6, I thought. My little top can't go any wider, as it's strip pieced. So, it's 44" wide and I can't change that. I can change the length, though and it needed it. (It was about square when I started changing it.) So, I used the 1:1.6 measurement to choose a length. It looks way too long for how wide it is. It's 44X70 without borders.

Did I misinterpret the meaning of the 1.6 proportion? Is that not the right number? Or, do I just not have a good sense of design?

I'm going to change it, right or wrong, as I don't like it. Not sure yet to what to change it to. But now, I'm curious about the "perfect proportion".

bkay

bearisgray

There is something called the "Golden Ratio" - which is approximately 1:1.6 - Which seems to be derived from the Fibonacci series.

There are a lot of articles on it, if you want to google it.

IMO, if it looks "right" to you - then that is what it should be.

tallchick

Do you have a picture you can share?? IMHO it seems a bit narrow for an adult size quilt, a younger toddler/ child it may be perfect , I like to be completely wrapped in a quilt all around. Can you add a border???

NZquilter

I've never heard of this magic ratio; very interesting! I've always just made my quilts to a "look right" ratio But I agree 44"x70" does sound rather long.

MadQuilter

I agree with you that 44x70 seems out of synch even if it does represent the perfect golden proportion rule. I go by visual clues and use individual blocks which I put together in 4x5, 5x7, 7x9 or 6x8 grid (depending on block size). It seems that the recommended quilt sizes are more of a 1:1.33 ratio.

popover

A quilt is the right proportion when you like the size it is. Now, any QP wanna write me a ticket?

QuiltnNan

this is one of the reasons i love my EQ... i can spy the size before committing fabric

Jennifer23

The golden ratio produces a rectangle that supposedly has pleasing proportions. Personally, I don't think that there is a "perfect" rectangle any more than there is a perfect flower or type of pen or colour to paint your house; personal taste and utility for the task matter.

The golden ratio produces quilts of weird sizes. They might be great rectangles, but they aren't great quilts, because a quilt has a purpose - covering a person or a bed, that often isn't in that ratio.

It's fine to use the golden ratio to determine dimensions of visual elements within the quilt, but it's a poor guide for overall size.

Edit: Sorry, I guess that first part was just my little rant. To answer your questions:

Quote:

Did I misinterpret the meaning of the 1.6 proportion? Is that not the right number? Or, do I just not have a good sense of design?

I think you interpreted it as they intended; the writer was just wrong in this application. Good design is useful as well as beautiful, so you will need to use a different ratio for your quilt.

Quote:

I'm going to change it, right or wrong, as I don't like it. Not sure yet to what to change it to. But now, I'm curious about the "perfect proportion".

Good call following your instincts and changing it. Remember when there used to be "perfect proportions" for a woman's body? They really didn't work for all women, though. If we only used rectangles with the "perfect proportion", the world would be a boring place. It's definitely not wrong to make your project actually work!

Daylesewblessed

Yes, and how about all of the "standard" picture frame sizes we see? They certainly don't follow that 1 to 1.6 rule.

yngldy

Maybe you could use it for a bedrunner or long table runner? You could put some blocks as a border on both ends so it would drop over a queen size.