I’m a big fan of using geometric shapes to make whole pictures. Back in high-school art class, I made a huge portrait out of simple shaded squares (I’ll post a pic if I can ever dig one out).

Of course, the same idea has huge potential for quilt-making. Quilting’s all about sewing squares together! (Well, it is for me, at least so far.)

I love this rooster quilt from Elena Chipara. The squares — all 1100 of them — are 2 cm and have been pieced together, then sewn to a backing fabric. How awesome would that look as a bedspread or wall hanging?

I saw The Tenth in a magazine and cut it out and saved the picture… then found it online. Even though I’m not a Dr Who fan, it’s hard not to love this quilt.

Kristy Daum combined strips and squares of Kona Cotton Solids to create her masterpiece. I think the finished size of the squares is 1″ and the quilt top measured 70″ x 100″, so… that’s a lot of squares. Go Kristy!

Finally, if Kristy’s posts on pixeling don’t make it sound easy enough, check out the Victoria & Albert Museum’s free Patchwork Pattern Maker. Upload an image (or choose from their gallery of pics), select your format, colours and pattern complexity, and voila! Out pops your pattern. The options aren’t extensive, but it looks like a quick and easy way to get started on a pixelated quilt. [23 July 2023 update: Unfortunately it looks like the V&A tool isn’t available anymore.]

I want to try something like this soon (after the other 3 quilts I already have in my head…). I have no idea what picture I’ll use though. When I figure it out, I’ll post updates on my progress!