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A Quilter's Alphabet

A Quilter’s Alphabet: Letter N – Nesting and Negative Space in Quilting

March 10, 2021March 9, 2021 Post a comment

Hi friends!

Today in the A Quilter’s Alphabet series, Tammy and are chatting about the letter N!

I am going to explore the quilt terms nesting and negative space in quilting.

Nesting

Nesting refers to the when 2 seams are pressed in opposing direction. Then, when the 2 seams are place right sides together, the seams will nest, or nestle, together.

Top US quilting blog and shop, Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs, explains about nesting seams in quilting in the Quilter's Alphabet series!

This way the intersection with match up. In the image above, the bottom seams faces one way and the top seam faces the other way.

Negative Space

Negative space in quilting refers to the open areas in a quilt where there are large spaces of one fabric or color. 

Top US quilting blog and shop, Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs, explains about nesting seams and negative space in quilting in the Quilter's Alphabet series!

If you look at my quilt Compass above, there are large areas around the edges of the quilt where there is just background fabric.

Negative space in quilting provides visual space to a design and a place for the eye to rest. It can help to accentuate another area of the quilt.

Top US quilting blog and shop, Seams Like a Dream Quilt Designs, explains about nesting seams and negative space in quilting in the Quilter's Alphabet series!

Novalie also has some areas of negative space; these areas would be perfect for some fancy custom quilting!

Head over to Tammy’s post to read about needles and notions!

Next week in the Exploring the Basics series, Tammy and I will be chatting about Paper Piecing! 

How are you doing with organizing your strips for the Lighthouse Steps Quilt Along?

Did you miss the first post? Click here. Post 2 will be on Friday! see you then!

happy quilting!

Kate

Negative space in quiltingnesting seams
About Kate

About Kate

Hi! I'm Kate Colleran, a designer who creates quilt patterns, fabric and surface designs. I lecture and teach about quilting. Welcome to my online home!

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A Quilter’s Alphabet: Letter M for Measure and Meander
A Quilter’s Alphabet: Letter O for On Point Quilts and One Patch Quilts

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Dreaming In Color

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