Tessellating Quilts
Tessellating Quilts
Designed by Betty Reynolds
What are Tessellations?
In geometrical terminology a tessellation is the pattern resulting from the
arrangement of regular polygons to cover a plane without any interstices (gaps)
or overlapping. The patterns are usually repeating. Regular tessellations use
polygons of the same size and shape. Finally, each vertex (the place where corners
meet) must look the same.
In the quilt examples below, only three quilts meet this strict definition. Can you tell which
quilts are true tessellations and which are the impostors?
Square blocks
9.5 x 11.5"
This is the simplest of tessellations, square blocks.
Rectangular blocks
left: 11.5 x 11.5" right: 11.25 x 14"
These two quilts are made with rectangles. The one on the left pairs rectangles to
create a square block, and the quilt on the right uses three rectangles to make a square.
Triangle blocks
left: 6 x 9" right: 7.5 x 10"
These two quilts are made with triangle blocks. The quilt on the left uses right triangles
with two sides being equal in length, known to quilters as half-square triangles. The quilt on
the right is made with equilateral triangles where all three sides are equal in length and each
angle is exactly 60 degrees.
Diamond blocks
7.5 x 10"
This quilt uses a block that quilters call "diamond", a rhombus or parallelogram
with opposing 180 and 60 degree angles and all four sides being equal in length.
Tumbler blocks
23 x 16"
This flag quilt is made with "tumbler" blocks, polygons known mathematically as
trapezoids because two of their sides are parallel.
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