Surface Curves Quilt

Surface Curves is a little outside my usual design style.  I don't usually use a lot of curves, but this one is all about curves!

Surface Curves by Canuck Quilter Designs

I'm sure you recognize the traditional Drunkard's Path unit.  I've used it only twice before, first in my Autumn Moons quilt, then in the back of my Milky Way quilt.  I was actually planning a remake of Autumn Moons this fall but the backgrounds for the leaf blocks weren't working with the fabric selection I had in mind.  It did get my brain thinking of curves again though, so I decided to play around in EQ8 with an all-Drunkard's Path layout.  

Fabric Choices

My original idea was to have very definite dark/light pairs and have each circle or partial circle either all dark or all light to really define the layout, but as I started recoloring and trying different value placements I realized that relaxing those rules actually made the quilt more visually interesting.  In the end, I selected a very structured layout for block orientation as a base to work from and to help plan pressing directions, but I relaxed the color value "rules" so the end result looks less rigid and more random. 

Check out three mockups in alternate fabrics below. Same layout, different looks! The first highlights value contrast, the second leans into different print scales, and the third uses both color and value contrasts. 

Surface Curves, Cool and Calm version
in Botanical Sketchbook from White Owl Textile by Lumin Fabrics
(shipping to stores in fall 2026)

Surface Curves, Bold and Botanical version
in Golden Harvest by Martha Negley for Free Spirit Fabrics
(Shipping to stores in July 2026)

Surface Curves, Pretty and Preppy version
in Petal Whispers from White Owl Textile by Lumin Fabrics
(shipping to stores in fall 2026)

For my sample quilt I chose to pull out yardage of Northcott's Heavy Metal collection from my stash.  It's a collection from a few years ago but my local quilt shop, Quilting Connection, still has some in stock so I was able to supplement the six gold fabrics I had with the six grey/silver from the collection.  This gave me a variety of values (light, medium and dark) but also some color contrast (gold versus grey) to play with in the blocks.

Fabric from Northcott's Heavy Metal collection.

Templates

In the pattern I included paper templates for each part of the block.  I recommend making a copy to cut out, keeping the master copy from the pattern as a backup to copy again if you lose or damage the working template as you use it.  The template includes registration marks you can use to help line up the parts when joining them if your preferred method of sewing curves calls for it.

The Drunkards Path block is a traditional block in the public domain, so there are various acrylic templates available if you prefer to avoid paper templates.  I had the Quick Curves Acrylic Template from Backporch Designs in my template/ruler stash so I used that one.  The diameter of the circles is a tiny bit larger than the one you'll get if you use the template in the pattern, but this won't affect the look of the quilt, as long as you use the same template size for all your blocks.

If you struggle, as I do, with keeping templates from shifting on your fabric, I recommend spraying the back of the template with Grippy Non-Slip Coating from Odif.  I'm pretty sure this was designed to spray on rulers and other acrylic templates, but it works on paper too.  It helps keep the template from sliding and being displaced as you either trace around the template with a marking pencil or directly with the rotary cutter. 

Assembling the Quilt

With just one seam per block, it didn't take long to make all the blocks.  It probably took me longer to distribute the blocks in the layout!  The most appealing distribution of fabrics colors/values/prints really depends on the fabrics chosen, so the pattern does not include a definitive list or diagram telling you exactly where to place each of the 12 fabrics.  The diagram do show the block orientation for each block though.

For maximum flexibility you could lay out all the parts before making the blocks and move parts around until you like the distribution.  That's too much choice for me! I chose to pair fabrics in blocks first, then just move blocks around until I liked the look of things.  It helped to have the basic layout set first, so all I needed to consider was fabric placement, not block orientation as well.

I distibuted values and colors as evenly as I could.  I'm pleased with the result. Some circles are more prominent than others, softening the lines a bit.

I'm really very pleased that all the seam intersections nest.  That helped keep the circles smooth across seams where blocks join.  Of course, complete pressing directions are in the pattern!

Quilting the Quilt

My sample measures about 48" x 60", so I decided I could quilt it on my domestic machine with a walking foot. (The pattern also includes a larger throw, 60" x 72".)

Instead of stitching in the ditch, I chose to outline quilt 1/4" on each side of every vertical and horizontal seam between blocks for extra visual interest.  I like the way this frames each block  I also outline quilted inside each circle to make the circles pop.

The border quilting involved a little bit of math and marking but was very easy to quilt in two passes all around the quilt.  I chose straight lines and angles for the borders as a contrast to the curves in the center, and also because they seemed to pair well with the fabric's gears and metal theme.  I had planned to make a third pass around the quilt for a slightly different design, but I really liked the way things looked after the second pass, looking like arrows pointing to the center, so I stopped there.  

More Pictures...

...just because I love that the snow came just in time for a pretty photo shoot!  It's all gone now, but I enjoyed the winter wonderland for a bit.

What You'll Find in the Pattern

You could make this quilt without a pattern.  It's a traditional block in the public domain.  So why did I bother writing a pattern?  

I wrote it for quilters who quilt like I knit.  I like to knit and I have the technical skill to knit things, but I have no idea how to figure out yarn amounts or sizing or a myriad other things to get the result I want.  I don't really want to spend the time learning those skills.  I just want to get to the making part, so if I want to knit a pair of basic socks, I'll buy a knit sock pattern from someone who has the skills to write a sock pattern so I don't have to figure it out from scratch!

So for any quilter who just wants to skip the figuring it out part and get to the sewing part, here's what you'll find in this pattern:

• guidance on the number of fabrics you need to get this scrappy look
• fabric amounts calculated for you
• templates so you don't have to make your own or hunt some down
• instructions for most efficient cutting
• diagrams showing block orientation for this particular layout
• pressing directions to nest every seam that needs nesting

If this sounds appealing, you can find the PDF downaload version of the pattern here in my Etsy shop or you can ask for the printed version at your favourite quilt shop.

On a more general note, do you have questions about sewing curves?  If you drop your question or concern in the comments I'll try to address them in my upcoming tutorial about sewing curves.  I'm not sure on the timeline, but I'll add a link here once it's written and posted, so check back in later!

Happy quilting,

Joanne