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seeds (bizr) mini quilt pattern

image

Inspiration and Design

I designed the Seeds (Bizr) mini quilt especially for the Portland Modern Quilt Guild’s annual Rainbow Fabric Challenge Quilt Show on display at Powell’s City of Books this June and July. I wanted to acknowledge the complexities of celebrating Pride month during an ongoing genocide perpetuated by Israel against Palestinians.

I chose to quilt a Palestinian tatreez motif and literally centered the colors of the Palestinian and transgender flags. I based my quilt on the Bizr/Seeds and Btn Al Haya/Stomach of the Snake motifs made available by Tirazain. Tirazain is an online archive that preserves and documents Palestinian tatreez motifs digitized from books, journals, and photography. They offer an accessible, barrier-free pattern library in Arabic and English for artists worldwide to use.

While I am immensely grateful for Tirazain’s efforts to preserve Palestinian cultural heritage, in order to truly preserve tatreez, we must preserve Palestinian lives. I encourage you to take one action this week (however small) by donating your money, labor, or time to support Palestinians and to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, an end to the U.S. government supplying weapons and funds to Israel, and the reinstatement of humanitarian aid.

Learn More About Tatreez

Tatreez is a form of Palestinian embroidery or cross stitch developed over centuries (or millennia, depending on the source) by Palestinian women. Various tatreez motifs and thread colors represent specific towns and regions, while different styles and materials reflect unique family traditions and even social class.

In 1948, the state of Israel was established, resulting in the forced displacement of 700,000–800,000 Palestinians from their homeland. Tatreez assumed a heightened cultural and political significance, especially after 1987 when Israel banned all national symbols of Palestine, including its flag. In response, Palestinian women embroidered tatreez motifs as a way to resist both Israel’s occupation and their attempted erasure of Palestinian cultural heritage. Tatreez continues to serve as a symbol of resistance, an assertion of Palestinian identity and perseverance, and an important source of income for Palestinians in Gaza and in diaspora.

Further Reading

Tatreez (تطريز): Historical Threads — Tatreez Traditions

Explore the history of Palestinian Fallahi Tatreez (تطريز), a form of cross-stitch embroidery. From its pre-1948 origins, weaving centers, and distinctive motifs, to its resilience post-1948, discover how Tatreez has become a powerful symbol of Palestinian identity and resistance. Join the thriving

www.tatreeztraditions.com

Tatreez (تطريز): Historical Threads — Tatreez Traditions
Embroidering Resistance: Palestinian Tatreez — International Relations Review

Embroidered pieces such as dresses, decors, and handbags can be found in many Palestinian households in the diaspora and beyond. In displacement and under occupation, generations of Palestinian women embroider their stories to resist erasure with the art of tatreez, making statements that openly say

www.irreview.org

Embroidering Resistance: Palestinian Tatreez — International Relations Review
www.unesco.org

www.unesco.org

Quilt Details

Quilt label attached to rainbow pointillism backing fabric
Quilt label attached to rainbow pointillism backing fabric

This is my very first finished quilt (!!) AND my first self-drafted quilt! I used Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton fat quarters from Modern Domestic for the quilt top and a rainbow pointillism quilting cotton (Moda Fabrics Gradients Auras Prism) from Bolt Neighborhood Fabric Boutique for the backing fabric.

Since I used precut fat quarters, I’m not sure precisely which colors I used, but the Rainbow colorway below approximates my best guess. Note that I only used 10 colors for my quilt—I did not use the silver color but rather used my quilting lines to visually differentiate those blocks from the plain white.

This quilt was also my first time trying free motion quilting on a Bernina Q24 longarm machine and I think it turned out pretty well, all things considered.

Special thanks to Chloe Costello and Lane Hunter at Modern Domestic who taught me how to quilt and how to use a longarm machine, respectively, and to Casey Manley at the Portland Modern Quilt Guild for organizing the event that got me to try quilting!

You can see the rest of the quilts in the show and vote for your favorite here.

Aliya with her quilt at the opening reception at Powell’s City of Books
Aliya with her quilt at the opening reception at Powell’s City of Books

Seeds (Bizr) Mini Quilt Pattern

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Cost

Since this quilt pattern is based on a motif from the open-access Tirazain archive, it is free to use! If you have the means to do so, I encourage you to make a small donation to a Palestinian crowdfunding campaign of your choice. You can also show appreciation by buying me a coffee.

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Pattern Use Guidelines

  • I encourage you to share your quilts in person and on social media, but please provide proper credit!
    • Here’s an example: Seeds (Bizr) Quilt pattern by Aliya Hoff-Vanoni of extradisciplinary.
    • Depending on how you are sharing your quilt, you might provide a link to this webpage, a link to the Threadloop Pattern Page and my Threadloop Profile, and/or tag @extradisciplinary and use the hashtag #SeedsQuilt on Instagram.
  • Unless you are of Palestinian heritage, please do not sell quilts made using this pattern for commercial profit.
  • However, you may sell, auction, raffle, or donate quilts made using this pattern if the proceeds are donated to crowdfunding campaigns, mutual aid programs, or nonprofits seeking to support Palestinians: 1) trying to survive or flee the genocide in Gaza, and/or 2) displaced from their homeland and trying to rebuild their lives in diaspora.
  • You may teach this quilt in a sewing class (or similar context) and distribute the pattern to the students so long as: 1) at least a portion of the proceeds from any class fees are donated to support Palestinians and 2) the pattern includes proper attribution and a link to this webpage.
  • Feel free to contact me with any questions about these guidelines or if you’d like me to teach a workshop using this pattern.
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Quilt Size

  • This quilt top finishes to 20” x 20” square.
  • Each square on the pattern grids below represents a finished block size of 1” x 1” square.
  • The final dimensions of your quilt may vary depending on how you choose to finish the edges.
🚧
It’s easy to modify the quilt size to suit your needs! Instructions to come.
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Supplies

I recommend using cotton, stable linen, or cotton and linen blends for quilting (but many light to midweight wovens will work). I used Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in my sample quilt because it is the most accessible quilting cotton in the U.S. If you have the budget, treat yourself to Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids—they are so soft and fray significantly less than Kona Cotton.

  • Fabric for quilt top
    • Thanks to its small size, this pattern is fat quarter-friendly and excellent for using up fabric scraps (use a fabric requirement calculator to help you determine if you’ll have enough fabric). Fabric requirements are listed below for each colorway.
  • Fabric strips for binding
  • ~24” x 24” square of batting
  • ~28” x 28” square backing fabric, either pieced together from smaller scraps or a single piece of fabric (~7/8 of a yard)
    • It’s best practice to cut your batting larger than your quilt top and your backing fabric larger than your batting so that you can see the edges of all three layers while quilting.
    • The general rule of thumb is to have about 2” of batting and 2” of backing visible on all four sides of the quilt top for a comfortable margin of error, but if you have slightly more or less it’ll be okay.
    • If you are quilting on a longarm machine with a frame, you may wish to instead cut a rectangle that is 28” wide but longer on the other dimension so it’s easier to pin the backing to the rolling bars.
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Patchwork Approaches

For each of the colorways below, I include two separate pattern grids and fabric cut lists. Choose which patchwork approach best fits your needs:

  • Use the Uniform Square Blocks pattern grids and cut lists if you:
    • Prefer all of your blocks, row heights, and column widths to be the same size
    • Are trying to use up very small scraps from your stash
    • Really enjoy patchwork
  • Use the Square and Rectangle Blocks pattern grids and cut lists if you:
    • Don’t want visible seams running through the large white squares at the center of the seed motifs
    • Want to save time cutting and piecing
      • 📌
      Note: the patterns with the Square and Rectangle Blocks have three rows that will be twice the height of the other rows to prevent any seams from dividing the large white squares at the center of the seed motifs. In short, rows 5 and 6, 10 and 11, and 15 and 16 are merged.
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Assembly Instructions

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Fabric Prep and Cutting

  • Refer to the table below that matches your desired colorway and piecing approach for a cut list.
    • If you are using the Uniform Square Blocks approach, cut 1.5” wide strips that are as long as the width of your fabric, then subcut those strips down until you have the number of 1.5” squares the pattern table indicates.
    • If you are using the Square and Rectangle Blocks approach, cut a 1.5” wide strip and a 2.5” wide strip. From the 1.5” wide strip, first subcut any 1.5” x 4.5” rectangles called for by the pattern, then move on to the smaller blocks. From the 2.5” wide strip, subcut any 2.5” squares, then move on to smaller blocks. You can cut the 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles from either strip. Repeat this process as many times as needed until you have the required number of blocks.
  • If you are using fabric scraps from your stash instead of fat quarters or yardage, a fabric requirement calculator can help you determine if you’ll have enough fabric.
  • You only need to pre-wash fabrics if you’re using a mix of fabrics with considerably different shrinkage rates. Most quilting cottons have a shrinkage rate of 3–5% and don’t need to be pre-washed. If you are using scraps or backing fabric with different fiber compositions, you may wish to pre-wash your fabrics before piecing so your quilt doesn’t shrink unevenly when you wash the entire thing down the road.
  • Remember that the fabric you purchased from the store may not be cut straight. Give yourself a fresh start by trimming one of the edges so it’s square and as close to parallel with the grainline as possible.
  • Remember to remove the selvedges. They tend to be woven at a different tension than the rest of the fabric and can cause uneven quilting.
  • Use a fresh rotary blade. You deserve it.
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Piecing Together the Quilt Top

  • This pattern assumes you are using the standard quilting 1/4” seam allowance for piecing together your quilt top and binding your quilt edge.
    • You may use any seam allowance you like if piecing together your backing; many folks increase their seam allowance to 1/2” on the backing for extra durability.
  • I prefer to assemble this quilt by sewing adjacent blocks together to create complete rows, and then join the rows together from the center (rows 10 and 11) out. This way, I ensure the center of the quilt is nicely aligned and any potential drifting occurs in the outer corners where it’s less noticeable.
  • Lay out all of your blocks for a single row and group them into pairs of adjacent blocks, then chain piece all of the pairs in one go. Here’s how to chain piece:
    • Place the blocks from each pair right sides together and sew with a 1/4” seam allowance. Backstitch at the top edge, sew down to the bottom edge and backstitch again to secure, but don’t cut your threads.
    • Instead, place your next pair of blocks underneath the presser foot and continue sewing, remembering to backstitch at the top and bottom edges of each block. You will make a long chain of connected blocks.
    • Use your seam ripper to separate the blocks once you’re done sewing a batch.
  • Line up your new pieced sections and group them into adjacent pairs again, taking care that you join them on the correct side and sew right sides together. Continue this process until you have at least two complete rows.
  • Before you connect rows together, remember to press each seam (yes, really!) once while still flat to set the stitches, then press the seam open. Pressing seams open minimizes bulk at the intersections and makes lining up your rows a bit easier. If some of your blocks are a bit see-through, you may instead press your seams to one side towards the darker fabric if desired.
  • Clip or pin two rows right sides together, starting from the center and working out to the edges. I like to nest the seams inside each other and place a clip directly on that spot so they don’t shift while I sew.
    • If you are sewing with uniform square blocks, you will have a lot of intersections to match up.
    • If you are sewing with square and rectangle blocks, you may want to fold some of your larger sections without seams in half to provide guidelines.
    • Remember that your blocks are cut and sewn by a human being and might not line up or may require some easing. That’s okay! I prioritize aligning large shapes and those in the center of my rows and happily accept a bit of wonkiness at the edges.
    • Important: After pinning (but before you sew!), take a peek at the right side of your quilt to ensure your rows are oriented correctly according to the pattern.
    • Sew your rows together using a 1/4” seam allowance and press your seams open.
  • Continue attaching each row to the quilt, working your way from the center towards the top and bottom edges.
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Quilting

🚧
This section is under construction and will be updated soon with more info and links to recommended tutorials.
  • If you want certain areas or blocks to pop and draw the eye, outline them with a stitch line and quilt more densely (i.e., add more stitching) in the surrounding areas. Areas with more stitches will be more depressed and shadowed, while areas with fewer stitches will be more elevated and voluminous.
    • In the sample quilt pictured above, I quilted densely in the silver squares/rectangles and simply outlined the white squares and colored motifs to make them pop.
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Finishing

🚧
This section is under construction and will be updated soon with more info and links to recommended tutorials.

Pattern Colorways

Rainbow Colorway (11 Colors)

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Fabric Requirements

Color Name
Yardage Required
Fabric A
Kona White
1/4 yd
Fabric B
Kona Silver
1/4 yd
Fabric C
Kona Cardinal (Red)
1/16 yd
Fabric D
Kona Persimmon (Orange)
1/16 yd
Fabric E
Kona Bright Idea (Yellow)
1/16 yd
Fabric F
Kona Clover (Green)
1/16 yd
Fabric G
Kona Spa Blue (Light Blue)
1/16 yd
Fabric H
Kona Royal (Dark Blue)
1/16 yd
Fabric I
Kona Velvet (Purple)
1/16 yd
Fabric J
Kona Petal (Pink)
1/16 yd
Fabric K
Kona Black
1/16 yd
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Uniform Square Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
Number of Fabric A Blocks
112
Number of Fabric B Blocks
128
Number of Fabric C Blocks
20
Number of Fabric D Blocks
15
Number of Fabric E Blocks
15
Number of Fabric F Blocks
20
Number of Fabric G Blocks
20
Number of Fabric H Blocks
15
Number of Fabric I Blocks
15
Number of Fabric J Blocks
20
Number of Fabric K Blocks
20
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Square and Rectangle Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
1 x 2 Rectangles
2 x 2 Squares
1 x 4 Rectangles
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
1.5” x 2.5”
2.5” x 2.5”
1.5” x 4.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
1” x 2”
2” x 2”
1” x 4”
Number of Fabric A Blocks (Kona White)
52
12
9
0
Number of Fabric B Blocks (Kona Silver)
80
24
0
0
Number of Fabric C Blocks (Kona Cardinal)
0
2
2
2
Number of Fabric D Blocks (Kona Persimmon)
1
5
0
1
Number of Fabric E Blocks (Kona Bright Idea)
3
4
1
0
Number of Fabric F Blocks (Kona Clover)
0
2
2
2
Number of Fabric G Blocks (Kona Spa Blue)
0
2
2
2
Number of Fabric H Blocks (Kona Royal)
1
5
0
1
Number of Fabric I Blocks (Kona Velvet)
3
4
1
0
Number of Fabric J Blocks (Kona Petal)
0
2
2
2
Number of Fabric K Blocks (Kona Black)
0
2
2
2

Watermelon Colorway (4 Colors)

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Fabric Requirements

Color Name
Yardage Required
Fabric A
Kona Poppy (Red)
1/4 yd
Fabric B
Kona White
1/4 yd
Fabric C
Kona Pesto (Green)
1/4 yd
Fabric D
Kona Black
1/8 yd
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Uniform Square Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
Number of Fabric A Blocks
160
Number of Fabric B Blocks
128
Number of Fabric C Blocks
80
Number of Fabric D Blocks
32
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Square and Rectangle Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
1 x 2 Rectangles
2 x 2 Squares
1 x 4 Rectangles
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
1.5” x 2.5”
2.5” x 2.5”
1.5” x 4.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
1” x 2”
2” x 2”
1” x 4”
Number of Fabric A Blocks
8
28
12
12
Number of Fabric B Blocks
80
24
0
0
Number of Fabric C Blocks
48
8
4
0
Number of Fabric D Blocks
4
2
5
0

Trans Colorway (3 Colors)

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Fabric Requirements

Color Name
Yardage Required
Fabric A
Kona Baby Pink
1/4 yd
Fabric B
Kona White
1/4 yd
Fabric C
Kona Baby Blue
1/4 yd
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Uniform Square Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
Number of Fabric A Blocks (Kona Baby Pink)
160
Number of Fabric B Blocks (Kona White)
160
Number of Fabric C Blocks (Kona Baby Blue)
80
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Square and Rectangle Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
1 x 2 Rectangles
2 x 2 Squares
1 x 4 Rectangles
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
1.5” x 2.5”
2.5” x 2.5”
1.5” x 4.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
1” x 2”
2” x 2”
1” x 4”
Number of Fabric A Blocks
8
28
12
12
Number of Fabric B Blocks
84
28
5
0
Number of Fabric C Blocks
48
8
4
0

Minimal Colorway (2 Colors)

image

Fabric Requirements

Color Name
Yardage Required
Fabric A
Kona Rose
1/2 yd
Fabric B
Kona White
1/4 yd
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Uniform Square Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
Number of Fabric A Blocks
240
Number of Fabric B Blocks
160
‣

Square and Rectangle Blocks

image
Grid Size
1 x 1 Squares
1 x 2 Rectangles
2 x 2 Squares
1 x 4 Rectangles
Cut Size
1.5” x 1.5”
1.5” x 2.5”
2.5” x 2.5”
1.5” x 4.5”
Finished Block Size
1” x 1”
1” x 2”
2” x 2”
1” x 4”
Number of Fabric A Blocks
56
36
16
12
Number of Fabric B Blocks
84
28
5
0

Keep In Touch

Thanks very much for reading! If you have any questions, feedback, or corrections regarding the pattern, please don’t hesitate to contact me! I’d love to see what you make, so please tag me on Instagram and use the hashtag #SeedsQuilt. You can also find me and this pattern on Threadloop.

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