Manx Quilt Square...

I've been itching to stitch up something with fabric for weeks.  As I was dragging my feet with the Celtic knots, I came across the Manx quilt block.

The Manx block is very similar to the Log Cabin quilt pattern in construction and its final look, and it also has some similarities to Kawandi stitching.  Having a bunch of coordinating blue fabrics that I brought home from my mother-in-law's home (five years ago, now!) I decided this would be the responsible choice for making something Manx.  

Unlike the Kawandi, that starts on the outside and goes around in a spiral toward the center, the Manx square starts in the center and fabric is laid in a spiral toward the outside edges:

Normally a Manx square is not made with batting of any sort, but not sure if I'd make more than one, I decided to make this as a hot pad, so I pieced together some leftover batting (of my late MIL's) and set to work.

Similar to making a Kawandi, the stitching is traditionally done by hand, stitching one piece of fabric on top of another, all stitched directly to a backing fabric - creating a quilt-as-you-go construction.  But that's where the similarity to Kawandi ends.  In a Manx square, the strips are stitched on with the front sides of each fabric strip facing, and after stitching, the fabric strip is folded up to create a pleat.  For anyone interested in more detail or greater clarity, I will provide some links to tutorials at the end of this post.  This is not a tutorial.

Other than the fact that I needed to stop and think about everything as I made this first Manx block, it was actually pretty quick work.  

Unfortunately, and I don't know why, the stitched-on pieces started going wonky.

I could tell it was happening by the second round of strips, but I didn't know just how badly it wonked until I was finished.  Fortunately, I started with a larger-than-needed backing fabric, so I could trim it more or less square (if not on grain).

And still with enough backing fabric left, I was able to fold forward the backing and create a binding for the square.  For ease and precision, I machine-stitched the binding.

It's actually not completely square, but you can't tell from the picture, and I doubt you'd notice it right off if you were looking directly at it.  I have to admit, even though it isn't perfect, I am pretty pleased with my first hand-stitched, (except for the binding) Manx square.  

While the fabric strips are stitched on in the same order as a Log Cabin square, you can see that this Manx block actually forms pleats, instead of the flat piece of fabric that is created with traditionally pieced together strips of fabric for a Log Cabin.

The dimension created by the pleats is what makes the Manx square special.

And like the Kawandi, when you're done stitching the block, your quilting is also done.

With the square finished, but not being sure how those pleats would come through machine laundering, I washed and dried it with jeans, thinking that would provide plenty of agitation, and opportunity for the pleats to get messed up.

I'm happy to say, it came through the machines perfectly crinkled and wavy like any other cotton quilt comes through the wash.  Most importantly, the pleats were not mangled:

Before washing & drying ↑

↓ After washing & drying 

Before ↑

↓ After 

Before ↑

↓ After 

Before ↑

↓ After

Yep, I'm sold.  It's a fun pattern to stitch, it's a great use of scrap fabric, and it comes through machine laundering like any other cotton quilt.

So I've set myself to making another block - this time, more in keeping with a traditional Manx square with no batting between the layers.

Time will tell how many more I'll make.  A wall-hanging's worth?  A blanket's worth?  We'll see.  And when I start joining them, I'll be back to show pictures of that.

Meanwhile, if you're interested in checking out some resources I found helpful, here you go:

Jackie Loos - JunkGal63Studio (video) :  

How to Make a Modern Manx Quilt Block with Fabric Scraps

k3nclothtales (video):

Manx Quilting - Making Blocks

Ice Bear Quilts (Blog)

Manx Log Cabin - A Special Technique

Diary of a Quilter (Blog)

How to Make A Manx Quilt Block

There are other resources online. I only posted a few of the ones I visited (and revisted) before and after I started stitching.

Now - off to make more Manx squares!