A Personalized Periodic Table Quilt

Right before we made the move across the pacific, I was asked to make a periodic table quilt for a friend. My new client, Mr. W, wanted the quilt for his wife who is a Chemistry professor.  I brainstormed some different ideas and we eventually settled on a more modern design with solid fabrics representing each section of elements.  I felt as though appliquéing each element, or getting them specially printed would be both over the top and boring to make!

Mr. W didn’t have a preference on color schemes so I started looking around the internet for some ideas.  I found this FANTASTIC print at Missouri Star Quilt Company of beakers filled with various chemicals and used it as a springboard for my color selections.

I used EQ7 to plan out the quilt and color placement with a selection of Kona solids.  I debated how to piece the larger sections for a while.  Eventually, I decided to piece small blocks representing each element rather than one large cut of fabric.  I thought it better represented the idea of the periodic table even though it’s subtle!

I wanted to make the quilt personalized for Mrs. W, and after thinking about how to do that, I realized that her initials happen to all be element symbols.  Happy coincidence!  I appliquéd those three symbols in their appropriate elements.

Just to round out the quilt, I found a great backing fabric, perfect for a science lover! Seriously, I need to get some of this for myself!!

Last but not least, I purchased a water molecule print for the binding.

The selvages were so fun!!

I finished the quilt right after we moved to Japan (hence the empty room for photography), but it was just recently gifted to Mrs. W.  I hope she loves it!!