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Monday 26 February 2024

February Block of the Month

 Number 10

This month we tackle the number 10.  Inspired by last month’s program on colour presented by Tara Faughnan, we will use only solids.  Also inspired by Tara, I’ve chosen a colour that I’m not drawn to and rarely use for the background - brown.  This block finishes at 10” square.

Fabric requirements

Background - any shade of brown solid

Contrast - any solid of your choice

From the brown background cut:

1 - 3.75” x 6”

3 - 1.25” x 9”

2 - 1.25” x 10.5”

From the contrasting solid cut:

2 - 2” x 6”

2 - 2” x 6.75”

1 - 2” x 9”

Assembly:

Use a ¼” seam throughout.  

  1.  Sew the 2”x6” contrasting solid strips to either side of the 3.75”x6” brown piece.  Press.

  1. Sew 2”x6.75” contrasting strips to top and bottom of the pieced unit.  Press.

  1. Sew one 1.25”x9” brown strip to one side of the assembled unit.  Press.

  1. Sew 2”x9” contrasting strip to unit, as shown.  Press.

  1. Sew the remaining 1.25”x9” brown strips to either side of the unit as shown.  Press.

  1. Sew the 1.25”x10.5” brown strips to the top and bottom of the unit.  Press.

You are done!  Block should measure 10.5” square.


Monday 22 January 2024

January Block

Raspberry Kisses 

For this month’s block, I reached into the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild archives, and pulled out a favourite of mine from the winter of 2019.  That year Alison Harle, inspired by a tutorial on the Wooden Spool Quilt blog, offered us a block with a raspberry coloured cross at the centre. The cross or “X” fits our 10th anniversary theme perfectly.   


Fabric

Please use two different low volume fabrics for the background, and a raspberry coloured fabric for the cross.


For the Centre Block cut:

4 – 2 1/2″ background fabric squares
2 – 2 1/2″ cross fabric squares
1 – 6 1/2″x 2 1/2″ cross fabric rectangle


For the Corner Triangles cut:

2 – 5 1/8″ background fabric squares.  Cut each square in half diagonally to yield 4 triangles. 

(if you prefer, cut the squares a little bigger at 5 ¼” and trim the finished block back)


Block assembly - use a ¼” seam throughout


Sew the centre cross block together

Press.  The centre block should measure 6 ½” square.

Add the corner triangles.

To centre the triangles accurately, fold both the triangle and the centre block in half and finger press a crease at the centre.  Match the creases and sew.


Repeat the process on the opposite side so that you now have two triangles attached to your cross block.

Press.

Repeat the process with the two remaining triangles.

Press.

Trim.

Block should measure 8 1/2” square.


Monday 27 November 2023

November Block

 Scrappy X String Block


This month’s block is adapted from the String Block in “Quilt Improv” by Lucie Summers.  It is made up of four units sewn together so that the diagonals of each unit meet to form a white “X”.


For this block, you will need a cardboard square cut 6 ½” to use as a guide.


Fabric:

An assortment of blue strips in a variety of prints and solids, ranging in width from 1” to 2.25”.

Four 1.5” x 10” solid white strips, for the centre diagonal of each unit.


To make one unit:

Place one white strip along the diagonal of the cardboard square.

Cut 2 blue strips (or “strings”) of fabric slightly longer than the cardboard square.


Stitch the blue strings on either side of the white strip, right sides together.  Press.


Add more strings, stitching and pressing until the card is covered. 

 


Flip the unit over and use the card as a guide to draw a square on the wrong side.

Using a rotary cutter and ruler, cut out the square.


Make three more units the same way.


Stitch the four units together as shown, so they come together to form an X.  


The block should measure 12.5” square.