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.

Block of the Month - October

 Another Ten Piece Block

In keeping with our tenth anniversary theme, here is another block made up of ten pieces of fabric.  For this block, I dug into the Ottawa Modern Quilt Guild Block of the Month archives, from 2015-2016.  I have changed up the colours.

Cut 2 - 2.5” x 12.5” strips of white

Cut 2 - 1.5” x 12.5” strips of white

You will also need additional 2.5” strips of white (see below)

Cut 3 - 2.5” strips of 3 random lengths (less than 10” long), in any shade of green or pink solids or near solids (tone on tone or fine prints that read as one colour from a distance).  Two pink one and one green, or two green and one pink, you get to choose.

Add 2.5” wide strips of white to each coloured strip, to make three 12.5” long strips.

You now have a total of seven 12.5” long strips.

Assemble strips in the order shown in the photo above:

1.5” strip white

Coloured strip

2.5” strip white

Coloured strip

2.5” strip white

Coloured strip

1.5” strip white

Block should be 12.5” square.

Block Of The Year - The X Block

This block is inspired by the Cross Block from “Quilt Improv" by Lucie Summers.

1. For the background fabric - choose a colourful print - no white, cream, beige, grey or black.

For the X - any shade of grey solid


From the background print cut - 1 square 6.5”x 6.5”

From the grey solid cut - 2 strips 1.5”x 10”

2. Cut the square in half on the diagonal. You now have two triangles.

3. Centre the long side of one triangle (right sides together) on the long side of a grey strip. The strip is longer than the triangle (on purpose), to allow for trimming in a later step.

3. Sew the triangle to the strip with a ¼” seam.

4. Centre the second triangle on the opposite side of the same grey strip, right sides together and directly opposite to the first triangle. Sew. Press both seams. Do not trim.

Sew. Press both seams. Do not trim.

5. Cut the resulting unit in half along the diagonal perpendicular to the grey strip.

 

You now have two triangles bisected by a strip of grey.

6. Add the second strip in the middle between the two triangles, as in steps 3 and 4 above. Press.

7. Trim the block to 6.5” square, centering the X. Don’t worry if your block is not perfectly centered - these are improv-ish blocks.

That’s it! Make as many as you like, all year long. We will collect them at each in person guild meeting, and make a draw at the June meeting for all the blocks.