April Block Lotto - Inspired by Gee's Bend

Block #7 - Celebrating Arlonzia and Arcola Pettway

The design for this month’s block is from a quilt made by Arlonzia Pettway (born 1923), a “Chinese Coins” variation, circa 1965.  The inspiration for the colours is from a quilt by Arcola Pettway (1934-1994) called “Lazy Gal”, made in 1976.  The block finishes at 12 inches square.

Fabric requirements

Light grey, cherry red, lime green, gold, and bright orange solids (or near solids).

Cutting

From the dark grey solid

1 - 2.5”x 8.5” strip

2 - 2.5”x 12.5” strip

From each of the cherry red, lime green, gold, and bright orange solids

1 - 2.5”x 11” strip

To make the block:

Use a ¼” seam throughout.

1. Sew the cherry red, lime green, gold, and bright orange strips together along the long side (order of the colours is not important).  Press seams to the side.

2. Cut the above unit in half.  Each should measure 8.5” x 5.5”.

Rotate one of the above units 180 degrees.

3. Sew the above units to each side of the grey 2.5” x 8.5” strip. Press seams away from the centre.

4. Sew a grey 2.5” x 12.5” strip to the top and bottom. Press seams away from the centre.

You are done!  The block should measure 12.5” square.

 

March Block Lotto - Inspired by Gee's Bend

 Block #6 - Celebrating Annie May Young 

This month I’m inspired by the quilt on the cover of the book “The Quilts of Gee’s Bend”, created in 1976 by Annie May Young (born 1928).  She created this stunning quilt from work clothes, assembling a centre medallion of bright strips, surrounded by different shades of denim.  I am providing instructions for two versions of the block:  one in red and yellow (inspired by the top of the quilt); and one in red and brown (inspired by the bottom half of the quilt).  Both finish at 12” square.  In the above image Version 1 is on the left, Version 2 on the left.  Make one block or the other, or try both!  

Fabric requirements

Dark blue - solids, near solids, small scale prints that read dark blue

Red - solids, near solids, small scale prints that read red

Yellow (for version 1) - solids, near solids, small scale prints that read yellow

Brown (for version 2) - solids, near solids, small scale prints that read brown

Version 1 

C1= yellow

C2= red

Version 2

C1= brown

C2= red

Cutting

From the dark blue

2 - 2.5”x10.5” strips

1 - 2.5”x12.5” strip

From C1

4 - 1.5”x10.5” strips

From C2

4 - 1.5”x10.5” strips

Note:  The following photos show Version 2 of the block.  If you are making version 1, you will use yellow instead of brown.

To make the block:

Use a ¼” seam throughout.

1. Join the 1.5”x10.5” strips by sewing along the long side, alternating colours.  Press seams away from the centre.

2. Sew a dark blue 2.5”x10.5” strip to either side of the unit.  Press seams away from the centre.

3.  Sew the 2.5”x12.5” strip to the top of the unit.  Press seam away from the centre.

You are done!  The block should measure 12.5” square.

February Block Lotto - Inspired by Gee's Bend

Block #5 - Celebrating Loretta Pettway and Gloria Hoppins 

I’m switching things up a bit this month, by drawing inspiration from two Gee’s Bend quilters - Loretta Pettway and Gloria Hoppins.  Loretta created a Courthouse Steps quilt (circa 1974) from a single block, made of dark and light blue denim.  I wanted to use the block design, known locally as Bricklayer, but was looking for a different colour scheme.  For that, I turned to a quilt by Gloria Hoppins, a sunny log cabin creation, circa 1975.  Our courthouse steps block combines yellow and low volume fabrics with a tiny pop of orange. The block finishes at 14 inches square.

Fabric requirements

Assorted scraps - 

Orange (small amount)

Yellow (solids, tone on tone, or small scale prints that read yellow)

Low volume 

Cutting

From the orange scrap

1 - 2.5”x2.5”

From the yellow scraps

2 - 2.5”x6.5”

2 - 2.5”x10.5”

2 - 2.5”x14.5”

From the low volume scraps

2 - 2.5”x2.5”

2 - 2.5”x6.5”

2 - 2.5”x10.5”

To make the block:

Use a scant ¼” seam throughout.

 

1. Sew a 2.5" low volume square to each side of the 2.5" orange square. Press seams away from the centre.

2. Sew a 6.5"x2.5" yellow strip to the top and the bottom of the unit. Press seams away from the centre.

3. Sew a 6.5"x2.5" low volume strip to each side of the unit. Press seams away from the centre.

4. Sew a 10.5"x2.5" yellow strip to the top and the bottom of the unit. Press seams away from the centre.

5. Sew a 10.5"x2.5" low volume strip to each side of the unit. Press seams away from the centre.

6. Sew a 14.5"x2.5" low volume strip to the top and the bottom of the unit. Press seams away from the centre.

You are done!  The block should measure 14.5” square.