Welcome to day 6 of the You Can Quilt! Blog Hop. Today I'm introducing you to the Chapter on Improvisation. This was a fun chapter and I think you'd enjoy making these three blocks - I did!
To start with, I picked 6 lovely new fall fabrics from Island Batik. The top three are from the line Sea Salt Sandy. The bottom three are from the line Lavish. I thought these bright cheerful fabrics went well with the fun improvisational blocks I was going to make. I also used a white Island Batik fabric called Baker's Dozen - Flour for the background in two blocks.
The first block I made was a string block. this is a good block for a beginner, or anyone wanting to make some fast blocks. It's a great block to use up scraps of strips you might have laying around.
After you make one block, you make three more and sew them all together into one big block- quick and easy!
The strips can be different widths in each block. I made each color strip the same size.
The blocks in the book are made to be a 12" x 12" finished block. This makes a large block and is very easy to make.
Since I only made three of the blocks from the book- not the whole quilt, I have to admit that I took some liberties of the size of the blocks I made. To you - the viewer- my blocks may look 12 1/2" x 12 1/2", but I actually made the blocks all 6 1/2" x 6 1/2". Over the years I've make a lot of sample blocks and I don't like to have them just laying around. I finally wised up and decided any sample blocks I make, I will make into hot pads! That way they get used and don't lay around forever in a box.
Here is the string block made into a handy hot pad. I used Insul-Bright Batting from The Warm Company and one layer of cotton batting for the inside of the hot pad.
Here is a photo of the second strip sewn on, with a cut thru the block. The book has very good step by step visuals. Then I sewed on the red strip, and then the yellow strip.
Here is a photo of the finished block. This block is actually on the back of the String Pieced block, so the hot pad has the String Pieced block on one side and the House and Tree block on the other side.
As mentioned earlier, the instructions for these blocks are very clear. There are good visual step by step photos and lots of tips.
Thanks to Island Batiks for the fun fabrics to use in this blog hop. Check their website to see all the great new fabrics coming out this fall.
AQS is excited to present their ultimate beginning quilting handbook- You Can Quilt! You can purchase it here:
Be sure to follow all the other posts for the You Can Quilt Blog Hop
Bloggers are by Date, Chapter,
Name, Blog
Oct. 9 – Ch. 1. Basics - Leila Gardunia http://sewnbyleila.blogspot.com
Oct. 12 – Ch. 2. HST - Tammy Silvers http://www.tamarinis.typepad.com/
Oct 14 – Ch 3. QST - Connie Kresin Campbell http://www.conniekresin.com
Oct. 16 – Ch 4. Flying Geese - Maryellen McAuliffe
http://
teachpany.blogspot.com
Oct 19 -- Ch. 5. Wonky - Christine McCrann Martinez
http://
madeinscraps.blogspot.com
Oct. 21 – Ch. 6. Improvisation - Connie Kauffman http://
kauffmandesigns.blogspot.com
Oct. 23 -- Ch. 7. Foundation Paper Piecing - Joan Kawano
http://
moosestashquilting.blogspot.com
Oct. 26 – Ch. 8. Curves - Marlene Oddie http://kissedquilts.blogspot.com
Oct. 28 - Ch 9. One-Patch Blocks - Bea Lee http://www.beaquilter.com
Oct. 30 – Ch. 10. Applique - Barbara Gaddy http://
bejeweledquilts.blogspot.com
Nov. 2 – Ch. 11. Inset Seams - Pamela Boatright http://pamelaquilts.blogspot.com/
Nov. 4 – Ch. 12. Challenge Blocks - Linda Stewart Pearl
http:// www.onequiltingcircle.com
Nov. 6 – Ch. 13. finishing – Marlene http://kissedquilts.blogspot.com
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