May: Donuts (Quick Applique)

This is a quick and easy block that will make an awesome quilt: Donuts! Start with a 6" square for the background using a light print or solid. (That's 5.5" in the finished quilt.) Cut another 6" square for the donut. Fold in quarters, then cut the outer curve and the inner curve. Then applique by hand, machine, or fuse. (If you fuse, apply fusible backing on the square before cutting the donut shape.)

Cut 6" square for back - light print or solid. (Above)

Apply fusible backing if desired. Then cut into donut shape. Free hand, no measuring.

Here are some examples (above). Have fun!

See you in May!

April: Garden Four-Patch Quilt

Celebrate the coming of spring by making a Garden 4-patch block.

You may go home with a gorgeous (nearly finished) quilt top.

Quick and easy directions: Choose 2 floral fabrics, any colors. Cut two 4" squares from each. If you have some flowers that you could fussy-cut, all the better. Assemble as shown above. Have fun. See you in April!

March 2012 - No BOM - Sit tight. April's coming.

Skinny Strings - February 2012

How about another string quilt block for February? This block is wide, 55" wide x 6" high. The finished quilt will be 55" wide. How tall the quilt is depends on how many people make a block! Maybe we'll have enough for 2 quilts.

Directions: Cut strips 1.25" x any length. Piece them together lengthwise so that you have a length of 56" or so. Fabric recipe: anything goes! (as you can see in the photo above). Sew the strips together as shown above. It helps to press each strip as it's added. (Press first, then open the seam and press again. This keeps your seam nice and straight.) Seven strips will be just about right. Have fun!

This will be a truly dazzling scrap string quilt! The variety of fabrics will be impressive, that's for sure.

January 2012 - Classic String Quilt

We had such a good time making string blocks in November, let's do it again! But this time we'll use scraps of: red, pink, orange, yellow. Any or all! Whatever you have in your scrap pile. The huge variety of fabrics will be wonerful.

 The photo above is just for a reminder. To see the directions, scroll down to November. The strip widths are random (about 2").

Here's one possible arrangement of 4 string blocks. Isn't this looking good? These fast and easy blocks are fun to make. Remember, you enter the drawing once for each 6" block that you bring to the meeting.

Happy New Year!

No BOM in December - Happy Holidays!

November: Classic String Quilt

For November we'll whip up some blocks to make a classic string quilt. Choose blues, greens, and black & whites. Cut strips about 1 1/4" wide - 1 3/4" wide. Cut them long enough to fill the space under the 6" template, as shown below.

Continue building until the block is bigger than the template. The strips can be various widths.

Trim as shown below. Block size is 6". (The block size in the finished quilt will be 5 1/2.")

The photo below shows what the quilt might look like when the blocks are assembled. Make a bunch so you can enter your name in the drawing multiple times. This will be a nice quilt!