April - Botanical Garden Quilt

Let's hurry the arrival of spring by making a classic 16-patch block with pretty floral fabrics of any color. Green foliage is good too. Use 2.5" wide strips. Have any jelly rolls handy?

Cut two strips: 2.5" x 42. (These will yield two blocks.) Then cut them in half on the fold (above). Sew two strips together lengthwise. Then cut the sewn strip in half lengthwise (below).

Place the two units together and sew (above). Press all 3 seams in the same direction.

Cut into 4 strips: 2.5" wide (above).

Turn two strips upside-down (above), making a checkerboard.

Sew the strips together. Press.

Enter the drawing once for each block that you contribute. 

This will make a beautiful springtime quilt!

Happy quilting!

Feb. 2016 - Scrappy Bow Ties!

Choose two fabrics for this classic block: one dark and one light. The contrast between the two can be high or low. The prints can be bold or quiet. A big variety will make a great quilt.

Cut 5 blocks: 3" x 3," as shown above. Cut one block on the diagonal (it can be a dark or a light).

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Place the dark triangles on the light squares, by eye, as shown above. If you make the triangles too big, the bow tie will look chubby, so keep it smallish. The variations in all our blocks will add charm.

Sew a 1/4" seam along the long edge of the triangles, as shown below.

Press open, as shown above. Trim off the excess dark triangle fabric. You don't need to trim the light fabric that is behind the triangle.

Sew the two squares in the top row together. Then sew the two squares in the bottom row.

 

Press seams away from the triangles (above).

Sew the last seam to finish.

The block as shown below measures 5.5" square.

 In the finished quilt, each block will measure 5" square. 

 These bow tie blocks made from all our favorite scraps will be stunning.

Happy quilting!

April 2015: Retro One-Patch

This quilt from Apartment Therapy is the inspiration for our April block: Retro One-Patch.

Choose 9 fabrics from your stash that say "so twentieth century!" 

I like how the quilt above has darks, lights, plaids, big and small prints, solids, etc. 

 Cut a 6" square from each. Sew them into three rows of three, as shown below. Our quilt will have a huge variety of fabrics. 

November: Tea Basket

This colorful scrap block is a quick little basket. All you need is four 3" squares cut from white or ivory, and some scraps from your fabric collection. The triangles are applied and sewn by eye. 

Start with a 3" square, and scraps of 3" squares cut on the diagonal.

Lay a triangle on the square as shown above. Do this "by eye." Sew along the long edge of the triangle, as shown below. Press open.

Apply the second triangle as shown below.

Again, sew along the long edge of the triangle. Press open.

Turn the square over and trim.

 Make 4 squares, and arrange them like this:

The seam allowances are a little thick, so it helps to press this block on a folded terry cloth towel.

This will make a pretty quilt for the winner of all the blocks. I'm making a bunch. 

April 2013 - Long and Narrow Block: 6" x 55"

Let's make a Strata Quilt! Cut strips 1.25" wide from interesting fabrics in your stash. Sew the ends together  so you have 55" lengths. Then sew these strips together. Make a block about 6" x 55."

Enter your name in the drawing once for each block entered.

Helpful tip: After sewing a long seam, press before opening. This "sets the seam" and makes it easy to keep the seam straight when you press it open. Otherwise it can get a little curvy. 

This quilt was made by readers of the Selvage Blog from all over the world. I finished the quilt, and it now resides in Florida in the home of the drawing winner: the Quilting Violinist.

Remember to bring your Bow Tie blocks from February too!