October Block-of-the-Month

Here it is! The final block in our Block-of-the-Month feature. You'll remember that we showed two blocks in both July and August. Join us next month as we put it all together and prepare for quilting.

This month's block is presented by Agnes:

This Arrow Block is meant to be a tongue-in-cheek "…to be continued…" message at the end of our BOM quilt.  I certainly hope there will be many more to follow!  The inspiration and basic proportions came from Anita at Bloomin' Workshop.  Her arrow was a 6-inch block, so I increased it to 12 inches.

For Easy to Print Instructions: Click HERE

INSTRUCTIONS:

Materials Needed:

Two contrasting fabrics

Cutting Your Fabric:

Fabric A: (the arrow)
A1.  Cut one 7" x 8"
A2.  Cut one 6" x 13"

Fabric B: (background)
B1.  Cut two 4" x 8"
B2.  Cut two 7" x 7"

Sewing it Together:

1.  Sew together on the 8-inch sides, B1 on each side of A1. Press towards the darker color.

2.  Place each B2 background piece with RIGHT sides facing on the A2 arrow head piece.

3.  Line up corner to the right.  The background piece will be about an inch longer on the left. 

4.  Trace a line from the upper left corner (where the two fabrics meet), to the lower right corner. Sew on traced line. 

5. Trim 1/4-inch from stitching and press towards darker color. 

6. Repeat steps 2-5 on the other side.

7. Trim the arrow head piece to get a straight line (about 1/4-inch).

8.  Find and pin the center of both pieces. Sew together with a 1/4-inch seam. Press towards the stem of the arrow.

9.  Place 12.5-inch square ruler over block (or use the grids on your cutting mat) and trim block to 12.5 inches square.

Done!

Don't forget to show us your block on our Flickr page!

Block-of-the-Month: February

Hi!  It's me, Jemellia!  You should know that by all of the exclamation marks!

It's already February!  It's time for our Block of the Month!  This month, we are doing a Wonky Star, it is a fast block to put together, I promise.

For easy to print instructions: Click HERE

Let's start with fabric requirements:

(8) 4.5" squares of a background fabric

(4) 4.5"-5" squares for star points*

(1) 4.5" square for center

*A quick note about star points--make sure your squares are AT LEAST 4.5 inches, they can be bigger if you would like (you will trim them later).  Your star points can be all one color (as well as the center) or all 8 different fabrics like I did on this wonky star quilt.

Let's get it started!

Take your 4 star point fabrics and cut them in half to make 8 triangles.

Sort your fabrics. Place your 2 star points with 1 background fabric.

Take one background fabric square and one triangle, with right sides together, place triangle at a slight angle, pin, if desired.  

Before sewing, leaving room for a seam allowance, fold triangle back to make sure that you have covered the entire background square.

¡Sî!

This is what you want to prevent:

¡No bueno! 

With right sides together still, stitch a 1/4" seam along the triangle (no picture, oops!)

Fold triangle where the right side is up and press.  It should look similar to this on the back:

Trim your point fabric, you can do this one of two ways: square up block to 4.5," fold back triangle piece, trim background piece (pictured in pics 1 & 2).  You can also just fold back triangle piece, trim background within 1/4" of stitched line, fold triangle back and then square up to 4.5." 

Take your second triangle and repeat steps to make another wonky star point.  Press and trim, square up block to 4.5" (pics 3 & 4).

Repeat 3 more times with remaining 3 background squares and 6 star points to equal 4 blocks.  

Now, lay out your nine squares as pictured below, I couldn't decide on a fabric for my center, so, I just took some scraps and sewed them together slightly wonky to make a 4.5" square.

Sew top row together, press seams either open or to one side.  Sew second and third rows, if you press seams to the side, alternate direction for the next rows.

Next, sew your rows together, press seams open.  Square up your block to 12.5 inches and you are done!  See, so fast!

Don't forget to add your block to our Flickr group.

Join us next month for March's block!

Block-of-the-Month: January

We're excited to share our 2013 Block-of-the-Month Quilt Along!


Each month one of our guild members will prepare a modern block to share. If you're a member, we'll be presenting each block at our monthly meetings as well. If you are not a member, first off, please join us! If you're out of our area, simply find each BOM here, on our blog.

I'm in charge of January's block. When I was creating the BOM Button (grab one for your blog!) I was completely inspired by this block. It's fabulous. After I reworked it to fit with our lettering, I thought, "Why not make that our first block?" So, that's how this block came about.

January's Block-of-the-Month:

Don't let all these labeled pieces fool you, it's a breeze to cut out. And you don't need much fabric. Just a few strips will do you! I found it easiest to cut a strip the width of my fabric (WOF) and trim from there. Yes, it'll give you some waste, but I wanted ease and I can always use the scraps for something else.

If you already have scraps, just cut each piece individually.

For easy to print instructions: Click HERE

Cutting it out:

Strip Cutting:

Fabric #1

Cut one strip: 2" x WOF 

From this strip, cut the following lengths:

• Cut one at 11.5" (1b)
• Cut one at 10.5" (1a)
• Then trim (1a) so that it is 10.5" x 1.5"

Fabric #2 

Cut one strip: 2" x WOF

From this strip, cut the following lengths:

• Cut one at 11.5"(2b)
• Cut one at 9.5" (2a)
• Then trim (2a) so that it is 9.5" x 1.5"

Fabric #3 

Cut one strip: 2" x WOF

From this strip, cut the following lengths:

• Cut one at 8.5" (3a)
• Cut one at 11" (3b)
• Then trim (3b) so that it is 11" x 1.5"

Fabric #4 

Cut one strip: 2" x WOF

From this strip, cut the following lengths:

• Cut two at 12.5" (4b)
• Cut one at 4.5" (4e)
• Cut two at 1.5" (4f)
• Trim the remainder of the strip down to a 1.5" width and cut the following lengths:
• Cut one at 2.5" (4a)
• Cut one at 3.5" (4c)
• Cut one at 2.0" (4g)

Cut one strip: 1" x WOF

From this strip, cut the following lengths:

• Cut three at 12.5" (4d)

Cutting Individual Pieces:

Fabric #1

1a: Cut one at 10.5" x 1.5"

1b: Cut one at 11.5" x 2"

Fabric #2

2a: Cut one at 9.5" x 1.5"

2b: Cut one at 11.5" x 2"

Fabric #3

3a: Cut one at 8.5" x 2"

3b: Cut one at 11" x 1.5"

Fabric #4

4a: Cut one at 2.5" x 1.5"

4b: Cut two at 12.5" x 2"

4c: Cut one at 3.5" x 1.5"

4d: Cut three at 12.5" x 1"

4e: Cut one at 4.5" x 2"

4f: Cut two at 1.5" x 2"

4g: Cut one at 2" x 1.5"

Sewing it together:

Using the diagram as a guide, simply match up the pieces to be sewn end-to-end.

1. Sew 1a to 4a
2. Sew 4c to 2a
3. Sew 3a to 4e
4. Sew 4f to 1b
5. Sew 2b to 4f
6. Sew 4g to 3b

Press seams to the dark side or open, depending on preference.

Next, layout the block on your worktable. I find it helps to keep all my pieces in order and I can get a quick look at how the block it going together and make sure I sewed the correct pieces together. 

Then, simply sew each row together. Because some of the rows are very narrow, I pressed all my seams the same direction. After, sewing and pressing, trim as necessary.

There you have it! First block done. Don't forget to add your block to our Flickr group.

Join us next month for February's BOM!

October 2012 Meeting & Sew Day

What a great meeting we had this month!  So many great show & shares and a sew day too boot.

I was amazed to find out that we are up to 34 paid members!!!  WOO!!!!  We're all so excited with how our little guild is growing.  :)

In the area of "business" it was brought up that elections are happening at the November meeting for the officer positions of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and Committee Chair.  If you are interested in tackling one of these positions please get in touch with our current President, Angela.  Dues will also be voted on at the November meeting.

Prior to the voting in November there will be a survey to complete.  Angela e-mailed a link to all paid members.  If you didn't receive it please let her know.  This survey needs to be completed by October 26, as items may need to be added to the ballot for by-law amendments. This survey will also help the leadership for 2013 better understand the direction this guild would like to be moving.

In December we have our Deluxe booth on Dec. 8th!  Please see the events page on the private Facebook group to sign up to help.  Shift work is a possibility.  We will need to prepare a hands on activity or two for the young ones.  And we have our Christmas party in the works.  More info to come!

Crys discussed the BOTM for 2013.  If you are interested in creating a 12.5" block, original in design (a "skill" in the block is encouraged but not required) please contact her.  She is currently looking for volunteers for January - March 2013.

Our show and shares consisted of a lot of the Hexie projects begun after last month's English Paper Piecing demo by Jemellia.

Agnes saw a pattern in a magazine that she wanted to make and then she saw how many pieces she'd have to cut!  HA!  So she altered the size of the stars and the result is STUNNING!  The colors are so vibrant (the dim lighting for the picture didn't do it justice at all).  Everything just shines off of the gray background, and those variegated zig zags...genius.

"Newer" Amanda (yes, we added yet another Amanda at the last meeting so now we have 3) shared this gorgeous English Paper Piecing project.  The use of negative space is genius here, and the bold autumn color palette is drool worthy.  She's lucky it didn't disappear on her before she left!  lol

I am mid project, but this will become part of a Thanksgiving table runner.  The center will be a diamond composed of hexies, and then the right and left ends will each have a hexie flower.

Angela is "this close" to finishing this darling little hexie zipper pouch.  You can't see but my fingers are really close together.  I should have got in closer because everything about it is so meticulous.  And that blue zipper is just grabbing my eye right now...LOVE it!

Emily was able to join us for the meeting!  YAY!  And she shared this Art Student Tote.  It's so nice and roomy.  She's hoping it will make a good project bag.  I'm fairly certain it will!

Jemellia had a couple of things to share, but since we had our hexie projects to share I figured I'd use that one.  She's making a pillow about of this Vintage Modern charm pack.  I don't think anyone will actually be allowed to use the pillow though.  lol  It's too pretty.  (Side note:  I hate that the cabinets are washing out this picture.  I tried everything I could think of to balance the colors more.)

Leslie was a SLACKER ;) and didn't do her hexie project.  But, she made up for it by bringing her Great Grandmother's Grandma's Flower Garden quilt.  It's so fun to see these old quilts.  Especially when you know who made it.  And it's been dearly loved.  Just as a quilt should.

One of our new members, Mandy, shared this darling (1 of 2) baby quilts she's making.  I would have been THRILLED to bits if one of my kids had received this quilt.  This is one lucky baby!

Melissa pulled a Tim Gunn and made it work with this pezzy print quilt.  It was supposed to be a zig zag, but her lovely children disrupted her cutting and it ended up a diagonal stripe quilt.  We all still think it's fabulous, and a happy accident.

Shana is fearless.  This girl is new to sewing and tackles anything and everything she wants to with a DIY attitude.  I  already adore her for that.  She had a bag to share and a sewing kit, but I just love her little Hexie flower that she'll be putting on placemats.  :)  

Well, that's all for this meeting!  Please stay tuned with regards to the Christmas party, and be sure to show up to the November meeting so your voice is heard in the election process!  It's our first one so I hope it will be fun and exciting!

Sew long for now,
-Amanda-