September Block-of-the-Month

Summer is quickly coming to an end and so is our Block-of-the-Month.  If you've fallen behind with your blocks, now's a great time to get back into the swing of things with school back in session.  Even with my son out of school, September always feels like a time to get reorganized and back in the groove.

September's block is present to us by Melissa!  (I have this quilt on my Pinterest board, so I'm happy to see how to make it!)

Mad as a Hatter

This is the Mad as a Hatter block from Elaine at Messy Goat.  

For easy to print instructions: Click HERE.

Cutting It Out:

Materials needed are:

Light solid (white)

Bright solids (4 different colors)

To make this block, you will actually have to make four blocks to get the combination.

1.  From the black and white fabric:

Begin by cutting two 6.5 inch squares from black and two 6.5 inch squares from white.

2.  Next cut a 3.5 inch WOF (width of fabric) from each black and white, then sub-cut four 13.5 inch pieces and four 7.5 inch pieces.

3.  From the various colors:

Cut a 1 inch WOF strip of each color, then sub-cut two 6.5 inch pieces and two 7.5 inch pieces.  Do this for all four various colors.

Piecing Instructions

1.  Begin by sewing two 6.5 inch strips to each side of the solid squares, use a ¼ inch seam allowance and press seams open.

2.  Next, sew the 7.5 inch strips to the squares with the same color.

3.  After this, you are going to sew the 7.5 inch pieces of the OPPOSITE color to the outsides of the bright colors.  For instance, if the block has white inside, you will sew black around the outside.  After this, you will sew the 13.5 inch strips to the remaining sides of the block.

   

4.  Now we will do a ‘wonky cut’.  On each corner of the blocks, you will need to measure five inches in from the bottom right corner.  Mark with a very small dot at the bottom.  Rotate your blocks and repeat so that all four sides will have a mark.  Do this for all four blocks.  

5.  Next you will use your rotary cutter and ruler.  Match the edges of your ruler to the small dots.  You will see that your ruler is going slightly to the left.  Use your rotary cutter and cut along your ruler.  Be careful to keep everything in place and rotate your cutting mat so that you can make your next cut.  Below is what your block will look like after making two cuts.

6.  Now you will take one piece from each block, making sure that you alternate black and white being on the inside/outside.  Pin carefully, so that all seams will match up and sew the block together.  Press your seams open and trim to 12.5 inches square.

Join us in October for out last block.  We're almost there!

August Block-of-the-Month

Once again, we have two blocks for you this month!

August Block-of-the-Month #1:

Hi, this is Kristine. I blog occasionally at My House Full. This block is of my own design. Enjoy. Any children's artwork you notice is a bonus.

Chevron Block

For easy to print instructions: CLICK HERE.

CUTTING IT OUT:

Fabric requirements may vary, but I used the majority of:

4 strips 2" x WOF (44")

1 strip 1.5" x WOF

1 strip 1" x WOF

Be sure to trim off the selvages. :)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Decide if you want to follow a specific pattern, or have a random order. Chose a fabric to start on the bottom.

2.  Sew together at a right angle. Press seam up. Trim straight across the bottom. Check to make sure it is square - whatever the angle is here, it will continue through the whole block. Trim as necessary.

3.  Add the second layer. I did right over left. So I added on the left side, then the right. Until you reach 7" wide, line up raw edge on top, and sew down. Center your ruler at 3.5" and trim on the side. Repeat with the same fabric, adding to the right side.

4.  Once you reach 7" wide, add from the outside towards the point. If desired, mark 3.5" from the middle on each side. Starting each color on the left, overlap your mark a little, sewing towards the point. Press the seam up, and trim even with the raw edge. Repeat with the same fabric on the right side. Continue with each fabric, in the pattern you have chosen, until the edge measures more than 24.5".

5.  I find a 12.5" square ruler is helpful for this step. Centering the points at the 3 1/4 line, cut a block 6.5"x12.5". Make sure all sides are square. Sew the two pieces together.

The seams won't match - they aren't supposed to!

Our second block is presented by Angie

August Block-of-the-Month #2

4 Diamonds Block

For easy to print instructions: CLICK HERE.

CUTTING THE FABRIC:

TWO 3 7/8” squares of 8 different fabrics

(or FOUR 3 7/8” squares of 4 different fabrics

or even EIGHT - 3 7/8” squares, depending on how you want the layout to look)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  My preferred method for making half square triangles is to put my two chosen squares right sides together, draw a line down the center of the squares then stitch a scant ¼” seam on either side of the line.  Cut the block in half on the drawn line, press the blocks open, and trim down to 3.5”.

Whatever method you prefer, you need to end up with 16 half square triangles measuring 3.5” each.

2.  Make sure you match up the same fabrics on at least two of your sets of half square triangles so you will be able to form a diamond. 

3.  After arranging your triangles into the design you want, sew them together into sets of four, completing your triangles.  

4.  After all 4 triangles have been assembled, sew them together and press. 

I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with!  

Thanks Kristine and Angie! Two more block and our quilt will be complete. 

See you next month!

Moore Love Quilt Project: Wrap-Up

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all who donated to our Moore Love Quilt Project. The outpouring of support and quilts has simply been amazing and we can't thank you enough.

 To date, we have collected over 400 quilts!

I happened to pick out one of the quilts that a guild member gave a co-worker who lost everything in the tornado. A couple of days later, I just happened to be at the business the night she received them.  With tears in her eyes, she thanked me for the quilts. She was so grateful as they reminded her of the trunk of quilts her grandmother made that she'd just lost. The workmanship on the quilts she received were beautiful, "just like my grandmother's workmanship", she said. I felt completely unworthy, and yet so fortunate, to be the one accepting the gratitude that was really meant for the generous quilt maker.

A thank you note from a quilt recipient.

Where the quilts came from:

• From independent quilters and quilt guilds around the nation (including Hawaii), and as far away as Australia!
• A group of 3 and 4 years olds from New York. Their artwork was transferred to fabric and used as blocks.
• From a daughter who finished and donated a quilt in honor of her mother, who started the quilt but was then affected by Alzheimer's Disease.
• From a woman who had a family member who survived the devastation at Plaza Towers Elementary.
• From a woman who saw one of the teachers talking about protecting the children on T.V. and thought, "I'd love for her to have a quilt", and then made one.
• From quilters in Florida who lost their own homes in Hurricane Charley and gave as a way of saying "thank you" to those who so generously gave to them.

Personal notes accompanied many of the quilts.

Where a few of the quilts went:

• A sweet boy who lost his mother and home. Weeks later, when he received a quilt, he was still in the hospital recovering from his own injuries.
• A woman who lost her home and a trunk that held quilts made by her grandmother. The chest is still unaccounted for.
• A woman who stayed at one of the schools until all the kids were reunited with their parents.
• A Moore music teacher with two small children who lost her home and car. Quilts passed down in her family were lost, so receiving quilts had special meaning.
• A man (see photo below) injured in the tornado because he was still recovering from knee surgery and was unable to climb into shelter.

While collecting all these beautiful quilts, I learned a few things:

1. Be prepared. As quilters, we should always have a quilt or two on hand that can be given away. The day after the Moore tornado, while we were in the middle of a meeting discussing what we should do to help, I received a notification text from our Facebook page from quilters in Birmingham, Alabama that said: "We have 40 quilts! Where can we send them?" Just like that, before we even knew what we were doing!
2. Create the best you can. I was constantly amazed by the workmanship of the quilts we received. Several times I found myself saying, "I can't believe someone would put that much work into a quilt and then give it away to a stranger!"
3. Give generously. Not only were the quilts beautiful and well constructed, they were also numerous. People didn't just send one quilt (which is wonderful enough) but often two or more quilts were in each box or box-es, plural. I received three boxes from one woman and one 43 pound box from another that contained 13 quilts!

Label on one of the quilts.

Once again, thank you so much for donating your quilts. I know the recipients are all feeling the love and support that each quilt represents.

We've tried our best to photograph each and every quilt received and invite you to peruse our Moore Love flickr page.

Thanks Again!

OKCMQG

July Block-of-the-Month: 2 for 1

In the hopes of having a completed quilt by the end of the year, we have 2 blocks for you this month!

First up is a block from Ann.

This is the Modern Movement Block by Letty at Happy Dance Quilting, which was offered as a free download from Craftsy.

July Block of the Month #1:

This is a straight-forward Half-Square Triangle (HST) pattern.

For easy to print instructions: CLICK HERE

CUTTING IT OUT:

Start out with four main colors (which comprise 3/4 of the pattern) and then choose a lighter (or darker) tone in the same color range. The designer specifies 1/8 yard of each color and one Fat Quarter (FQ) for the background. Because I would only need a maximum of two 3-7/8" x 3-7/8" squares from the colors, I used scraps from previously cut on FQs.

On the heels of our 'Moore Love' raffle quilt that used our logo colors, I carried that scheme into this month's BOM. This included using low volume prints for the background. 

After the fact, I realized it would have been much simpler using ONE pattern/solid for the entire background, and highly recommend it.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Cut out all 3-7/8" x 3/7/8" squares:

     (a) 2 from each color.

     (b) 1 from each color variation.

     (c) 8 from your background fabric.

I used my adjustable Westalee ruler to cut my 3-7/8" squares. It's one of my favorite tools.

2.  Cut each of the squares in half, diagonally.

Wrong side of each of the four backgrounds shown with each set of colors.

3.  Arrange the triangles following the original pattern. Here are some background options I played with using the four patterns, and also, white. 

The lower left one is the one described here.

4.  The HSTs are sewn together and then into four rows.  Following the layout and working with 2 HSTs at a time, sew two HSTs RIGHT sides together along that long diagonal edge you cut. 

5.  Press open units. I did so in a manner that let me nest the seams once they were assembled.

(Frixion pens are now available as re-tractables!) 

6.  Sew four rows of units together to make completed block.

You will use all of the background pieces have eight HSTs [one light and one medium of each color] left over.

July Block-of-the-Month #2:

Our second block is presented by Mandi.

Modern Alphabet "J"

For easy to print instructions: CLICK HERE

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Pick three colors.

2.  Cut the following:

       (a) 6.5" x 12.5" (in this case striped fabric)

       (b) 6.5" x 6.5" (blue starred fabric)

       (c) Background 6.5" X 12.5" (red fabric)

3.  Place 6.5" x 6.5" color (b) with RIGHT sides together on lower edge of background color. 

4.  Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of color (c) and stitch on line.

5.  Trim seam to 1/4 inch and press to side.  

6.  With RIGHT sides together sew color (a) lengthwise to color (b) and (c) with seam on short side of HST created above.

Done!

Thanks for joining us! Don't forget to click on BOM on the top menu you catch up on blocks from the previous months and get a peak at how our quilt is shaping up!

Even "Moore Love" WINNERS!!!

Before we announce the winner we want to say a HUGE GIGANTIC THANK YOU to everyone who donated to the United Way of Central Oklahoma and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma!  We know your donations meant a lot to those organizations and the Oklahomans they will be assisting.  

You helped us raise a whopping:

$1,310!!!!!!!!

So a big pat on the back to everyone for being so generous!  

Now I know everyone is eager to know who won these gorgeous quilts.  :)

After giving everyone an entry for every ticket purchased, in the order they donated, into Random.org's free generator I was given the following numbers -

Which means that our winners are:

Diane Chambers & Suzanne Green

Congratulations ladies!!!  We will be e-mailing you later today to make sure we get the quilts off to the correct addresses.

Thank you again to everyone who helped this project come to fruition.  Your generosity will be felt by so many!!!!

And before we go, a reminder...if you are sending us quilts for our other Moore Love project those need to be shipped to us by June 30th.  :)

Now have a GREAT weekend!

Even Moore Love: Long Term Support

When members of OKCMQG met to plan our relief efforts for those in Moore, we knew we wanted to help people both immediately and in the long term.  The comfort of quilts is so emotionally healing, and we are simply amazed with the generosity of the quilting community whom has flooded us with quilt donations.  So, thank you for your continued support in that endeavor!

However, we are acutely aware that money is a big need for those who have lost their homes.  Oklahoma has seen two full weeks of just horrendous weather. Multiple tornadoes, 2 of which have been EF-5 ratings. We have seen the widest tornado on record, as well as the one with the highest wind speeds on record. Thousands of homes have been destroyed, lives lost, schools and businesses gone. On top of the tornadoes there has been flash flooding to contend with as well.  While quilts will wrap us in love and comfort, obviously a variety of needs exist.  

We also know that the initial response to disaster relief is great.  Many people are willing to donate to first responders, such as the Red Cross, but once the first responders leave there is still much to be done.   Recovery doesn't happen overnight. That is why OKC Modern Quilt Guild is holding a drawing for not one, but two quilts, for which your donations will support local charities aiding long term disaster relief in the Oklahoma City Metro Area! :)  

Each quilt is a very nice throw size, measuring approximately 57"x72".  Members contributed blocks using the pattern "Tulsa Town" by Villa Rosa Designs.  The color palette is orange, aqua/turquoise, and lime with a background of low volume prints. The backing is "Wide Aqua Circle Dots" by Robert Kauffman. The quilting consists of swirls in the background prints and a "blocky" zig zag in the saturated focal fabrics.

Before we get to the details on how you can donate and WIN one of these quilts, I want to extend our heartfelt thank yous to those who helped us bring these quilts to fruition.  Thank you to Villa Rosa Designs for donating her beautiful pattern "Tulsa Town" for our use, to Fat Quarter Shop for once again donating the backing fabric for both of these quilts, to members who created blocks out of their own stash, to Amanda and Candace for piecing together the tops, to Leslie for providing the batting and for binding one of the quilts, and to Agnes for her quilting and sewing the binding on the remaining quilt.  We would also like to thank Coles Garden in OKC for allowing us to use their stunning grounds for our photography and to Oklahoma Quiltworks for displaying both of these lovelies in their shop.

Now how can you win one of these beauties?  We're so glad you asked.  We want you to know that your money is going directly to the charities who are helping those in need.  Donations may be made directly to one (or both if you would like) of the following charities:

United Way of Central Oklahoma's "May Tornadoes Relief Fund"

Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma

Once you have made your donation(s) please e-mail your donation receipt to us at okcmqg@gmail.com.  By e-mailing us your receipt you are entering yourself in the drawing to win one of these gorgeous quilts.

For every $10 you donate you will receive 1 entry in the drawing. 
For every $50 you donate you will receive 6 entries in the drawing.

We will accept entries (receipts) at okcmqg@gmail.com from now until midnight CDT on Friday, June 21.  Two winners will be chosen and announced on Saturday, June 22.

And we just want to say, from the bottom of our hearts...

THANK YOU to all of you who are supporting our community in this time of need.

June Block-of-the-Month

June Block of the Month~~~Simply Squares by Elizabeth

I was inspired to make this block when I saw a scattering squares quilt on the Pippa Patchwork blog.  I also had the perfect solid fabrics on hand from our guilds solid swap! 

FOR EASY TO PRINT INSTRUCTIONS: CLICK HERE

Here's how to make your very own Simply Squares block:

Choose 8 different fabrics (solids if you want to make one like mine).

Cutting your fabric:
1.   Cut three 4.5 inch squares (Choose any three colors. I ended up 
       exchanging the pink for the lavender : )

2.   Cut fourteen 2.5 inch squares (Cut 2 squares out of six colors and 1 square 
       out of the two colors that were left.)

3.   Cut forty 1.5 inch squares (5 squares from each color)

Lay them out in a pleasing pattern as shown.  

Begin sewing in rows.  I made 4 patches when I got to the smaller squares
and then sewed them together. 

Some of you may not like what I am going to suggest....press your seams open!  It really helps when you have this many seams to deal with.  I also use a leader to keep my threads from tangling when I begin sewing a new piece.  For some reason I don't use and ender, but you go right ahead.

And no complaining about sewing the tiny squares because this is great practice and by the time you finish, you will have it down to perfection.  Trimming is your friend, so square up your four patches as you go.

Speaking of perfection, I ended up moving some of the colors around, and I ended up with two pinks touching (ouch).

Stained glass effect when held up to the light.

I still like the end result and I hope to see many of these blocks in the flickr group.