I am writing this post from my smartphone during a break while at my daughter’s volleyball tournament in Milwaukee, which is going to go longer than expected, so I just downloaded an app that allows me to control my DVR and record the Packer game we are going to miss. Ah, the many miracles of modern technology!
General Quilt Block Lotto rules:
1. Make one quilt block (or more) following the pattern and color scheme outlined in this post. For every block you make and bring to that month’s meeting, you will get one entry in the lotto. If you are unable to attend the meeting, but really want to participate in the lotto, comment on this post or the link on facebook and we’ll try to work it out 🙂
2. The winner gets ALL THE BLOCKS to make a quilted project from them (guild reserves the right to vote on splitting up the blocks between more than one winner if there are enough entries). If you win, the blocks become yours and you can use them in any way you choose, but must use (at least part of) each block you receive in your final creation.
3. We would like to see your finished project, either in person or pictures, within a year of winning the blocks. You may continue to participate in and win subsequent block lottos during that time (at least for now…the old rule was that you could not win again until you finished your project and we may elect to return to that method in the future if this doesn’t work). After the year is up, you cannot participate or win again until the original project is finished.
4. Have fun! Keep in mind that (most likely) someone else will be taking home your block to incorporate into a larger piece and things must fit together (literally…so keeping your block true to size is probably the most important thing), but you should also make it yours and enjoy the process!
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Just like Virginia, February is for lovers <3. The color and design of this month’s quilt block is inspired by the floral arrangement below. Pretty pinwheel blocks that look like flowers, put together into a quilt that looks like a big bouquet of beautiful. Yes?
Depending on the time you have to devote to making a block and your skill level, I’m giving two block options for you to choose from: one intermediate white border pinwheel and one beginner HST pinwheel. I found a photo of the intermediate block on Pinterest and searched and searched for a tutorial to no avail, so I made up a design. Of course, I found a tutorial later, but TOO LATE (the basic premise is a ‘kaleidoscope stack n whack’ for anyone interested in getting more info). Plus I think we’re putting a bit of a modern spin on it, anyway 😉 Don’t be scared away from attempting this block, though, it’s really not that difficult!
The two different styles of block (two white border pinwheels and one HST pinwheel shown). Both finished blocks are 11″ x 11″ (unfinished 11.5″ x 11.5″).
For the white border pinwheel (intermediate):
You’ll start out with four 4.75″ x 4.75″ pink/purple squares, two 4.75″ x 4.75″ white squares, and four 2.25″ x 6.25″ rectangles (that dark blob in the upper right is one of my cats who would not leave the fabric pieces alone for this photo…he’s a lover, too!).
Cut all six squares in half on the diagonal. Now you have eight pink/purple triangles and four white triangles, plus the four rectangles.
In order to help visualize progress and stay on track, I recommend that you organize all of the pieces into four block quarters before you start sewing (three block quarters as shown below, plus the one you are working on ‘blown up’). Use colored triangles however you like…symmetrical/opposite shown below, but you can mix it up!
Choose one quarter to start with and sew a white and colored triangle together along the appropriate short edge and press the seam (open or to the side, your choice). Be sure to use a scant 1/4″ on this one (will help it match up with other pieces in each quarter of the block).
Now sew the rectangle to the appropriate short edge of one of the other colored triangle in that quarter, press seam to your preference, and trim off excess portion of rectangle (don’t worry if that corner of the rectangle on the bottom of the last picture is sliced exactly through the point, an 1/8″ off is just fine for the end product!):
Sew newly pieced triangles together:
Press seam and square it up to 6″ (not much will be left over around the edges, just cleaning up the corners, mostly).
Repeat with the other block quarters to get a block that looks something like this:
Now for the HST pinwheel:
I don’t have a step by step tutorial with photos for this one (at least not yet…if anyone wants something more substantial let me know!).
You’ll start out with four 6.5″ x 6.5″ squares of pink and/or purple and use the method from last month’s Quilt Block Lotto tutorial on HSTs to make four HST blocks. You can use two different fabrics for your original four squares (shown below) or three or four different fabrics for a different but equally lovely effect 🙂
Once you have your four HST block ‘quarters’, press the seams, square them up to 6″, and sew them together to get this:
Drop a comment if you have questions or suggestions!
-JEB
P.S. Darn DVR cut off the most exciting part of the game, so we missed the big finale…which is probably a good thing because otherwise I would not still have my fingernails. Next year, Pack!
