My Patchwork Quilt: BLOCK 25: SPRINGTIME QUILT BLOCK

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

BLOCK 25: SPRINGTIME QUILT BLOCK

I can't believe I have made twenty-six blocks so far for the 30-Block Exchange. As I have said before this activity has been so much fun and I have learned so much. I am a much better quilter now than I was before I started it in February. I can't tell that my stash looks any different, but then I have been using a lot of scraps from previously made projects. I am making two blocks by the same pattern for two of the ladies who are from Arkansas. After that I may be finished. I have a couple of blocks I still need to write the tutorials for so will see. Then I have a home improvement project to work on that we planned to do last year and didn't get to it. And of course, I will always have the quilting group at church called Blanket of Hope. We make lap size throws.

For this block that I am calling Springtime, I am using scraps and fat quarters. I had a few more large flower prints to choose for, but these flowers just really reached out to me when I saw the small piece of fabric. I think they are in the tiger lily family but they don't have the "spots" on them.

My goal for this block is that you realize you can take a fairly simple, basic pattern, but use just the right fabric prints to make it an awesome block. The block consists of two large squares (6.5") and two "fourzies" or four patch. A quilting group I used to belong to called them fourzies and it has just stuck. The fabric I chose for the fourzies are the same print, just different colors and those two colors are in the large squares.

This block pattern would also be great for making a blanket/quilt for a baby or child. Use printed fabric for the large squares that would be appropriate for a baby or child and then two coordinating prints. The fabric for the large squares could be different for each block.

HOW TO MAKE THE SPRINGTIME QUILT BLOCK

(use 1/4" seam and press toward the darker print)

You will need a focal print and two prints that coordinate with the focal print.

CUT two (2) - 6.5" squares from the focal print

CUT two (2) - 3.5" squares from each of the other two prints

PLACE the squares on a table or design wall according to the pattern.

First SEW the two fourzies together by sewing one of each print together to make a pair,

PRESS on the wrong side and then the right time and then

sew two pairs together to make the fourzie "nesting" or butting the seam together.

PRESS as before. (it doesn't matter which way you press this seam.)

SQUARE it up and TRIM, if necessary. and

then return to design wall to make sure you SEW the fourzie to the large square the correct way.

no "nesting" necessary at this point but after your PRESS the seams open pressing toward the large square, you will nest the center seam when you sew these two together. Once again it doesn't matter which way you PRESS the seam.