Title: “Pieces From the Heart”
Exhibitor: Valerie Cutner
Description: By organizing a group of sisters to make many identical
quilt blocks, we’ve ;been able to finish a number of complex projects for our homes and for local charities.
How To’s:
Quilt Block Exchange
Project Outline: Simply Hearts
Quilt Block Exchange:
Assume a quilt group of 12 sisters.
1. Ask each group member to choose an 8” block she’d like to make. (We’ve assigned stars, angels, and flowers, for instance). Some sisters like appliqué, some paper-piecing, and others traditional piecing. We like to variety and haven’t set limits on which kind of block, as long as it measures 8” finished.
2. Ask each sister to buy one yard of five different fabrics she’s pleased with and that go together well.
3. Schedule a cutting/exchange day. On cutting day, we use a home with lots of counter and table space. Each sister brings a cutting mat and rotary cutter. She leaves her own five fabrics with her cutting mat.
4. Each sister make the rounds of the 12 cutting mats and takes enough of the five fabrics displayed at each one to complete the block she’s chosen to sew.
5. The sister who is sewing may add her own different fabrics to complete her block,, making sure that the color scheme is respected.
6. Each sister completes 12 blocks whose patterns are identical. The color schemes will vary widely.
7. We usually allow three months to finish the blocks.
8. We meet together on deadline day and pass out the completed blocks to each sister. It’s like getting a gift each time one of your blocks comes to you!
9. The sisters take their blocks (all made of the fabrics they chose) and make their blocks into a finished project. Some have made wall hangings, baby quilts, full-size bed quilts, and table runners.
10. We work at different paces, but over the next year, as we meet twice monthly, the finished products are displayed at “Show and Tell.”
11. Each sister has a quilt that’s more complex than she would have tried on her own. There are memories of good friends attached to each block. Sometimes, we’ve autographed the blocks. Be sure to use a permanent fabric marking pen.
Project
Outline: Simply Hearts:
Cottage Rose:
1.
10 monotone fabrics cut
into 5 ½” squares
2.
20 floral fabrics cut into 5 ½” squares
3.
Monotone squares sewn into 40 4-patch blocks. Each block should consist of similar colored
fabrics.
4. Floral squares sewn into 40 4-patch blocks. Each block should consist of similar colored fabrics.
Monotones:
|
Color |
Number of fabrics in this color |
Amount to buy |
Number of 5 ½” blocks to cut |
|
Blue |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Yellow |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Tan |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Pink |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Green |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
Florals:
|
Color |
Number of fabrics in this color |
Amount to buy |
Number of 5 ½” blocks to cut |
|
Blue |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Yellow |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Tan |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Pink |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
|
Green |
4 different fabrics |
Fat eighth |
4 |
1 border: 5 strips of 1 ½” wide 1/3 yard
2 border: 8 strips of 5 ½” wide 1-1/3 yards (includes enough for pattern matching)
Backing: 3 ½ yards (allow ¼ yard more if matching a pattern)
Backing: 5/8 yard (cut on the bias in 2 ½” strips)
Supply List:
Iron
Small bowl with lid for starch
Blue bottle of StaFlo Liquid Starch
1” wide foam brush
#11 “Sharp” needles
Matching appliqué thread
Scissors
1 piece of heat resistant template mylar (plastic) at least 9”x 9”
Rotary cutter
Cutting mat
Seam ripper
Roxanne’s Glue Baste It (available at quilt shops)
back to
top