Friday 23 August 2013

Inspiration

When I saw this quilt on Flickr I had one of those 'I have to make' moments and I 'favourited' it immediately. I believe some people call it a 'square in square block' and others an 'economy block.'

Incidentally, (contentious comment coming up, look away now if you are easily offended). I have never understood how you can 'favourite' someone's work on Flickr without leaving a comment. Surely if you are that moved to 'favourite' it, you can spare a moment to say something? I know people do it all the time but I find it a wee bit odd - it's almost like you are taking without giving anything back. (Contentious comment over with, you can come back now).

So, making a few changes along the way this is what I came up with.

For your feature block you'll need:



A - I chose to make the centre square 5"
B -  I then cut 4 x 2 3/4" squares
C -  And finally, cut 2 squares that are 4 1/4" and then cut them across on the diagonal to get 4 triangles.

Assembly:


Take your 2 3/4" squares and sew them to each corner of your large square. You'll be sewing from the middle out...if that makes sense.

Snip off the excess fabric to the right of your sewing line, press your triangles out and you'll end up with a new square with triangle corners.

Then take your larger triangles and place as here - right sides together.

As you sew your 1/4" seam allowance, you must make sure you go through where the cross-section of the two previous sewing lines meet (arrowed) , EXACTLY, to get your perfect point.



With all four large triangles sewn on, that will get you one of these.



You'll note I have chosen to make my blocks on point.

For the white alternating blocks you'll need 8" squares. Put two different ones together, right sides. Pencil draw a diagonal line across the block and sew a scant 1/4" line either side of the pencil line. Cut open along the pencil line. You'll need to do this in pairs, each one orientated differently, so that you take a newly made triangle from each set and sew them back together so there are no fabrics next to each other.

For the four corners I just took spare half triangles and sewed them across the corner and then cut them down to size.

If you align the two seams lines (highlighted by the arrow below) everything will match up nicely. So match those seams up first and then trim the edges to fit.



I'e seen this block done lots of different ways, including foundation piecing but this is the way I have done it. Be aware though that if you do it this way and don't want your blocks on point, then your fussy cut centre subject will be displayed at an angle.

I think it's a brilliant way to really show off quirky fabric.




I think you can even 'hide' feature fabric that perhaps you don't even really like that much anymore.



Because when it's all sewn together...




 ...no one will really notice.



Will they?

Linking up to Finish It Up Friday

36 comments:

  1. I always seem to enjoy the fabrics and colors you choose to work with! Brilliant.:)

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  2. I don t feel offended, but I’m sure I’m quilty as charged! When I’ve visited a blog and already left a comment about a quilt or whatever, I don’t always find it necessary to leave a comment on flickr as well. I have about 88 favourite photo’s and try always to be nice...

    Are you sure you left a comment on every photo you made favourite? Wow! What really bothers me is people who make (my) photo’s favourite and don’t have a photostream of their own.

    Enough said. I love, love, love your quilt! Which bothers me really, as I had to make it a favourite on flickr and had to leave a comment there as well!

    (kidding...

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  3. Sorry, typing error, I don’t have 88 favourite photo’s, but 800...

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  4. That's a really effective scrappy quilt! I love scrappy quilts. I need to make some... Great with the hiding fabric tip! I have tons I don't like so much anymore.

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  5. I know what you mean. I've seen a few of mine that were made favorites with no comment. Still, It is a compliment to have someone mark it as a fave. (Isn't it?)
    I like your quilt

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  6. That's awesome! I'm one of those that favourites without commenting and a lot of people who favourtie mine don't comment either. I use it as a way of bookmarking for inspiration mosaics later on for swaps and such :) And as dutchcomfort says, I may have already commented on a blog or Instagram or some other place and seen it twice!

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  7. I love this quilt! And I agree with you a bit on the favoriting - though I know I'm guilty of it. I think of it this way - would you rather know someone likes your quilt or have them just bookmark the URL on their computer and never know about it? It is nice to get comments, but at the same time I feel a little silly being the 40th person to say its beautiful....

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  8. This is lovely! One of my favorite patterns.

    I too will favorite something without commenting, but definitely consider it a compliment to favorite it. I comment on ones I would never favorite a lot of the time. ;) Sometimes I want to remember a particular piece or a shot of the item. Sometimes I like the colors. Sometimes I'm lazy. But commenting is often personal to me and I'm not always comfortable commenting on pictures from people I don't "know"

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  9. I click to see this block and I faved it immediately too:D Your version looks great, I love all those fussy cut squares and that you chose the dotted fabric as main fabric for background!

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  10. Love it! I pinned it btw. It would be perfect for some of the Japanese charms I have floating around. Thanks for sharing the cutting instructions. I hate figuring out that stuff on my own. :)
    I can't believe you are over little boys going fishing! :)

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  11. it's so gorgeous! You're right about the not favourite fabric, too! Totally invisible!

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  12. it's so gorgeous! You're right about the not favourite fabric, too! Totally invisible!

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  13. it's so gorgeous! You're right about the not favourite fabric, too! Totally invisible!

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  14. This is amazing!! Love it! congrats!!

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  15. What a fabulous quilt. Your choice of fabrics is amazing!

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  16. Lovely pattern! Makes me wish I had more pale fabrics in the stash. Of course it could be done without, but the look would be very different.

    As for "fave-ing": I sometimes comment when I favorite something on flickr, but only if there's a specific aspect or section of the work that has caught my eye. In most cases my click on the "favorite" button IS my comment. Why do you need me to also type something? My "fave" just told you I like it enough to want to see it again. That's a big thumbs up: be happy for it!


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  17. oh! Interesting way to think of it... I think of favouriting as a way of letting the person know I really like it... I comment maybe 50% of the time... most of the times my comment would be the exact same as everyone's but only I am favouriting... does that make sense? Anywho... I do love this quilt and have favourited it :)

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  18. I love your quilt and I love the inspiration one, so I favourited it and then even commented. I favourite things all the time without comment, I view the indication that is a favourite as a comment - I consider it a favourite, do I need to say that too. The thing is that I truly don't have time to always comment but I return to admire my favourites often.

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  19. HAHA. The best part about this (aside from the beautiful quilt, obvi') is that earlier today I favoriting your photo of this without leaving a comment. Oh how the world works in mysterious ways ;) But I second others in that favoriting is itself a form of a comment. Except with you, naturally, you uppity quilting queen, you ;)

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  20. I am totally guilty of favoriting photos and not commenting, I do sometimes go to a linked blog post and comment on that. I need to be better about it :)

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  21. Very attractive. I'm going to start buying more fabric with words on it.

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  22. I just pinned it ... Using that handy little button you have in the photo! Brilliant design and lovely fabrics too!

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  23. Again: beautiful.
    Absolutely beautiful!

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  24. Gosh lots of people are avoiding contention, by saying, like me, how much we all love this!

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  25. I really love it, you have such an eye for fabrics!!

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  26. I am totally guilty of the favouriting thing and no commenting and I have no excuses, I guess it is just laziness. It is good to see that Charlotte liked your quilt so much here, she had to write three comments ;). The quilt top does look gorgeous!

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  27. I really like the blocks, your fussy cut prints are really cute. I think clicking favorite is saying I like it, a nod of approval, a compliment and to me that is enough, I may not have anything else significant to say. I would hope that is not rude, but we all see things differently.

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  28. I understand favouriting as a really top comment though you are right it is nice to know what people like about your photo! Love it! Really want to make a square in a square fussy cut quilt and this is extra gorgeous giving the blocks/fabrics room to breathe

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  29. This is a fabulous quilt--I love the fussy cutting. I am often guilty of favoriting a photo and not commenting.

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  30. wow thank you! I saw a similar block composition and made one thinking it would be nice to do an I spy quilt like this one for munchkins I made several blocks just testing out what I liked...and now I see your quilt.. and I am having one of those I have to have that moment.. so I'm going to make this. I love your quilt!

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  31. Love your quilt and your tutorial is fabulous. Thanks for taking the time to share with us. I will share with my friends because you make it so easy with all your detail.

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