The Bluepatch Quilters - update

Sheila Donnachie is back with an update on how the Bluepatch Quilters are getting on with making quilts for Siblings Together.  Over to you Sheila...

Back in early December you may recall I told you how my students were helping out with Siblings Together.  Many of the ladies in my classes love helping out with a charity drive and this challenge has been no different.

My goal was for four quilts, each measuring 60” square. I planned four colourways and on returning to class after the Christmas break, the quilted blocks started to come in, thick and fast.

In January, I had only four blocks to come, one in each colourway, which of course, is sod’s law as I couldn’t progress one to a finish, just then.

What I was able to do however, was have a good look through my stash, make a couple of small purchases, and I prepare the strips that will join the blocks, and the binding.

I have in the past been involved in group quilts and sometimes it can be tricky to achieve a cohesive look to the quilt.

That is why I decided on a colour plan and I decided to write quite a prescriptive handout, asking that care be taken with colour value so that the diagonals of the chosen block really stands out and makes a statement.

I also asked that for the blue quilt, we had no flowers or girly motifs so that we had some obvious boy quilts available.

If you teach classes, or attend quilt groups where you think a Siblings Together group quilt might be a possibility I am happy for you to contact me for a copy of my handout containing the block instructions.

Sometimes, for one reason or another you will find someone who doesn’t want to make a block – I have had a couple of ladies who instead, have chosen to give me some fabric, suitable for the block backing, or a fat quarter in a particular colour that is need – I found that yellow was a colour that not many of us had much of.

One lady in my class had been having a bit of a clear out and gave me a pile of half square triangles plus some yardage of one of the fabrics I played about with the HSTs, added in a little fabric of my own and came up with this block. I have in mind a medallion quilt using as much from stash as I can, and before too long, perhaps a 5^th SB quilt will emerge.

Thank you Sheila!  And since Sheila first wrote this post I am pleased to say that one of the quilts is now finished

I'm looking forward to the rest as it is a very striking design!