Mini Block Drive October/November 2018.

 Welcome to the first two months of our Siblings Together Mini Block Drive. By the way the blocks aren't mini, just the length of each block drive! For more information about this new project please see our earlier post here. One slight change is that, as you will see from this post, we have decided to post instructions for the month's blocks here on the blog for those of you who do not use Instagram.

Our first Monthly Mama is Tricia who wrote a wonderfully inspitaional  post about why she supports quilts for Siblings Together which can be read here.

Now over to Tricia who will tell us about the blocks she would like us to make.

SIBLINGS TOGETHER MINI BLOCK DRIVE

by Tricia (yondergirlie on Instagram)

The quilts we are going to be making are based on the pattern Sunny Skies by Missouri Star Quilt Company, who very kindly gave me permission to use this pattern for the block drive. Their only stipulation is that the quilts are not sold. There is a YouTube video available if you want to make a whole quilt yourself. For the purposes of this drive I have resized the quilt into a square so that we don’t need half or quarter blocks. Please make as many blocks as you can, and when you are ready email me at tricia@johanson.co.uk for my address. Thank you so much for supporting this wonderful cause!

Block 1

For this block I need half square triangles. There are a number of ways to make them, either as single units, four at a time, or eight at a time (the method I chose and for which there is a tutorial below).

For this block I am asking for low volume fabrics with a white or off-white or pale grey background, or solid fabric in each colour, and a black or mid to dark grey which can also be patterned or solid.

Each block is made up of 4 half square triangle units, each of which will be 4” square when finished, so the unfinished size should be 4.5”. However, I am asking that the units not be sewn together so that I can distribute them within the quilt to get a more balanced scrappy look.

For the 8 at a time, I started with a 10” block. This is a really economical and fast way of making two blocks as there is virtually no waste. But if that makes you nervous use a 10.25” or 10.5” square to start.

Draw two diagonal lines through the centre of the light square.

Pin or hold the light and dark squares right side together, then sew a line of stitching a scant ¼” either side of the drawn line.

Cut into 4 x 5” squares, then cut each square along the marked diagonal line.

Press the seam open to set it, then open up and press to the dark side.

Trim each unit to 4.5”.

Block 2

This is a very simple 16-patch square, made up of 2.5” squares. It will finish at 8” square, but unfinished is 8.5”.

I’m asking for bright colours that will contrast well with the low volume fabric and the mid-dark grey or black. You can use patterned fabric or solids, and mix them up if you want to. And you might also choose to fussy cut the blocks.

If you would like to join us in making some of these blocks to put towards some more quilts for Siblings Together Tricia will be accepting them until the end of the year when it will then be the turn of our next Mamma to present her blocks.