Preview 46

When you simply can't cut it up--this simple quilt might be the answer.  Even simpler yet--the yardage requirements:  3 1 yard pieces. 

Finishing 52"x 52",  it can be used as a tablecloth and would be slick to serge together.

LA FRANCE Twins

Take a Berenstain Bears Layer Cake or 4 Charm Packs.  Divide them into 2 equal groups--one boy, one girl.  If you have 10" Layer Cake Squares, cut them in 4ths, so you have 5" Squares.

Dorothy did just that.  And then with LA FRANCE, just kept going around with another full round of border, then squares.  The piecing actually needs 84 squares total.  If your Charm Packs had 42 squares each, you are set.  If cutting from Layer Cakes, you will need to come up with an additional 4 squares, from the border, binding or other scraps. 

The quilts finish 54" square and are quickly ready for giving.

Preview 45

So, my goal of showing previews before Market were not met, but better late....

The INTRIGUE block is one I have been playing with a lot this past year for community service quilts.  I was doing it to use fun focus fabrics in the middle, and then framing it with my favorite 5"x 9 1/2" slices.  It makes a big 18" block--fast.  Four to six blocks make a baby quilt.

CRIMSON GLORY is the same block, but cut smaller to make good use of fat quarters. 

For INTRIGUE, I went back to the big 18".  It can use a 10" square pack, like a Layer Cake.  My model used the Pomegranate Tonga Squares.  The quilt uses 36 of the 40 squares that usually come in those packs, and the fabrics are placed randomly.  We can also use 12 Fat Quarters.  In that case, I make 6 each of two blocks--it would be hard to make 12 fabrics random.

The Centers of the blocks use 1 yard of fabric.  I used 1/3 yard each of 3 fabrics, because I had 3 I loved with the batiks.  You could also use some of your leftover 10" squares and scraps--or even orphan blocks that are 9 1/2" from raw edge to raw edge.  Or you could use embroidered blocks or vintage linens. 

Here are a couple of my little community service quilts--fast, fast and uses up stash.

 

Preview 44

A fun little set of spinners to span a great theme print.  It takes just 6 Fat Quarters--4 for the Spinners and 2 for Backgrounds.   One yard of the theme is largely left whole to show off the print.  There is enough left from the Spinner fat quarters to make the pieced squares borders.

For this quilt I liked the 2 odd sizes of Theme strips--they are cut 8" and 23".  It gave a more playful feel and gave me more whole elephants.  I couldn't fit the notes on the pattern, but if you like symmetry better, you could cut 2 15" strips instead.  It also looks good with 4 strips cut 8".  In that case, you would have Theme strips top and bottom of the quilt, as well as in between the pieced rows.  It all might depend on the size of your Theme.

Preview 43

Love our little 6 Fat Quarter Quilts.  They show off a group of fabric and make great gifts.  Our GOLD MEDAL here cuts long strips down the 18" length of the fat quarter, so your prints are always right side up, never sideways.  The quilt top finishes 42"x 52" for a baby/lap size and could easily be bordered for a throw size.

There a many options for the Contrast Squares.  With an additional 3/4 yd, they can be all one fabric, nice and bold.  Or they can be 3 fabrics, cut from 3 fat quarters.  Those 3 can be scattered randomly through the quilt, or grouped in sections as in the cover photo.  Or they can be scrappy/blended if you use  27  5" Charm Squares.

Preview 42

Again, does this look familiar?  It's GYPSY--medallion-style.  Instead of the big Four Patch in the middle, it is a Feature fabric, framed--Center Stage, you could say.  And then we keep going with more rounds to make a throw 54"x63".  You could add a border to make it even bigger.

SHOW BIZ uses 13 Fat Quarters or 38  10" squares--or even 20 Fat Sixths or 20 5" strips.  One yard will do the Frame around the Center and Binding.  The center can be anything that you can cut or build to 15 1/2"--for this quilt, I used another Fat Quarter.  I am itching to use a vintage piece in the middle.  The frame does not have to be cut as the pattern states--you can use any piece or any size, so long as it ends up 18 1/2" before you start laying the bricks around it.  The Bulloch Hall Quilt Guild in Roswell GA used GYPSY for a community service sewing project day.  They shared photos with me--one quilter used 4 orphan Fan blocks for the center--fabulous.

Preview 41

Does this one look a little familiar?  How about CLOUD NINE done in strips.  It worked out perfectly to sub the 4 1/2" and 6 1/2" cuts for strips.  The same fun zig-zag pattern emerges with just one simple block.  Add a little pieced border on top and bottom--fun and done.

This 54"x 72" quilt takes 39  2 1/2" strips.  Any of your Jelly Rolls, Bali-Pops, Tonga Strips, etc will work.  Add one yard background and 5/8 binding.