Author: IMQG President

For our October block, we’re naturally looking at the changing leaves and making an autumn leaf block. This pattern has multiple sizes—for our block lotto, make one 15” block or two 10” blocks for per entry.

Follow the Generations quilt pattern using the following guidelines:
— For the leaf, use autumnal colors in modern fabrics.
— For the background, use cream or reads-as-cream fabric.
— For the stem, follow their so-called connector method or piecing instructions below.

NOTE: The pages with the instructions are somewhat hard to follow on a mobile device because of pop-up ads. It’s somewhat less annoying in a regular browser.

The method for piecing the stem described by the pattern is essentially snowballing a feature fabric square with two background squares that are only a quarter-inch smaller. It has you sew a second seam ½” away from the center of each background square, away from the stem, which will yield a bonus half square triangle from each snowballed corner once you cut between those two seams. (1) Be careful you don’t cut the stem! (2) You do not have to do this step; the bonus HSTs are not part of the block lotto requirement.

If you have no interest in bonus HSTs and you’d like to minimize waste, another way to piece the stem would be to (1) cut a background square about 5″ or 7″ (depending on which size leaf block you’re making); (2) make a diagonal cut in that background square; (3) insert a 1″ strip of the leaf fabric (for a 0.5″ finished stem); and (4) trim the block to the required size.

If you can figure out another way to piece a diagonal stem that’s about 0.5″ thick, go for it! The important thing is that it is pieced and not appliquéd.

As a reminder, these blocks will be turned in at the November meeting and the lotto is open only to current, paid members.

For September we’re thinking about Halloween candy! This 12″ block is fast to make and scrap friendly.

Follow Sew Brainy Designs’ Three Treats free block pattern using the following guidelines:
— For the candies, use bright solids in any color.
— For the background, use solid black.

As a reminder, these blocks will be turned in at the October meeting and the lotto is open only to current, paid members.

For August we’re making Equinox blocks! This Block Study from the MQG was designed by Lou Orth from Oxfordshire MQG for the first issue of Modern Monthly in 2019. You will need to be logged in to the MQG website to see the links, as they are for members’ eyes only.

This block is a beginner-friendly foundation paper piecing design. If you are unfamiliar with that technique, here’s a tutorial that may help:

Use the 1″ square on the printout to ensure your pattern is the correct size (i.e., check for that block to be 1″ square). You might need to adjust the setting on your printer to get the result needed. Don’t skip this step!

Follow these guidelines to make your block:
— For the background, use white or white-on-white. These are sections 2, 3, 4, and 6 on the FPP pattern. The pattern refers to this fabric as peach.
— For all four triangles, use black or reads-as-black fabric. This is section 1 on the FPP pattern. The pattern refers to this fabric as black and fuschia.
— For the outer square, use a lighter value of the same color as the inner square in a solid or small print. The pattern refers to this fabric as cream. This is section 5 on the FPP pattern.
— For the inner square, use a darker value of the same color as the outer square in a solid or small print. The pattern refers to this fabric as rust. This is section 7 on the FPP pattern.
— For the center, use a light value in a color that contrasts with the squares in a solid or small print. The pattern refers to this fabric as gray. This is section 8 on the FPP pattern.

For example, you might make a block with an outer square outline in a light warm color, an inner square outline of the same warm color in a dark value, and a center from a light cool color. You might make the reverse! Either way, the triangles will be black and the background (including the bit separating the light square outline from the dark square outline) will be white.

As a reminder, these blocks will be turned in at the September meeting and the lotto is open only to current, paid members.

BONUS: The two patterns written for this block are Warbler and Riverside.