May Online Block Activity!

Here's our block to make for the May meeting! 

I came across the quilt image below and was thrilled that there is also a tutorial for the block. (The designer, Sarah at Sew Joy Creations, has also since created a pattern for purchase for the quilt you see below.)

Please use white solid for the background and any solid or print cool colors (greens, blues) for the pieced sections. I love Sarah's technique--basically she uses the white solid as the foundation and pieces scraps on top of it to make the scrappy sections. Then you trim down to size when you're done--piece of cake!

And now here are a few tips from when I made the block so you don't make the same mistakes I did!

Read through the tutorial here. For our purposes, start with a 15" white square. After you make the cuts Sarah describes, use a fabric marking pen to number the pieces. I highly recommend numbering them in such a way that also indicates the direction the piece should be facing--even though it seems like it will be obvious when it comes to re-assembly, you might be surprised! I numbered each section and marked that number on both the part that stays white (I tried to mark this in the seam allowance) and then the part that will be pieced. I also put an "X" on the part that would be pieced to make sure I used the right portion.

Here you see my pieced parts laid out with the white parts.

And here you see my sections assembled into three rows. After sewing the sections together into rows, I had to trim the edges of the rows that would be stitched. (I also, despite my numbering, somehow screwed up the placement of my pieces--hence my emphasis on labeling! Also...I didn't label the white center piece to indicate which direction it should go. Make sure you label yours!)

Here is my block, stitched together. At this point it needs to be squared up. My block squared up to 12". They may not all square up to exactly the same size--square yours up as large as you can (and don't worry about cutting off points--this is liberated, after all!), and we'll let the winner decide if she or he wants to trim them all to the same size or add white spacers around the edges (which is what the pattern designer recommended).

And here's mine squared up again:

Now for the details on how to win the blocks:

Submission/Winning:

• Submit a photo of the completed block by May 30.  We want this to be fun and easy, not stressful, so we have several options for submitting your photo.
• If you have a Flickr account, please post the photo to Flickr, add it to the Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild group pool, and tag it GLMQG052015. *Adding the tag is key, because it allows the photo to get into the slideshow on our blog.*
• If you have a Facebook account, you may post the picture to the Great Lakes Modern Quilt Guild Facebook page. 
• You may email your photo to glmodernquilter@gmail.com 
• If you do not have access to a digital camera, contact me (Lisa) and I will arrange to photograph your block.
• How to win all the blocks:
• We are going to draw for a winner of all the blocks at our next live meeting, which is May 30.  You do not need to be present to win.
• IMPORTANT: If you want to be entered in the drawing but will not be at the meeting with your block, please make sure to let another attendee know. We try our best to make sure everyone who submits a photo of their block gets entered in the drawing, but making sure a friend puts your name in the hat will guarantee you have a chance to win!
• You get your name in the drawing each time you enter a block.  So, if you submit two blocks, your name goes in the drawing twice!
• Please bring your completed block to the May meeting so all the blocks can be delivered to the winner.  If the winner is not at the meeting, we will mail them to him/her.
• We'll post the name of the winner here on the blog.  So, if we don't have your email address, check the blog so you can see if you won and can send us your contact information.  (If you are at the meeting, you'll get your blocks on the spot!)
• If you will not be at the meeting, either
• Give the block to a friend to bring it for you, or
• Mail it in.  E-mail us at glmodernquilter@gmail.com, and we'll send you the mailing address where you can send your blocks.

• That winner must assemble the blocks into a finished quilt before being eligible to win again. Fair enough?

As always, leave a comment if you have a question and I'll try to answer it!
Thanks!
Lisa