To be fair, I should qualify that last bit; although you can make the whole quilt with this block, sometimes it looks better to have some sashes in between (usually white) to break up and emphasise the colours. So some plain white or a white-on-white is worth the investment. But if I can scramble back onto my soap box for the last bit....you can make most of the quilt using things that you have already.
Obviously, there are as many scrap blocks as there are stars in the sky, well almost, so I am going to classify mine with a simple number system. This month is #1! There. Why make it difficult!
Anyway, before I am totally consumed by the OCD monster, here is the offering for June........
This is a real cutie and all you need to do is to find the scraps that firstly can be cut into 5 squares measuring 8.5cm x 8.5cm. Sew them into a strip like this...
Next comes a strip measuring 10cm wide x 37cm long. Attach it to the left of the squares like this.....
Next some more patches but to keep the scrappy look, make them different sizes. There are two at 13cm x 13cm in the middle and one on the top at 13cm x 9cm. The one on the bottom is 13cm x 7cm. Attach this one to the left of the strip...
What we need now is a 6cm strip. For a hint on the length, see the note below. Sew the strip to the left of the patches.
Finally, another strip completes the picture. This one is 5cm wide and you trim it in the same way...
This block is designed to be square and you can trim it to 36cm x 36cm when you are finished if there has been some creeping of the edges. That way it can be put into a project all the same way or turned every second square to give even more variation. Makes a cute cushion too.
By the way, do you know a trick with sashes and strips? Ignore the length. No really, all you do is to measure the width - for example 11cm wide and then you cut them long enough to do the job. Then sew the sash in place.
Now trim the excess. Obviously you could argue that this is potentially wasteful but it isn't really. Most times you have very little waste and...guess what....the waste goes into the scrap bag for new projects!
The great thing is that you don't have to worry about fabric creep (and it ALWAYS does) and you don't have to worry about seam allowances which no-one measures EVERY time. They might say they do but.....
Both of these things can make a difference to your strips if you have cut already and they turn out to be too short.
So, very happy scrapping and see what you can make for practically nothing!
Love and hugs
Debbie xxx
