April 2020 BOM
Hope you are well and staying home. If you do have to go out, keep your distance, don't touch your face, and wash your hands.
This month, we will celebrate spring and create a block using pastels. You can use various soft colors in any order. Choose low volume or solid white fabric as your background. If using a print, make sure it reads as a solid pastel from far away. Avoid large motifs since the strips are very thin.
Strut Block
We are stepping up our skills by adding a little precision work. Take your time (since you're staying home anyway), check your quarter inch seams, and cut the final block pieces using their paper template provided.
Remember to log into the Modern Quilt Guild site to view detailed directions, print off the template, and read explanations on how to create interesting designs should you be the lucky winner of the BOM raffle.
Important Tips:
- Practice with scrap strips so you can sew each pairing with accurate 1/4 seams (true 1/4 and not scant). Mark your machine with tape to help you stay consistent if you don't have a 1/4 foot.
- Print out the template first to help with accuracy and alignment. Remember to print at 100% so the winner will have the correct sizes to put together. (Use clear tape for piecing the template and line them up using the symbols provided on each page. It prints with a faint grid to help with matching them up correctly. Each box should be an inch when printed.)
- Press seams open to reduce bulk when adding the top section.
- Use pins or clips since there may be some bias when aligning the two parts together. This step will also help keep those open seams flat.
- Line up your blocks in the correct order and not like I did on my first attempt:
- When you add the top section to the bottom strips, it may be helpful to starch and iron each half first. You can also try using a scant 1/4 here if you have trouble making it square.
Flat seams and a scant 1/4 might help match both halves. |
If you're off just a bit, carefully unpick, starch then press flat. |
You can use these blocks with a lot of negative space to create movement like the options below.
Since everyone will make a variety of colors it will have a fun scrappy look when all are put together.
Click HERE to watch the video on how to sign into the MQG site if needed.
*Remember that MQG patterns are for current members only and should not be shared.
Every three months, blocks will be chosen from easy to more challenging. Our goal is to keep you motivated by learning various techniques related to programming topics. Let us know if you have any questions!
Stay safe and healthy until we meet again.
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