Tamarinis

Exploring the Basics: The Dresden Plate Block

The Quilt Block Remix is a monthly challenge between quilt pattern designers.  Each month we challenge each other to reimagine (or remix) a traditional quilt block.  January's challenge block was the classic Dresden Plate block.

There are many different versions of Dresden Plate.  The biggest differences are:

• the number of "plates" or wedges
• the edge finishing of each wedge
  • pointed plate (above)
  • curved plate
  • straight plate
• centers
  • size of center
  • center or no center     

Let's look at some simple examples of different styles to help make things clear!

Curved Plate with Small Center

 

The plates, petals, blades - however you want to think about the wedge units - can be curved or pointed.  Here's an example of a 12 plate curved dresden plate block.  Note the center - it is a small circle.  To me, the curved plates look like flower petals.  And this particular coloration with two white plates together looks like small white hearts!

Curved Plate with Large Center

 

So what happens if you add more plates, or you make the center larger?  Sure - you can absolutely do that!  Here is an example of a 16 plate block with a much larger center.  Changing up the proportions - number of plates, size of the plate, size of the center - really changes how the block looks, doesn't it?!

Curved Plate with No Center

 

So do you HAVE to have a center?  Nope!  Be aware that most of the rotary templates you purchase will have centers.  But you absolutely can create blades without a center.  As with any block that has a lot of seams coming together at a set point (in this case the center of the block), you are going to have bulk, which is why many folks will opt for the circle center.  But you don't have to.  

Pointed Plate with Small Center

 

We looked at some curved blocks.  So let's take a look at similar blocks that have pointed plates instead.  As with the curved plates, you can have different numbers of plates, as well as different sizes of centers - or no center at all.

Pointed Plate with Large Center

 

Here's an example of a pointed plate block with a large center.  This one always reminds me of sunflowers.  Imagine it colored in yellows and golds, with a warm brown center - yup, sunflower!

Pointed Plate with No Center

 

Just as with the curved plates, you can stitch up pointed plates with no center.  But keep in mind the bulk you'll be dealing with at the center of the block!

So how do you MAKE a Dresden Plate block?  Well, I could show you - I could!  But...Leah Day has a terrific little tutorial that walks you through making this basic block.  You can see her YouTube tutorial by clicking here.

Want to know more about this lovely block? You can read a fascinating history of the Dresden Plate blocks by quilter Rona, who writes under Rona the Ribbiter.  Visit her blog and read the history by clicking here.  Spoiler - they are traditionally appliquéd blocks!

Now, on to the fun stuff - the block challenge!  You've seen what we started with - a traditional Dresden Plate block.  

What are the rules of the challenge?  They are simple - post your fabric pull, post two sneak peeks and post your block reveal.  That's it!  The blocks can be any size.  You can make a full quilt or just a block.  

I love to challenge myself to use my scraps for these block challenges.  I have just a few (ha!) scraps, and it feels good to give them new life!  That was my first step - pulling scraps to see what fabrics and colors I can put to use!  As you can see, I had a LOT to go through and plenty of options!

To keep things simple, I decided to use a rotary template - and I had a few to choose from!  As you can see, the biggest differences were the length and angle of the templates.  Each would create a slightly different block.  I ended up using the Easy Dresden template, which is an oldie but a goodie!

I settled on pinks and reds for my blades, accented by some lovely greens (yup - I was thinking flowers!).  I set them up in a gradation - because I LOVE this technique!  More on creating gradations below!

And - tada - here is the final block!  I had so much fun making it!  I approached it a bit different than the traditional methods - and it was totally easy!  I even quilted it myself (I know - shock!).  It was easy straight line quilting, but I think it accents the flower effect!

Wasn't this fun?  Head over to Instagram and check out the post there.  Be sure to click on all the quilters I tagged in my post. You'll see their amazing blocks and their creative takes on this classic block.  You are sure to get great ideas for your own interpretation of this quilt classic!

Head over to Kate Colleran's blog to check out her insights on the bow tie block too!  Click here: Kate's Blog Post

Remember that gradation technique I mentioned?  Well, how would you like to take a class on how to create gradations for YOUR quilt projects?  Well I have an on-demand class coming up in March!  Get on the waitlist now so you'll be sure to get all of the details!  Click the image below to get on the waitlist.

 

 

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? (psst.....I have an Instagram hop coming soon, with PRIZES - I know!)

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 3000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

Exploring the Basics: The Bow Tie Block

The designer block challenge this month was the classic Bow Tie Quilt Block.  Are you familiar with it?  The block can be simple or made complex with an inset center.

Let's look at the block.

That center square is sometimes inset, which discourages some quilters from piecing it.  But it can easily be made using the stitch and flip technique used to make blocks like a snowball block.  This makes it much easier! 

The Bow Tie block was the focus of the Quilt Block Remix this month.  Let's look at how some of the participating designers took this basic block and reimagined it.

@shout4joy turned some of the angles into curves.  Isn't it amazing how that small change gave this block a whole new dynamic?  Check out her Instagram feed to see how this block looks in a repeat pattern in a quilt.

@poorhousequilts thought of pasta when reimagining her block - how fun is that?  Check out her feed to see more of her creative work.

@patchworkbreeze used old ties and a dimensional center for a fun twist on the classic block.  View her Instagram feed for more beautiful work.

@quiltberryhill_quilts created three different versions of a bow tie block - this is just one of them.  Visit her feed to see all three versions and how each one looks in a quilt.  

@southwind_quilts gave the block a holiday turn.  Isn't this so very clever?  Visit her Instagram feed for amazing blocks and quilts, many featuring her signature curves!

Here is my version of the bow tie block.  I stretched it. Sometimes a stretch is all a block needs.  Then I added some echoing lines. My first thought was shadows, so I just echoed the original lines of the block. I then thought about overlapping and intersecting units (remember the hourglass block remix?), and added some "interruptions". Tada! Tangles! Swipe to see the full block. And let me know what you think!

 

Last but not least is @katecollerandesigns.  You really need to head over to her Instagram feed to see the options and resulting quilts from her block remix!  And check out her insights on the bow tie block too!  Click here: Kate's Blog Post

Hey - before you go, I wanted to let you know that my popular Hack that Quilt Pattern class is back, and enrollment for the January 7th class is now open!  Click the link below to get more info on the class and to enroll!

 

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? (psst.....I have an Instagram hop coming soon, with PRIZES - I know!)

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 3000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

 

Exploring the Basics: Old Maid's Puzzle

The designer block challenge this month was the traditional Old Maid's Puzzle.  Are you familiar with it?  It is made up of two sets of blocks: a simple block, Goose Chase (a small HST unit in the corner of a large HST) and a simple four patch made up of two squares and two HST.

 

Old Maid's Puzzle looks like this (the block above).  Easy, simple, appealing and versatile.  Why do I say that?  So glad you asked!

Here is one option - twenty of the Old Maid's Puzzle blocks all set in the same direction.  Isn't it fun how they look like stretched stars?

And look what happens if you alternative every other block - large stars within stars!  Ah....so simple and yet so dynamic!  But that's the block as it is drafted. 

The challenge is to reimagine the block.  And so I did.  Here's how the process went - in my head:

• Old Maid's Puzzle = puzzle
• What happens when you are putting a puzzle together, and someone bumps the table?
• Puzzle pieces everywhere.  Puzzle chaos.  Puzzle salad.
• What would THAT chaos and turnover look like?

Here's what I think that might look like - puzzle pieces over and under each other, out of place and slightly ajar.  I tried to keep just enough of the original layout to suggest it, while giving the block a fresh new look.

If you are Instagram, check out all of the different versions of Old Maid's Puzzle.  Search #OldMaidsPuzzleblockchallenge to see all of the designer results!

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights into the Old Maid's Puzzle block too!  Click here: Kate's Blog Post

Hey - before you go, I wanted to let you know that the next free Mystery Quilt Block Challenge starts October 6th.  Sign up and get all of the details for this free, fun month long challenge!  Because October is a heavy travel month, please sign up BEFORE October 6th to be sure to get all of the clues!

In a nutshell - I tell you how many fabrics you need and how much, then give you "clues" (instructions) on how to make units, and the final "clue" is how to put the Mystery Block together.  We had fun in June with the Mosaic block, and July's block is something completely different.  Come join the fun and click below to sign up!

 

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? (psst.....I have an Instagram hop coming soon, with PRIZES - I know!)

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 3000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

 

Exploring the Basics - The Bear Paw Block

In case you are just joining us, most months I participate in a designer challenge.  A group of quilt pattern designers challenge each other to reimagine a traditional quilt block.  The rules are simple.  Make the block as specified - but feel free to play around with it, remix it, stretch it, add elements, remove elements - whatever you are inspired to do with the basic block.

We post on Instagram for four Mondays each month - the fabric pull, a sneak peek one, a sneak peek two, and a reveal.  The reveal day is my favorite part.  I love seeing how other folks view a block and what they do with it.  Really, the final products are amazing.

At the end of the month, Kate and I do a deeper dive into the block itself.  Often, I give you general instructions on how you might make the traditional block, and then do a little sharing - sometimes of my thought process for my project, sometimes of the final projects from other designers.

This month, I thought I'd take a slightly different approach and share a bit about how I went from traditional block to my final version.

The traditional bear paw block is made up of four large squares, sixteen smaller HST, four rectangles and a center square (see the top left image on the picture above).  My version - well, it's a bit (ok a LOT) different.  But how did I go from the traditional to the final version?  Let's look.

So here is the traditional bear paw block, as described.  This is my base - what I started from.

The first thing I tried was simply stretching the block.  I took it from a square to a rectangle.  This is a fun and easy way to give a traditional block a new look, and sometimes that's all you need to do to create a fresh approach to traditional.  But not this time.....

The next step was a bit more involved.  I pulled those small HST units down toward the center of the block.  I took the color into the rectangles (traditionally part of the background) and pulled in some angles there too.  This is nice - has a flower type look, don't you think?  But nope, I wanted more.

Next, I did some more stretching.  I pulled the center light orange area out to create more of a center point, and created some overlapping opposite direction angles for the center teal areas.  I liked the flower look, and tried to emphasize it by splitting those outside darker angles into two smaller units and colored the very outside ones teal to mimic leaves.  Not bad.  It has a spiky tropical flower look now.  Fun.  But....a MUCH more involved paper piecing block.  Hmmm...what would make it better?

Can you tell what I did next?  Yup - I simplified it!  I kept the spiky areas I liked, but removed some of the smaller outside points, and simplified the light and dark orange units.  It's nice - a very cool looking block with possibilities.  But....it could be a bit more interesting.  So far I've only tweaked the outside units.  Let's edit the inside teal areas just a bit.

Ah ha!  This is it! Ok so I edited ALL of it!  But look at what I added and removed.  A simple value shift in the teal center gave it a much more dynamic look.  

What was light teal in the other versions became background.  The dark teal became light teal.  And that center is just - well - amazing - or I think it is!

I also removed the larger light orange pointed units.  And I took the outer skinny points and added to the line, bringing it to the edge of the block, and then split it (not in half - more slivered than split).  Why take the points out the the edge?  

Well, if a block is "living all by itself" it will have one look.  But looking forward, if the block is one of say NINE blocks in a quilt, what would happen if the lines extended all the way to the edge of the block?  Yup - secondary design!

And just like that, a new block was born.  

Ok - it took a while.  A lot of "try this, ok no that didn't work, try this".....for days and days.  But this is the boiled down version.  Fun, right?

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights into the Bear Paw block too!  Click here: Kate's Blog Post

Be sure to head over to Instagram and check out all of the amazing projects the other designers created for this block challenge.  I think it is amazing what can be done with what is often thought of as a "basic" block!

Hey - before you go, I wanted to let you know that the next free Mystery Quilt Block Challenge starts July 7th.  Sign up and get all of the details for this free, fun month long challenge!  

In a nutshell - I tell you how many fabrics you need and how much, then give you "clues" (instructions) on how to make units, and the final "clue" is how to put the Mystery Block together.  We had fun in June with the Mosaic block, and July's block is something completely different.  Come join the fun and click below to sign up!

 

Want more? Looking for a fun way to beat the summer heat?  Join me for the first Sew Away Summer Camp!

 

Sew Away Summer Camp

 

August 22nd - August 26th: Join us the week of August 22nd, when three designers (myself, Jen Frost of Faith and Fabric and Swan Sheridan of Swan Amity Studios) will be bringing you a fun filled summer camp!

 

The projects will all be small (how awesome is that?) and giftable.  So if you are like me and love to pile on the hand made gifts at holiday time, this is PERFECTION ON A STICK!

 

We will run the camp via email.  You'll get one email a day, with details on the projects for the day (most days will have at two projects), downloadable pdf instructions and links to videos.

 

The project line up and supply lists will all be available June 30th.  But we are opening up the wait list and Early Bird Sign ups now!  

 

If you want to wait and hear more about it, click below to sign up for the wait list.

 

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis? (psst.....I have an Instagram hop coming soon, with PRIZES - I know!)

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 3000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

 

 

 

Exploring the Basics: Arkansas Snowflake

This month's designer block challenge was the Arkansas Snowflake.  I like this block.  It is pretty and versatile.  Let's look at the block itself before we delve into my challenge interpretation.

Here is the lovely block.  Simple, elegant and really a beautiful star!  So how would you make this block.  It's really pretty easy!

Once I pull it apart, you can see it is make up of four solid squares, four "V Block" or Peaky and Spike as some know it, and one Hourglass block in the center.

You can find details on making the V Block here:  V Block Post

You can find details on making the Hourglass block here: Hourglass Post

The secret?  Well there really isn't one, but you do need to keep in mind that ALL of your units need to be the same size!  Other than that, easy peasy!

So on to the challenge.  You know how I constantly encourage you to try new things, explore and ask "what if"?  Well, I did that.  And while I enjoyed the journey, the result was "eh".  I'm ok with it.  Disappointed - but ok.  Let's look at the journey.

 

The first step for me is to choose my fabrics.  This time, I decided to add an extra element to the challenge by working ONLY with leftover fabrics from a quilt.  Fun!  I love trying to repurpose pieced scraps and reimagine them.  So I felt like I was off to a strong start! So this block was going to be cool crisp blues, some creamy white, and a bright cheerful yellow.

 

Next step - comb through the pieced scraps to see what I could use and repurpose for this block.  The quilt I had made was a version of a Kaleidoscope block, so I have all these pieced wedges.  My thought - use them INSTEAD OF the V Block portion of the block.  Ok - that sounds interesting!

Next step - selecting strip widths for the background portion of the star points.  I decided to just improv this - not worry about accuracy or exact consistency.  And heck - throw caution to the wind and don't even worry about using a directional fabric.  Again - fun!  

In an attempt to make the star points somewhat asymmetrical, I decided to use a narrower strip on the other side of my star point.  Ok - sounds good (in theory, so many things SOUND good).

I didn't take a pic of the center, but I decided (still using scraps) to make a pinwheel/kaleidoscope center rather than an hourglass center AND to make it off kilter.  Just for fun.  

Hmmm....since that yellow in the star points is soooo bright - I thought I should add a narrow frame of bright yellow around the center.  FYI - I should NOT have done that.  It is too much.

Ok - since I added the frame around the center, what if I added a narrow sashing on two sides of the star points too?  LOVE this part of the block!

And then I put the whole mess (yes, it is a hot mess at this point) together.

And here is my Arkansas Snowflake.  The points have more symmetry than I was going for.  It lost the "Arkansas Snowflake" look. The yellow frame in the center is too much yellow.  The center kaleidoscope block isn't off kilter enough - it just looks "off". The whole thing is just "eh".  

But...it is JUST a block!  And I learned some things in the process:

1. I should have TESTED my ideas (the off kilter center, the yellow frame) BEFORE committing to them
2. Follow my own advise and use yellow sparingly!  Yes, it can and does overwhelm easily.
3. It's ok to not love every project.  I loved the process.  I love being challenged.  And I have an element now I want to incorporate into a future project (the narrow sashing on the sides of the blocks).

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights into the Arkansas Snowflake block too!  Click here: Kate's Blog Post

Be sure to head over to Instagram and check out all of the amazing projects the other designers created for this block challenge.  I think it is amazing what can be done with what is often thought of as a "basic" block!

Hey - before you go, I wanted to let you know that I'm starting a Quilt Block Challenge June 1st.  Get on the wait list and get all of the details for this free, fun month long challenge!

Interested? Click here (https://view.flodesk.com/pages/624df0c78d82793f8155498a) to sign up to get announcements about how the challenge is going to run, when it is going to start, and all the fun details!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

 

 

Exploring the Basics: The Hourglass Block

This month for the Quilt Block Remix, we explored the traditional Hourglass or Quarter Square Triangle block.  If you haven't made one, or if you only know of one way to make this classic block, I encourage you to visit my earlier post that shows you THREE (yes, THREE!) different ways to approach this classic block!  You can find the post here!

So what about the challenge?  Well, dear quilty friend, I'm gonna confess.  At first, I was "meh", and I'll admit I originally planned to just phone it in.  Make an hourglass block - a regular hourglass block - and be done with it.  I was.  Really.  The muses had left me.

But then something happened.  What?  I have no idea. But I started playing around with the block.  I started layering it, one hourglass on top of another.  Ok....interesting.  And actually once I fine tuned the block, it became the basis for a new pattern that is in the works, History.  I think this one will appeal to the slightly more traditional in some of us.

I think History will be fun because it has a dimensional look, but feels very organized and controlled.  Can you see why I call it History?  Comment below with your interpretation!

Ok - so History was designed.  And I like it - I do.  But my mind was still whirling and I started asking the BIG question:  What if?  What if I added back in some lines of the overlapped blocks?  What if I removed some of the lines without regard to order of layers?  What if these blocks intersected on other dimensions?

And almost just like that, Shattered was born!  I have to admit - I dropped everything.  EVERYTHING!  I had to make it.  And it went together SOOOO easy!

In fact, if you head over to my IG feed, you can see time lapse video of almost the entire quilt coming together.  You'll find all of the videos in the Quilt Block Remix Highlights.  I love this quilt.  I can't get enough of it.  I really really love it.  Oh - can you tell I'm smitten?!  Why?  I don't know but it appeals to me on so many levels.  I can't wait to try out some other color combos and maybe even another scale.  This one is a nice size - 48" x 60" - and it stitches up really quickly.  I might try an even larger size.  I'm thinking I need it for my bed!

Be sure to head over to Instagram and check out all of the amazing projects the other designers created for this block challenge.  I think it is amazing what can be done with what is often thought of as a "basic" block!

Hey - before you go, I wanted to let you know that I'm starting a Quilt Block Challenge June 1st.  Get on the wait list and get all of the details for this free, fun month long challenge!

Interested? Click here (https://view.flodesk.com/pages/624df0c78d82793f8155498a) to sign up to get announcements about how the challenge is going to run, when it is going to start, and all the fun details!

Head over to Kate's blog to get her take on the Hourglass block challenge.  You know she is going to have amazing insights that will inspire you to get stitching!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

Exploring the Basics: The Rocky Road to California Block

The March Designer Block Challenge was the classic block Rocky Road to California.  Familiar with it?  It is a fun, versatile block, and it was amazing what the designers came up with.  Really!  You should check out their takes on it - but more about that in a bit.  Let's explore the traditional block first.

Rocky Road to California Block

Here it is!  It is a simple block, but a fun one.  And the good news is it is super easy to resize into almost any block size.  Let's look at the components.

Components of the Rocky Road to California Block

The block is made up of simple units: squares, HST and four patch units.  If you're unfamiliar with making these units, you can find instructions on making four patch units here and more on making HST (half square triangles) here.  In fact, I go over seven different ways to make a HST!

Broken down like this, it looks pretty easy.  Because it is!

Putting the Rocky Road to California Block Together

As you can see, putting those components together is very much like assembling a nine patch (pretty much because it is!).  The secret so to speak is in the arrangement of color and block placement.  

See how the four patch units form a chain?  The yellow squares in my example all line up and draw the eye from top right to bottom left.

The HST units are arranged carefully as well.  One half of the HST is the same color as the solid squares, while the other half is a contrast.  That contrast side is snuggled up against the four patch units, forming a chain down the center of the block.  Easy peasy, right?  Yes!

As I mentioned earlier, you can size this block to almost any size.  If you do want to resize, I recommend beginning with your four patch units.  

Let's say you have 2" strips.  If you use 2" strips to make your four patch units, they will have an unfinished (raw edge to raw edge) size of 3 1/2".  So....your squares will be 3 1/2" x 3 1/2", and your HST units will be 3 1/2" x 3 1/2".  

Pop quiz - what size squares would you start with to make your HST to have them finish at 3 1/2"?  If you said 4 1/2", I'd say you're right!  That gives wiggle room to trim down.

So....our squares, four patch units and HST are each 3 1/2" x 3 1/2".  So what size would our Rocky Road to California block be?  If you figured 9 1/2" x 9 1/2" unfinished, 9" finished, well then dear quilty pal, you'd be right!

Breaking down more complex blocks into their individual units is key to understanding assembly and to being able to resize the blocks if you so desire!

So what did I do for the challenge?  I'm so glad you asked!  

I stretched my blocks out, taking them from square to rectangular.  AND I made the units that were HST units a special partial split rectangular unit, using a technique from the fabo folks at Studio 180.  See it?  The blue background blocks have the special partial split rectangle units.  

 

I used two different backgrounds for the blocks and I used two different stripes, placing the stripes in different directions to increase the energy of the block!

I made four blocks - two with blue background and two with green.  Then I had to decide which way to lay them out.  So many options, but I was going with a long skinny 2x2 approach.  Here they are forming a diamond in the center.

And here they are in an "X" formation.  Yup - I went with the "X" formation.  I love the movement and energy of this layout!

After stitching the four blocks together, I had to decide on thread for quilting.  I love the Aurifil 28 wt.  It has a nice heavy texture - but not too heavy, and it is super easy to work with.  I ended up using the lovely variegated yellow (bottom right) and the olive green (second from the top) and just did some easy straight line quilting.

Here's a close up of the quilting.  Take a look at the far left - you can see how the subtle variegation adds some lovely light and dark to the background area.  And if you look closely at the bottom right, you can see how that olive green almost blends in to the stripe, adding texture but not a lot of added color - which is exactly what I wanted!

Here is the final project.  I'm in love - I don't know why, but this little project makes me so happy!  It is already gracing our table, bringing more sunshine to the day!

I think small projects are a great way to try out different approaches, whether it be color, contrast, thread, quilting, piecing or finishing.  

I encourage you to go over to Instagram and search by the #marchquiltblockchallenge to see what the other participating designers did with this block.  Mine is simple easy peasy compared to some of the stunning artistic creations they made!

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights on the Rocky Road to California block too!

Oh - and don't forget that the Sisterhood Block of the Month is now available, and sign ups are open for the quilt along!  Woot Woot!  The quilt along begins April 21st and runs through June 23rd.  Did I mention there are prizes throughout the quilt along - and there just might be a special prize next week in the bonus newsletter - so sign up now!  You can get all the info and sign up here!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

Exploring the Basics: The Grid 7x7 Mosaic Block

This month's Quilt Block Remix was for the 7 x 7 Grid Mosaic - which is, well, exactly what it sounds like.  A grid of seven rows of seven squares each.  49 units in the block.  That's it.  Pretty straight forward, pretty simple.

Here is the block.  Yup - pretty straight forward, pretty simple (or is it??? - we'll talk more about this later).  Want to make your own?

MAKING YOUR OWN GRID 7X7 MOSAIC BLOCK

Here's what you'll need:

•    TWO different high contrast 1 1/2" x WOF (40") strips

1. Sew your two strips together.  I recommend pressing the seam open, because this block will have a LOT of seams, and pressing seams open will give you the flattest block possible.
2. Cut (24) 1 1/2" segments from the resulting strip set PLUS ONE 1 1/2" square from your contrast fabric (my blue in the picture)
   
3. Arrange the cut segments so that they alternate contrast (blue) and background (white) fabric.  Note that you will create THREE rows of seven segments each AND one sideways row of THREE segments plus the single 1 1/2" contrast square.
4. Sew the segments together into rows.  Again press your seams open.
5. Sew the rows together.  Yup - press your seams open.
6. Ta-da!  You have a 7" (finished) 7x7 Grid Mosaic block.

Ok - so that's the basic block.  But....what did designers do with this block?  Let's peek at a few!

Duck Creek Quilting

 

Meg's Choice Patterns

 

Modern Roots Stitchery

 

South Wind Quilts

 

Want to see more of the reimagined Grid Mosaic blocks?  Head over to Instagram and search the hashtag #Mosaic7x7Blockblockchallenge.  You'll find the feed for each of the designers that participated, and see all of their fabulous remixed blocks.  Yup - some of them already have patterns available too!  Get all the info (and don't forget to follow them as well) on their individual Instagram feeds!

My thought process: challenge the concept of a grid and take it off kilter. Combine multiple size improv blocks to skew the grid and add movement.

So the first draft was abandoned because it felt too structured, too orderly - yes, I started over.

 

So I really mixed up the block sizes and shapes. And yes - I DO have 49 blocks (a 7x7 grid is 49 - ack! that's a lot of pieces!). But...I also thought it would be fun to challenge what makes up the grid blocks as well!

I embroidered some of the improv blocks in @aurifilthread 12wt. And there's one more "trick" block. Can you find it? Can you find all 49?

 

I'm in the process of quilting this bright beauty (why yes, it IS done in my @islandbatik Kismet line!) with more @aurifil 12wt thread using big stitch quilting. And I'm toying with the idea of some more texture stitches when the outline stitching is done.

 

Since this is small - about 16" long - I used @warmcompany fusible fleece for my batting, because the fusible is light weight and makes it super easy to layer everything. And it hand stitches beautifully!

 

Can you tell I had fun with this one?!

Oh - before you go.......one more thing!  Please come back next week for all of the details on a brand new Quilt Along!  I am so very excited to be hosting this quilt along with the talented Kate Colleran.  And I think you're going to want to join us!  Details next week on the blog!

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights on the 7x7 Grid Mosaic block too!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

Exploring the Basics: The Ohio Star Quilt Block

This past month (January), designer pals explored the Ohio Star quilt block.  And wow at the interpretations and remixes of this classic block!

Let's look at the block as it is traditionally shown.

The block is traditionally made using FOUR Hourglass blocks (you can find a tutorial on making hourglass blocks here) and FIVE solid squares.  It is laid out in a Nine Patch configuration (you can get more info on Nine Patch blocks here).

There are tons (ok, maybe not THOUSANDS, but really - a lot) of options, such as the one above, which has three color hourglass blocks.  What would happen, we wondered, if....just if....you DIDN'T follow the classic layout and remixed the Ohio Star Block into something new???

So that's what we did - for the Quilt Block Remix challenge, Kate and I challenged other designers to reimagine the Ohio Star quilt block.  And boy did they!  Here's a sneak peak at some of the remixes:

Kate Colleran Ohio Star Remix

 

Applique Quilts and More Ohio Star Remix

 

Dragonfly Studio Ohio Star Quilt Block Remix

 

Southwind Quilts Ohio Star Remix

 

Sew Joy Creates Ohio Star Block Remix

 

Megs Choice Patterns Ohio Star Remix

 

Isn't it amazing how unique and different each designer's take on the classic block is, and how each little change created some truly dynamic blocks?  Oh - and there's more!  This is just a sampling from the designers that participated!  

And here's mine.  I really had fun with this and totally reimagined the block as an asymmetrical, skewed block!

I will confess - I'm in love.  Yes, with a quilt block. And I have plans (oh boy do I!) to turn this into a pattern.  My block is big (18"), but I also have worked up a multi-block quilt and I'm super excited about it!

 

Want to see more of the reimagined Ohio Star blocks?  Head over to Instagram and search the hashtag #OhioStarblockchallenge.  You'll find the feed for each of the designers that participated, and see all of their fabulous remixed blocks.  Yup - some of them already have patterns available too!  Get all the info (and don't forget to follow them as well) on their individual Instagram feeds!

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights on the Ohio Star block too!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

Exploring the Basics: Birds in the Air Quilt Block

Birds in the Air is a very traditional block, made up of several small and one large HST (half square triangle).  Psstt...get more info on seven ways to make HST here in my earlier blog post.

I found a lovely account of the history of the Birds in the Air block, as well as a beautifully photographed tutorial on making the traditional block here.  As with many traditional blocks, it has its roots in the history of our country.  Birds in the Air is typically thought to represent abolitionists, and it makes perfect sense, right?  Birds in the air, flying, freedom?  

Regardless of the history, the block is a beautiful one, with a lot of design possibilities.  Traditionally, it has one background color, and one color for the HST units.  But of course, that is maker's choice!

This month I reimagined the traditional square block as a rectangle - which stretched all of those lovely little HST and made them split rectangles.  I also thought I'd try mixing things up just a bit, and made the large triangle in another print.  To contrast, I did a second block with the large triangle as the more traditional background color.  Which do you prefer?  FYI, I did a poll on Instagram - and the winner?  The background triangle!

Here is what a few of the blocks (with the selected background large triangle!) look like when put together.  I love the zig zag effect the large triangles make when alternated.  I think this is going to be a fun scrappy project!  Oh - and how did I get such perfect points on those long half rectangles?  Paper piecing, of course!

Head over to Instagram and check out how several other designers reimagined this traditional block as well.  Just search the hashtags #birdsintheairquiltblockchallenge, #designerblockchallenge, #Novemberdesignerblockchallenge.  You'll be so glad you did.  It is amazing how this simple block gets so many different make overs!  Which is your favorite?

And don't forget to head over to Kate's blog to see her insights on the Strip Star block too!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.  

 

Exploring the Basics: Dutchman's Puzzle Block

 

This month, several designers (including me) explored the Dutchman's Puzzle block.  We reimagined this staple block and played around with jazzing it up a bit.  But before we take a peek at that, let's look at the basic block itself.

The traditional Dutchman's Puzzle block is made up of EIGHT flying geese units.  Remember flying geese units?  No?  You can see how to make them by visiting this post.

The eight Flying Geese units are laid out in pairs in a pinwheel formation.  I don't know about you, but when I am preparing to sew units together, I like to lay them out as they are going to be sewn, just to make sure I have every piece turned the correct way!

The pairs of Flying Geese units are sewn together.

The pairs are sewn together to make two rows.  Then those two rows are sewn together.

And ta-da!  Dutchman's Puzzle.  This is such a fun block, with so much movement!  

I mentioned the designer's challenge to reimagine the Dutchman's Puzzle block.  So here's what I came up with! I changed the size of the units.  In the traditional block, all of the Flying Geese units are the same size.  In my version, they gradually get smaller.  And I turned the units to point in, rather than pointing out in the traditional pinwheel format.  And yes, I added a pop of color with the lime green too!

I loved how it turned out, and so here's a sneak peek at Rhythm, a pattern to be released in January, 2022.  Fun, right?!

Want to see more of the reimagined Dutchman's Puzzle blocks?  Head over to Instagram and search the hashtag #dutchmanspuzzleblockchallenge.

Head over to Kate's blog to see her insights on the Dutchman's Puzzle block too!

Like what you see here, and want to hear more from Tamarinis?

Like me on Facebook, follow me on Instagram, and sign up for my newsletter at www.tamarinis.com!  PS - I'm trying to get to the next milestone number on Facebook and Instagram (I am trying to get 2000+ followers) and would REALLY appreciate your help - so please click and follow!  Thanks so much!

Following is one way to demonstrate your interest in my projects, patterns, and partnerships.  Your comments are also GREATLY appreciated, and provide valuable feedback regarding what inspires you, as well as what you'd like to see explored in future posts.