# Fascinating quilt block



## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I just saw this over on the quilting board. I don't think you have to be a member to view the posts. This has to be one of the most fascinating squares I've ever seen, and it's all made from one basic block in three colours. 
http://www.quiltingboard.com/blocks-month-week-f9/january-2015-piece-cut-bom-t259177.html

Be sure to scroll down to see the quilt made from this. She also has a tutorial for an easy way to made the basic block.


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

That is a very interesting pattern and I like how the blocks make a secondary design.

Are you participating in the 12" finished block exchange on the swap thread? That would be an special one to piece.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I saw that too - was thinking a group of four would make a neat small quilt. I love small peices and the way she does them makes it quite simple.


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

Wow... that looks very complicated!


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

CJ said:


> Wow... that looks very complicated!


Except it's not. It is just one patch made up with the colours in various positions. It would be tedious to make, but not at all difficult.


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## CuriousWanderer (Feb 23, 2014)

Beautiful! Loved the look of the quilt too!


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## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

I did see it and do like the looks of it.. I think once you got the hang of it... it wouldn't be difficult.. but, yes, for me tedious to cut out all the pieces.. I would like to try it.. maybe make a table runner.. Cool!!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

Ok just lost my whole post - I started this and messed up big time because I didn't print out the block and went brain dead.

And sewed up a bunch with white in the center and both sides the same - big sigh, I need to get better about following directions and not trying to do things from memory LOL!!

BTw - making the points is not difficult at all, just make sure to have the pair of outside triangles by cutting your diagonals different. I wasn't careful so have a whole bunch of one side, and almost none of other - fixed that problem so at least I've got a whole bunch to use to fix the other problem LOL!!

The funny part, I started out pulling white, pink and red out of my scraps, then got distracted and decided not to use the pink . . . so at least now when I bring the pink in as the third color, my others are all red/white. I've got the white in the middle so the look will be a bit different.

Doing it scrappy too, with the red and pink.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

here's my "progress" . . . now I have to figure out what I can use and what I need to add . . . at least I have quite a few extra peices!










Got enough for six blocks done - if they were only two color pieces. But I love this block enough to want to use it.


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## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

Wow.. that is going to be so interesting being scrappy!!I really want to see this block put together.. hurry!!! )


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Doing it paper/foundation pieced would maybe make it easier over all, but would waste fabric.

I like the looks of it. Especially that the actual components are not really very hard, but looks very optical and difficult when put together.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

The next step in my saga

got the pinks cut out and started sewing.

I found what worked well for me was to leave them chained while I pressed them. 




















And to avoid tangles, I left them behind the sewing machine too. 



















Works well as long as this one does not want to help. 










Here are all the Pink sets - I do sort them so I don't randomly end up with one block with a lot of the same fabric. 










Next step was to start trimming them. I only did two blocks to start with as I wanted to see what the results would be like.










laid them out - and YEA!! I really like the results - I wanted to highlight the secondary pattern - which is the Red in my blocks.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I start by sewing strips, I press them flat but not open as I sew.










And once the strip is together, I press the seams alternately so I can nest them when sewing the strips together.










And the finished block - 1 down and 11 to go.


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## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

I really like this block you have made.!!! the pinks and read are perfect together the way you have designed them,, thank you so much for showing us the sewing process.. Wow!good job!!


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

Very pretty! :nanner: How big are you going to make it? It would make a beautiful bed quilt.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Wow! Fabulous. I really do like that block but never thought about doing three colours. Really neat.
I would think trying to keep the various sub-blocks separate would be a bear. I'd end up having too many of one kind.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I am only going to make it 3 blocks by 4 blocks with a border, so it will end up around 4' x 5'. I'm making it as a wall hanging for my entryway - since it's going to be time to take down my Christmas tree soon.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

That is beautiful--but sure looks like a lot of work!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

here it is, 3 blocks by 4 blocks. This is one that looks better from a distance so you can see the pattern. Not sure if that is because I made it scrappy or not.

Now to decide on the border - I think it's going to need a bright red, but I may not have enough. Well, at least the rest of it was from the stash!



















BTW - I made it with plans that it would be a Valintine Wall hanging for this area.


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## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

Love it!!! Very nice job.. thanks for sharing..


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## Gretchen Ann (Aug 30, 2010)

Very nice. Thanks for keeping us updated. Make sure you post a photo of it quilted.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I've got the border done and plan on getting it mounted on the quilt frame this weekend. It will be the first quilt done with the new machine (if all goes well). I'm going to do an all over heart meander for the body, and probably a heart motive for the border. I'll just have to watch and avoid the really thick seam areas (where all the points meet) while quilting. 










I put a narrow pink lace on the border for fun - I put the blocks in the corners because I ran out of larger scraps and didn't have enough to go all around the quilt. I had plenty of extra triangles from doing the first part. I'm glad to do this all without buying more fabric - but I'm about out of bright red and pink now.


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## maxine (Jun 22, 2004)

Wow!! The border really makes it POP!!! And the lace is a nice touch.. excellent job!!


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

How beautiful!


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I bought a book "Happy Endings" so I could get ideas to be more creative with borders and bindings. Though I had not expected it, I love the way that "white line" looks that is the lace. I think I may experiment with using a narrow flat bias fold between borders to give it that very narrow stripe look.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

When I saw your post on the Quilting Board I wondered what the thin white was. Lace is so perfect for a Valentine's quilt. Way to go!


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## Homesteader (Jul 13, 2002)

This is just beautiful!


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## AngieM2 (May 10, 2002)

Macybaby - I love that quilt. That design has so many possibilities depending on the fabrics.

It says VALENTINE to me.


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Well, I pulled the fabric to start the block but I can't decide which to put in the middle. From looking at the original and at Macy's the choice of center fabric makes a big difference. They almost look like two separate quilts.

http://s817.photobucket.com/user/belfrybat76878/media/Incanstarsquiltfabric_zpsacd54207.jpg.html


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

Well, my decision of what fabric to put in the middle was made for me as I only had enough of the white. I had tentatively decided to use the dark magenta, but realized I didn't have enough. The first block took me 4 hours, and that didn't include cutting the rectangles. I hope the others go faster. I also think there's a mistake in the assembly diagram in that the bottom two corners are turned differently than the top two. I had printed off the assembly diagram and went by that. Looks like I have some unsewing to do.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

If you look at Rhonda's "quilt" you'll see that all the outside corners become four pointed stars, so the four corners are suppose to be like your bottom ones (point to point with the one cross corner one above).

So I did put mine together "wrong" but at least with this pattern, it just forms a slightly different pattern so it still works. Want to know something funny - I also did not want to use white as the center, but I was looking too much at the tutorial on how to do them that had the white in the center, so that is what I cut and sewed. 

Then I looked at the thread of the block again, Opps!!!

However, I think I liked what I have better than I would have ended up if I'd paid more attention to what I was doing 


I really like your colors too, I'm really into red/white/pink, but I did want it for valintines day. This year one goal is to make a wall hanging for the entry way about once a month. I figure the next one will be green for St. Pat's Day, and then one for Easter (Religous, not rabbit based) - not sure after that. . .


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## Belfrybat (Feb 21, 2003)

I guess the corners don't matter as long as they are all the same--I changed out the errant ones last night. It gripes me that I printed off just the assembly diagram that had two of the corners different. Learned my lesson there. 
This is certainly not a colour scheme I like, but I've had the magenta for two years -- Robert Kaufman brand I purchased at $2.00 a yard when the quilt shop here in town had their closing sale. I've had trouble matching it with anything, so this seemed to be a good use for it.


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