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AutumnJewelBox9

 

It’s been a week since we dropped youngest daughter off at college. She sounds like she is settling in and making new friends, and already enjoying the challenge of her classes. I think she is adjusting better than my husband and I are! It is too quiet here, and I miss her terribly. I miss her sweet face and her clever & hilarious wit. I still haven’t gotten used to the fact that my older daughter got married over a year ago- I hate it! I just want to stop time and have them here with me again… but I guess I can’t do that, so I am just trying to stay busy. Today is oldest daughter’s birthday, so we are going out to dinner tonight with her and our son-in-law. I am looking forward to it! I love spending time with my kids- and I’m so glad that they don’t seem to mind spending time with us!

 

AutumnJewelBox9

 

Anyway…  I really like the block I am sharing with you today. It looks complicated, but it’s really not. It is simply half-square triangles and rectangles. When you put a bunch of blocks together, you can make some really cool quilts. This tutorial will show you how to make a single 12″ (12 1/2″ unfinished) block. The number of blocks you need to make will depend on what kind of quilt you want to make. Of course, you can just make a single block and use it in a sampler quilt, or as a pillow or potholder (click here for a quilted potholder tutorial). The fabrics shown are from my Fruitful Hands Fabric line.

With this block, you can make quilts like these:

quilt1

For this quilt, make 12 blocks, sew them into 3 rows of 4 blocks each, then add 2″ of white sashing between the rows. Then add a 2″ white border, and then a 3″ red border.

 

quilt2

For this one, make 36 blocks and sew into 6 rows of 6 blocks each (all the blocks going the same way.) Sew the rows together. Add a 1″ white border, then a 4″ red border and green binding. Done!

Here is how to make this block:

White- cut 4 squares each 3 7/8″
Red Floral- cut 4 squares each 3 7/8″

Cut these squares in half diagonally to create 8 triangles each:

AutumnJewelBox1

Cut a strip, 2″ x about 15″, from each of the following fabrics: Orange Dot, Green Floral, Red Texture, Green Texture:

AutumnJewelBox2

(Don’t worry about cutting off selvedges now.)

Sew the strips together along long edges:

AutumnJewelBox3

(Funny how the cat isn’t really interested in me unless I am trying to get something done…..)

AutumnJewelBox4

Trim off the selvedges and cut this unit into 4 units, each 3 1/2″ wide:AutumnJewelBox5

Sew the red and white triangles together into 8 squares (sorry I forgot to photo this step!!)

Sew 4 of the squares into pairs like this, and then sew the pairs into a square:

AutumnJewelBox6

Sew the remaining 4 squares to the ends of 2 of the strip units (note that the red triangle is adjacent to the green rectangle, and the white triangle is adjacent to the orange rectangle):

AutumnJewelBox7

Sew the remaining 2 strip units to the large square:

AutumnJewelBox8

Sew the block together as shown above.

AutumnJewelBox9

I hope you will give this block a try! Happy Weekend!

Post Note: Someone asked in the comments about fabric requirements to make 12 blocks. Those listed below do not include sashing, borders, binding, etc. I have not actually made 12 blocks, but these fabric requirements are taken from my design program, so they should be accurate.

White 3/4 yard
Red Floral 3/4 yard
Orange Dot 3/8 yard
Green Floral 3/8 yard
Red Texture 3/8 yard
Green Texture 3/8 yard

HaveACreativeDay-PinCushion