August Block — California Poppies!
Hi! I’m Julie, and this month we’re going to do a really easy block that can use up some of those warm summer colors you have in your scrap bin or stash closet. It’s a basic 16-patch block made with a bunch of 2 ½” squares, in the colors of California poppies – because I live in California.
The block is 8” finished or 8 ½” unfinished. You may make as many as 9.
These poppies are our state flower. The traditional ones are either orange or yellow, but there are now hybrids ranging from cherry red to cream, with all the warm, bright colors in between.
For each block you will need 12 squares of warm, bright colors – tone-on-tone or textured or solid. Try to make it as scrappy as possible, but you may use duplicates of up to 3 of the fabrics. (that is: 2 squares each of 3 fabrics, plus 6 squares of different fabrics)
You will also need 4 squares of a light-to-medium green on the blue or gray side of the spectrum. All 4 should be from the same fabric. All the squares should be cut at 2 ½”.
You may use the same green in all your blocks if you wish. You may use the same warm fabrics from block to block, but don’t use the same duplicates in more than two blocks and change the arrangement of fabrics from block to block.
Lay out your 16 squares with the green running diagonally, as shown.
Sew the 4 rows of 4 squares; press seams in alternate directions.
I like to chain-piece the blocks so that they hang together in a grid. To do this, sew pieces 1 & 2 in row 1, then pieces 1 & 2 in row 2, 3, 4. Cut your thread, and now sew piece 3 to the first unit in row 1, piece 3 to the first units in rows 2, 3, 4. Continue the same process with piece 4 in each row. It will look something like this (although in the photo it’s hard to see the chains of thread holding the 4 rows together!):
Since it’s hard to lay this flat on the ironing board and press rows in opposite directions without messing up the previous row, here’s a tip: press the row closest to you in one direction. Then pull the whole thing forward so that the first row is hanging off the edge of the ironing board. Press the next row in the opposite direction (the already-pressed row is out of the way) and pull it forward again.
Sew the 4 rows together, nesting the seams. Press all the seams in one direction.
Your block should measure 8 ½” x 8 ½”. Here are my 4 blocks:
Here’s a link to a pdf file in case you want it: Poppy Block – Block Lotto
Send me a note if you have any questions – jwaldman52@gmail.com
Oh, I’ll have to dig out some bright fabrics! Thanks!
Great job, Julie. What a wonderful block for the Block Lotto. I love that it is happy and cheery!