A new way to make a Jewel Box quilt
Jewel Box Quilt from The Quilter Magazine
I happened to flip through an issue of The Quilter while shopping tonight and this Jewel Box quilt jumped out at me because … I saw our April block, Triangles in a Square in the center of those Jewel Box blocks, and then realized how you could construct a variation of the traditional Jewel Box design by making that block and alternating it with a block constructed from four 4-patches. You would cut the squares for the 4-patches 2 1/4 inch to end up with a 7-9nch block.
Or you could use the TiaS blocks as the center of the Jewel Box blocks, adding 4-patches and Half-Square Triangle units around it.
Do you see what I see?
In the (free) downloadable directions for this quilt, the Jewel Box blocks are 12 inches square. If you started with our 7 inch square Triangles in a Square blocks, you would be making the equivalent of 14 inch Jewel Box blocks.
FYI, it’s from the June/July issue of the magazine.
Mod mod Blocks for April
Hi, Just finished my Triangle Squares …however, I need to remake 2 Star chains as the pup got hold of them(when I was busy sewing) and gummed them to pulp! Just when I thought I was getting caught up! Sheesch!Guess what I’ll be doing tomorrow.
Do You Have Tips to Share?
I started making the Diagonal Bars blocks for my Mod-Mod Throw quilt, using the Rainbow Scraps Challenge color of the month: Green. Here’s my first of eight blocks.
A couple of quilters have emailed me about their problems with the block coming out the wrong size, so, as I made this block, I paid close attention at each step looking for answers for them.
Technically speaking, when you put a 5 inch square (the finished size of the 5 bars after they are sewn together) on point, it will be 7 1/16 inches … and so the perfectionists among us should accept that if your block comes out 7 5/16 inches (including the seam allowances), it is actually perfect.
I mentioned to someone in email and I want to say it again here … not all 1/4-inch feet for sewing machines are the same. I have an after-market 1/4-inch foot made for my old Singer 301 and while I am glad to have found it and bought it, when I use it, my blocks inevitably come out too large. If you count the number of seams from the upper left corner to the lower right corner, there are 6 seams … so if you’re off just a smidge when cutting or sewing, that will be multiplied 6 times and could become significant. In the sewn block, each of the bars should measure 1-inch wide and 5 inches long, no more, no less.
Beyond being careful with measuring and sewing, I couldn’t come up with any useful tips for this block, so, as usual, I’m asking you to share your experience/tips in the comments. This *should* be an easy block … and I know it’s frustrating for some that it’s not.
(Since this is my Rainbow Scraps Challenge of the week, I’m joining the Scrap Happy Saturday links with this post.)
MOD MOD QAL
12 diagonal bars for my Full/Queen sized MOD Sampler. Making them in complementary colors and in fabrics from my stash.
Cathy L in IA
My mod-mod quilt in progress
I escaped to my Guild retreat this past weekend and devoted myself to getting started on Sophie’s mod-mod quilt, which I’m making in blue-and-white in the queen size. Fun! My fellow quilters were very interested in what I was making, as they are usually a bit more traditional. I’m excited to be off on this new adventure. Thanks Sophie!
Have you seen my Oak Leaves?
Christa said (in a comment) that she is sometimes inspired by the Block Lotto. I find that I usually get ideas for using the blocks as we make them, too.
As part of the Rainbow Scraps Challenge, each month, I have been making a single, super-sized (10 x 15 inches) scrappy Oak Leaf block in the designated color of the month. This month’s color is green (bright or dark).
I don’t know why I settled on this particular size, but it wasn’t in the original block directions, so last month I updated them to include the measurements for making a scrappy 10 x 15 inch block (finished size).
Since this has become a scrappy block of the month project for me, I won’t have a finished project to share for at least another 7 months … because I love how they are turning out, I’m sharing this snapshot of where I am now. Here are all the blocks I’ve made so far.
At the end of the year, I’ll likely add 4 more leaves–I will have to wait and see to decide on which colors to add–for a 16 block quilt, probably with some pieced sashing and borders.
Since this is Green month, I may get back to those scrappy green Star Chain blocks I wanted to make for myself in March. Lately, I get project ideas during each month of the Block Lotto … I’m hopeless 😉
Let’s Blog About Inspiration
It doesn’t really feel like spring lately in Northern New Mexico, but I know that when it returns, I will feel inspired by the blue skies and blooms.
How about you? Are you inspired by nature? Do color ideas sometimes come from the clothes you are wearing? Do you go to a guild meeting, quilt show or retreat and come home full of inspiration and ideas for new quilts you want to make? Do you look for quilt design ideas between the covers of a favorite quilting book, in your local quilt shop or by surfing through the quilting blogiverse?
This month, let’s blog about our sources of inspiration: it can be a specific example or a general/philosophical discussion of your approach toward quilting design. Be sure to add your link to the list below.
Mod Mod QAL not quite up-to-date
Hi everyone,
Here is my Mod QAL progress. Not quite up-to-date with no beads-on-string blocks made yet (not even cut out). And probably another chain-star block at least to go.
Getting there slowly. Margaret
New to this but giving it a go
Made 6 of them.
My name is Nicole and although I have been lurking, this is my first time putting blocks into the block lottery, even though I’ve been quilting for 20 years (made my first quilt when I was 20). I am very excited about the block lottery. The blocks was easy but it was a challenge to make each one different.. So in the end I made six blocks for the lottery and 12 for my quilt of all the blocks this year. The picture of my blocks is not that good. There is purple and blue in some of the blocks. Nice and bright, 7 and a quarter inches in size.
If you want to see my other quilts they’re on my blog, “Quilting like a maniac” I’m currently doing 12 blocks of the month. Check them out.
Thanks for the Block Lotto, it’s great!!! Love seeing so many others’ quilts and their beautiful designs! Good luck to all!