What’s in a Block?
Posted by Alice Mace Nakanishi on Sep 15th 2016
As you flip through quilting books, deciding which quilt you want to make, does your first impression of the complexity of the quilt help you decide? That would be me. I want easy, so I’m often thrown by the fallacy of my initial reaction: Hmmm, that one looks too hard. What I need to do is to take a closer look at the smaller components of the quilt, which are often blocks.
So that’s what I’ve done in my assessment of some of the thirteen quilts in the new book Use Your Yardage!
All the quilts in this collection are by popular quilt designers. Many of these quilts are composed of blocks. (Others are composed of large cut pieces of fabric with added shapes, in which the quilting can shine. But that’s another story. …)
I think I can handle sewing rectangles or thinner strips together.
Blocks from quilts by Amy Walsh (left) and Kim Schaefer (right)
What about blocks that are not square? Sure, why not!
Blocks from quilts by Cherri House (left) and Amy Walsh ( right)
Then alternating color squares and half-square triangles? Easily possible, with the complete instructions, illustrations, and photos in this book.
Blocks from quilts by Amanda Murphy ( left) and Camille Roskelley ( right)
Diagonal plaid, circles, flower petals? A bit more challenging, but there’s still a simplicity in these three-color designs. (Plus, there’s a pattern for the flowers!)
Blocks from quilts by team Natalia Bonner and Kathleen Whiting (left and right)
Now that I’ve learned so many of these quilts are actually quite easy, I’m still debating which quilt I’m going to make first. Check out Use Your Yardage! for all the choices in this delightful collection of quilts!
