Block of the Month February 2018

BLACK AND WHITE AND RED SQUARES

What's black and white and red allover?  Remember the riddle?  In this case, it's not a newspaper!  

It's our first Block of the Month for 2018

Happy New Year to everyone.  

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the hundreds of supporters of BOM who faithfully send in blocks throughout the year so that many, many quilts can be

quite quickly made for our Aussie Heroes, mostly by the Coffs Harbour Sewing Team.

EVERY block goes into a quilt.  I hope you catch a glimpse of your blocks

in the Quilts I post to the Blog on some Wednesdays...keep watching for them.

Please remember...

only use 100% cotton fabrics

use a 1/4 inch seam allowance

Most of our quilts are made for men so please consider gender neutral prints

DO NOT trim uneven edges

Every quilt made is an original design with the requests of each Recipient considered 

and included in their quilt.  This means there will be inclusion of components other than the blocks eg. Aussie Flag or plain panels with important text or appliquéd designs.

I design blocks that will be trimmed back to make the blocks chosen for a particular 

quilt design all the same size to fit together.  However, from one quilt to another, 

these blocks will vary in size.  So when you send a 12 1/2 inch square block, it

 may eventually be a 10 3/4 inch or 11 inch etc. block.

This month's blocks can be assembled in several different ways

and will make stunning quilts for our Aussie Heroes.

COLOURS AND FABRICS

Black White and Red

The large RED square should be mainly RED but can also have black or white print on it 

This is the selection I considered for my sample block

The narrow black bands should be solid BLACK fabric

The three small squares should be mostly BLACK with a white or red print on them

The two small rectangles should be mostly WHITE with a black or red print on them

CUTTING OUT

Cut one RED square 8 x 8 inch

Cut  three 4 x 4 inch squares of fabric that is BLACK background with a white and/or red print

Cut two 4 x 3 1/2 inch rectangles of fabric that is WHITE background with a white and/or red print

Cut a strip of PLAIN BLACK fabric about 35 inches long x 1 1/2 inch wide 

Then cut into 5 strips 12 1/2 inch, 8 inch and 4 inch long

Layout the block

Join the two small strips of plain black fabric to either side of the centre rectangle

Then join the squares to the black fabric strips

Press the seam allowances onto the black strips to make them "pop"

Repeat this process for the other rectangle, strip and square

Join this section to the middle size black strip

Press the seam allowance into the black strip

Join this section to the red square as shown

Press the seam allowance into the black strip

Join the two sections together by laying the small portion on the larger one with the black strip of each facing each other.  

Hold together with pins at the edge as shown and also at the cut edges of the pieces.  

The pointer shows the black strips lining up well.

Don't be concerned if the outer edges don't match exactly.  Remember the blocks will be trimmed to the size needed.  It is more important for the black on the two portions to line up.

Sew the seam and press the seam allowance into the black strip.

And here it is.  Just gorgeous.

THANK YOU 

immensely

for making Blocks of the Month for our Aussie Heroes' Quilts

When we send off the Quilts to the Recipients with a letter, we tell them 

the blocks have been made by the wonderful team of volunteers 

all over Australia who regularly send these to us.

A PDF version of the block can be found by clicking HERE

Please send your finished blocks to

Sandy Corry

9 Wendouree Court

North Boambee Valley   NSW   2450

...and until next month

Happy sewing.

Sandy