June's Block by Linsay

I have chosen a more traditional style of block for June.  A few month's ago I met up with Jennifer for a coffee and she gave me a quilting magazine as a gift.  The magazine is called '100 Blocks' and this pattern, from the magazine, is called 'Codex' and it is by Scott Murrkin.

The original pattern shows the block made in three shades of brown (horrors!) so I have changed the colour scheme.  This picture shows the 4 blocks that I have made so far.  I would like everyone to make just one block.

The colours I have chosen are as follows,

• outside square to be red or pink
• the inside square to be any blue
• the centre square to be any thing you like (as long as it contrasts with the white/cream)
• the in-between fabric to be white or cream with a small polka-dot of any colour.

The centre square
Last year I was delighted when my blocks arrived in the post and I particularly like the small details that had been included in amongst the patterns.  There was an owl, a peacock and a little gecko all included in the blocks.  I would like the centre square to contain a little fussy cut square of your choice.  I have a monkey, a pair of cherries, and a flower in the centre of my blocks shown above.

What to cut
The cutting out takes as long as the sewing on this block.

• centre square, 2½" x 2½" with your motif in the middle
• white/cream polka-dot, cut a long strip of fabric 1½" wide, then cut it into

                               2 rectangles,  2½" x 1½"
                               2 rectangles,  4½ x 1½"
                               8 rectangles,  2" x 1½"
                               2 rectangles,  7½" x 1½"
                               2 rectangles,  9½ x 1½"

• blue fabric, cut a long strip of fabric 2" wide, then cut it into

                              4 squares, 2" x 2"
                              4 rectangles, 3½" x 2"

• red or pink fabric, cut a strip 2" wide, then cut it into

                              4 rectangles, 4½" x 2"
                              4 rectangles, 6" x 2"
Phew! that is the cutting out finished and you should have a collection of rectangles and squares that looks like this.

 

You can now re-arrange them to look like this.

 

 

Starting from the middle, take your centre square and sew the shorter white squares to the centre square, press the seams towards the dark fabric and then sew on the longer white strips.  Again press towards the dark fabric.  Your centre piece should now look like this.

 

And on the back, like this.

I suggest that you set up your ironing board and press your seams as you go along.  It will make the next set of seams easier to sew.  I also trimmed threads as I went.  There are so many seams that if you don't trim threads the blocks ends up looking fairly hairy.

 

For the next stage, join the blue strips to the white strips before you attach them to the central section, see below.

Again, sew the shorter sides first, press, then sew the longer sides, press.

It should now look like this on the back.

Add the next stage of white polka-dot fabric. First the short lengths, press, then the longer ones, press.



I think you are probably getting the idea by now, here is the next stage.

 

When you attach the pink strips to the block try and match the seams to the previous polka-dot strip.  I have tried to point at the matching point with my scissors in this picture.  This will make sure that the white fabric runs in straight lines across the finished block.

Sew on and press the pink strips.  The reverse should look like this...

...and the front like this.

Congratulations, you have finished.

Please ask me as many questions as you need to.

Happy Sewing, Linsay.