Cross Quilt Block

...with shades of pink and hints of citron and teal green.

Hello everyone,

I have chosen a simple Cross Quilt design for the month of August. I am drawn to the simplicity of the pattern, the use of colour value and the fun in finding the ‘twin’ blocks. This quilt has been my inspiration for both the design and choice of colours.

What to make?

I’m asking for two 12” blocks (finished size) using only two fabrics of contrasting value. One will be the inverse (or twin) of the other.

A detailed tutorial for this block has been created by Elizabeth Hartman. Please follow this tutorial with a few variations:

1)  Make a straight cross block NOT wonky. However you decide on the thickness and position of the crosses.

2)  Please make your twin (inverse) block with the same size cross and in the same position.

3)  Create 12” finished blocks rather than 8”.

4)  I prefer to iron my seams together not open but please do what you’re comfortable with.

Here is my first attempt:

Here are some other Cross Quilts where the crosses are of varying widths and positions within each block.

Fabric

Please select two fabrics of contrasting value that you love/that speak to you.

Fabric 1 - Floral, botanical or geometric fabric in predominantly pink (any shade of pink!). All pink or pink with citron, teal green or white/cream would be lovely. Pink with other colours in small amounts as seen in the examples below would be fine too.

Fabric 2 – Pink solid (or a pink ‘solid’ with a small to medium size print) of contrasting value to Fabric 1.

Here’s my selection of fabrics so far:

For the backing, I’m thinking I would like to incorporate these citron and teal green fabrics, along with some of the pink crosses. I’m planning on creating an improv patchwork design.

I like this design:

 

I hope you will enjoy this simple and relaxed block, and have fun choosing your fabrics to make a pair. If you are busy, away, travelling etc please know that I’m in no hurry and will happily receive your blocks when they ready.

Oh and please email me with any questions you may have.

Many thanks,

Chris

Jennifer's Blocks for Doris

I loved working on these blocks Doris. It was fun to have a request for lots of bright colors and the directions were so easy to follow. The text fabric has the word "hello" written in many different languages. Meg and I used this fabric several years ago for two school quilts. I hope you like my contributions!
xoJennifer

Anthea's + & x blocks for Doris

While my collection contains some fabrics that match your preferences Doris, I found it quite tricky to finalise the selection.  And in the end the results show that I forgot Amy's discovery about the role of value - one of the lime green fabrics really disappears.  But I guess that will be ok if you avoid squinting or peering at it through your view finder in B&W.
I was conscious of everyone's warning about sewing on the bias, so where I didn't need to, I cut along the grain.  And I used some incredibly smelly spray-on starch to hold the bias cut squares. That worked a treat, although the effect of the perfume on this essentially fragrence-free home was a bit overwhelming.  So I shall be searching for an alternative.  Perhaps because of the starch, I think the bias-cut squares were easier to handle than the grain-cut squares.
Thanks to Chris for sharing her font fabric.
Have fun with these Doris.
Anthea

Amy's (USA)Blocks for Doris

These were fun blocks to put together. I didn't have many texty prints to pick from, but did have novelty prints. I absolutely love the hedgehog fabric and wish I had more!

I had to share the next few pictures-

my design wall makes me happy! It is full of the hexagons I have been EPPing during my children's practices,Doris' blocks and a few other minis and blocks.

 I am so excited about this house block. My sister and brother-in-law just purchased their first home. I drafted a paper pieced pattern based on the picture and am making it as a housewarming gift to them!

And this bottom picture is very special. It is my 8 year old daughter making her first quilt! She is using charm squares to make a 27 inch square quilt. She is so excited to be sewing! I am just as excited that she wants to learn! :)

Katy/Amy Team square

Katy is still living out of bags and suitcases, so I offered to do her square this month as well. She picked out the fabrics and rough cut them, and I sewed them together. She has a nice mixture of Anna Marie Horner prints for you Doris! I hope you like them. xx

Chris' blocks for Doris

I enjoyed creating these for you Doris and hope they're to your liking. Always fun to add to my stash and now I have some text fabrics. I agree with "Badskirt" that cutting on the bias gives the strongest impact for the cross but seemed to find it tricky to avoid stretching some of my lighter fabrics. It's going to be great to see your quilt come together Doris.

Linsay's blocks for Doris

I spent a very happy couple of hours yesterday cutting and piecing these blocks.  Once I started I couldn't stop.  I didn't have any fabrics with text but I did have some with a music score so I used that.  I just bought a really nice red-on-white fabric with seaside buildings, little beach huts and lighthouses which I have included too.  The next time I am in the patchwork shop I am going to be searching for text prints.  I love this kind of quilt with a strong structure and a wild mixture of different fabrics - it's going to be lovely.
Linsay.

Linsay's block by Chris

After a fabulous trip to Europe here I am back home and reunited with my sewing machine! I was sorry to miss you in Lausanne, Linsay. I've enjoyed sewing again and creating this block for you. Many thanks for your patience.

The cheeky little girl in the middle is by Aunty Cookie, a Melbourne based fabric designer.

Catching up - Micaela's May tree for Shauna

I just completed Shauna's tree last night - luckily she is very forgiving with timing :)

Here it is: I also couldn't resist adding some tiny owls!

I was inspired by Shauna's love of circles and also the fall colours at my parents' cottage - this is an oak just behind the cottage.

We also found out some sad tree-related news when we arrived here last week. The big white pine that we see as we look out towards the lake came down in a storm a few weeks ago. We will miss it.

Here it is in its glory:

I'm also looking forward to working on Doris' blocks - I promise I won't be late on those ones :)

Amy's (Canada) square

Hi Ladies,
So, here are my squares for Doris. I have to admit, I found this really really challenging! The fabric selection was so hard for me. I think I did better with the one on the left. I was trying to choose Doris's favorite designers, avoid brown (hard for me!) and I think I lost sight of the need for contrast. Anyway, I hope these are okay, Doris!

Japanese Inspired July

Hi ladies!  Hard to believe JULY is here already -- not only is July my birthday month, and the month of my awesome annual quilt retreat in St, Cloud, MN, but it's also my month to receive blocks!

I'm asking for TWO 8" blocks (unfinished measurement), and I'm referring you to a great tutorial by Badskirt Amy for the + and x block, inspired by this quilt by Japanese quilter, Setsuko Inagawa.  

To make the block, you will need:

**image from Amy's tutorial

It will be a fun, scrappy quilt.  If you visit the flickr group you'll see what I mean.

PLEASE use a light grey/white/off-white small scale print for the background (see the two photos at the end of my post--it is okay if it has a very small amount of color) or like these blocks have, or this block or the backgrounds used in this mini quilt.  

For the x and the +, sky's the limit, as long as you avoid the dislikes below:

• I prefer BRIGHTS over pastels
• BLACK and GREY over browns
• MODERN fabrics over Civil War or Thimbleberries style prints
• Love Heather Ross, Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, Tula Pink
• HATE the color Peach. blech.
• LOVE text-y prints

Below are some of my favorites from Flickr...  if you have any doubts about anything just shoot me an email!

I'll also be sending this to you via email, along with my updated mailing address, THANKS SO MUCH!

Doris

I really like the fussy cut text, novelty prints, and the light grey/white backgrounds

love all of these fabrics!

detail of the quilt below,

**I am asking for the backgrounds to be light grey/white/off white prints like this quilt has:

Love the contrast of the brights and darks against the light grey/off white background...