mini foundation blocks

I have been working on designs for the next mailorder. It's going to be mini block foundation patterns-with the directions on how to make these little guys. (I swear this is not hard-and I was calling this "paper piecing" before, which I know some people do, but I think foundation block piecing is the more accurate term.) I am really happy with how these have turned out. I love the fussy cut on the middle one there. I also love the term, fussy cut.There will be a few sizes, but they all will be no larger than about 5" x 5"- most will be more like 4" x 4" or smaller. The fun of the foundation block technique is that you can work really small, and it still turns out really tidy and dang near perfect every time. You can see a larger image of these blocks here. I am hoping to get the last issue of mailorder out by the beginning of June. (She said hopefully.) Then I will start Mailorder again in early 2008. Gotta have that baby #3 and feed it, you know.

This last block design I multiplied in photoshop (I heart computers) so you can see what 12 blocks would look like as a mini-quilt. I'm not sure why I haven't tried this before. Probably because I don't usually work with this kind of block repetition, but now I am all excited to do a new quilt (for baby) in orange and white and it would be so fun to see it like this first. It kind of feels like cheating.

Okay, today is our Monday. We had an amazing long weekend at the coast where I decided to change my crochet goals. The baby blanket will now be a Christmas gift for baby. That means I now get to start (and finish) that orange and white quilt I am going to try and cut out today. (what?) Not like we have a shortage of blankets/quilts around here. In any given room the girls can play Princess and the Pea with about 12 quilts. You'd think we live in Antarctica.

Comments

[Nancy]

yeah! these are fun and i look forward to doing them.
i am just now working on my first quilt. i did the top so far.

[Mama Urchin]

You can never have to many blankets/quilts, especially the handmade kind.

[Kay Gardiner]

Let's make it our mission to expand the usage of 'fussy cut' beyond sewing/quilting and into everyday life.

"Stop being so finicky. You're a real fussy cutter, you know."

Instead of 'block and copy' text, one would 'fussy cut and copy'. Work with me here.

I love it too. I especially love when Kaffe Fassett writes about fussy cutting. One could almost think he invented it.

xox Kay

[hillary]

what? you have to feed it?! jeebus.

can't wait to see the new quilt!

[marsbarn]

Do you use the "scan and print" method so the pattern is "pre-printed" on paper which you then sew through and then rip off? Or do you trace onto lightweight interfacing which is left in to strength the finished piece? Personally I like the interface method... so much easier to have the labor upfront with the tracing, and have a more stable block when finished.

h.

[amy k.]

for this mailorder project i will do the pre-printed method-mostly becasue I don't anyone to have to do any tracing-I also have never minded tearing the paper away-but that's cause that's how I learned. . .

[sarah n.]

so excited!!

[janet clare]

I always enjoy looking at what you are up too, and these blocks look great!

[Judi]

I've made many quilts but never paper pieced before! I need to try this now that I've seen how nice yours have turned out. I really like them.

[Rachel]

I am glad to hear I am not the only one with an addiction to blankets! We have tons in every room even in 90 degree weather...and I always want to make more!

[amisha]

i am so excited about the mailorder... this is something i have always wanted to try and the blocks look great.
the orange and white quilt sounds wonderful too. i love love that color combo... i made denyse schmidt's flock of triangles quilt in oranges and white and it makes me so happy.

[scribblesnbits]

I'd never heard the term "fussy cut" before, but I want to find a way to work that into conversation today! Shame I don't know any quilters around here.

[tiffany]

Beautiful. Baby will treasure that beautiful blanket when it's finished. :)

[momo]

i just preordered your book at amazon!! can't wait!! =)

[Sherbet]

Hi there,
I've jumped to your blog from loobylu a couple times over the years and I just now realized you live in Portland! I was shocked and sad, becuase I'm moving away and I think the amount of inspiration and skill I could have gleaned off you is limitless. If you're interested, you can see a picture of a quilt I just finished (I'm very proud of it) at this link. http://sherbet.vox.com/library/photo/6a00c2251c390a549d00cd970e7ed74cd5.html
Take care and keep posting your beautiful work to inspire us all!

[Alicia P.]

Those are darling -- and crochet is better for fall anyway, don't you think?

[suzy]

Those blocks look super cute.

Making the crochet blanket a christmas gift sounds like a good plan. I am contemplating knitting a baby blanket next, but am worried I will never finish as I am the world's slowest knitter. But, if I aim to finish it for Christmas instead of the baby's arrival in September I might just be able to get it done.

[PinkPoppies]

Oh. Oh. Oh. I can't wait. I just started quilting and this going to be fabulous. Heart you lots. Pink

[Jen]

Hi- I just linked over to you from Wee wonderfuls. I love the little tree block you made. Very clever. I too got carried away with creating foundation piecing mini-blocks a while back. If you check out my blog from Oct. 2006, you can see how I created a couple hundred little blocks to make a portrait quilt.