Quilt Along - Piecing The Blocks!

WOW - there are so many Charming Quilt Alongers - and so many cute fabrics!  This really is such fun!

Alright - this week, we're piecing our blocks.  The quilt is composed of two blocks.  There are 20 sixteen-patch blocks and 12 four-patch blocks.  All of your blocks should measure 4 1/2" unfinished.

Piecing the Four Patch Blocks

1. Gather your 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"  and 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" background rectangles.  Select 16 medium/dark 1 1/2" x 5" strips that you cut from your charm packs.

2. Stitch one 1 1/2" x 5" strip to another, to make a strip set.  Press seams toward the dark.

 
Make 8 strip sets.

2. Cut each strip set in 1 1/2" segments as follows:

 

You should have 24 sets of 2 patches.

3. Stitch one two patch segment to another as follows:

to make the four-patch center of your block:

5.  Stitch one 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" background rectangle to each side of the block:

6. Stitch one 1 1/2" x 4 1/2" background rectangle to the top and one to the bottom of each block as follows:

Make 12 Blocks.

 

Easy Peasy - right?

Piecing the Sixteen Patch Blocks

1. Gather 108 medium/dark 1 1/2" x 5" charm square strips.  I organized mine into

piles sorted by colors to make it easier to assemble my strip sets.

2. Stitch one 1 1/2" x 5" strip to another as you did above.  Make 54 sets of two strips.

3. Stitch one set of two strips to another set of two strips as follows:

Make 27 strip sets of 4 strips each.

4. Cut each strip set into 1 1/2" segments as follows:

 5. Stitch one strip of 4 squares to another strip of 4 squares as follows:

5. Stitch one set of two strips to another set of two strips as follows:

Make 20 blocks!

Aren't they just TOO CUTE?  I just love these little pieces!

Alright, I wanted to cover a few things about the quilt along that I have forgotten to mention!

1. We don't have a flickr group - we ask that you post pictures on your blog of your progress each week, and then comment on each week's post with the link to your blog!  Quilt Alongers - please read through the comments and visit your fellow quilt alongers to cheer them on - plus it's just so fun to see all of the differnt fabrics out there!

2. Instructions will be posted on Wednesday of each week (unless I will be gone - and I'll try to post earlier that week)! 

3. If you do not have a blog, no worries.  We will ask you to e-mail us photos of your finished quilt to include in the parade.

4. At the end of the quilt along, we'll ask non-bloggers to e-mail photos of their quilts to us.  Bloggers, we'll ask you to post on your blog, and comment with your link.

5. We'll do a parade of quilts with pictures of everyone's work of art!

6. THERE WILL BE PRIZES!  Darlene and I each have something special planned for the drawing on each of our blogs from the parade of quilts!

Alright - hope you have a blast sewing those cute little blocks - and I really can't wait to see pictures!

It's still not too late to join the fun - so if you'd like to play, just comment here and jump in!

TTFN,

Kelly
 

Comments

[Wendy in Montana]

Oh my goodness, those are adorable! I'm having withdrawals as I'm leaving for a vacation to the ocean and decided to take my machine in for a tune-up while I'm gone. Oh man, oh man, oh man, I want to be sewing right now!! How accurate do you think a non-hand stitcher can make a 1/4 inch seam, while driving? I'm taking cross-stitch, but two weeks without my machine?!?!? AAAUUUUUGGGHHHHH!!! :)

[Wendy in Montana]

Ah .... clarification :) I'm not driving, but riding in the car with DH and two DDs, ages 4 and 5. Can anyone say "brain bleed?" lol lol Its a 14 hour drive to the ocean with a stop over at hour 11 for the night. I love my girls, I love my girls .... :)

[Tammy Parker]

All done...am I fast or what? LOL!!! I guess this is my link for fabric choice, cutting and piecing. I can't wait to visit everyone and see what they're using!
http://gingerpatches.blogspot.com/2010/06/congratulations-jonathan.html

[Dawn H]

will get onto this tonight.... can't wait...
and will link back when I am done...
hugs Dawn x x

[Kate]

I just started this so I am far behind- I am at stage 1- I picked my fabric! Should be fun; hopefully I will catch up!

Off to do a little cutting! I did post a picture of my fabrics here.
http://katenlibby.blogspot.com/

[call me crazy]

How fun! I am a little behind, but getting more caught up every day! ;-) Love your cute fabrics!

[Ulla]

I'm a late starter too, only finished cutting the fabrics today.

[Kim]

I'll post pics as soon as I can. We don't have a camera due to the thief who broke into our house and took all the electronics we use everyday. Thank goodness you're only on the piecing the block part. We should be able to take pics sometime this weekend.
I am using scraps for my quilt. Just trying not to create more scraps than I already have :D
Love your fabrics!

[Heidi]

Hi Kelly! I only just finished the cutting but am going to start the sewing this evening. Woohoo! Looking forward to it. You can see the fabrics I am using on my blog now.

Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi

[Kaaren]

I finished the piecing of the blocks last night. Woo hoo! You can read about it here...

http://thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com/2010/06/qal-progress.html

Bring on next Wednesday!

[Ulla]

I'm catching up already, the 4-patch blocks are ready and the next strips sewn together. Here is a peek of my project: http://kotkarankki.blogspot.com/2010/06/summer-flowers-and-new-quilt-project.html

[Judy]

I completed the piecing step. Check out my blocks & colors. I'm ready for the next step.
www.jayteespatchworkplace.blogspot.com

[Gretchen]

I love these sweet little blocks!!! They were so much fun to sew!!! See mine here http://stellabellaquilts.blogspot.com/2010/06/furlough-friday-football-funtimes.html

[Anne D]

I tried to resist the tempation to join your quilt along but have finally succumbed. Thanks for a great quilt along. Hopefully I will catch up over the next week.

http://batiksbythebay.blogspot.com/

[Sharon]

OK! I'm in....ran to the quilt shop, grabbed some of Linda Brannock's Looking Back charms and they are cut and ready to sew!

[dawn]

I finished sewing the pieces together and now have my 4 patches and 16 patches ready for step 3! The little blocks are so cute!!! Go and see mine here...

http://quiltingbydawn.blogspot.com/

[Eileen Schamel]

I just finished posting pictures of my blocks on my blog . myquiltingporch. Eileen

[Kate]

Yea! Blocks are done. You can check them out here... http://katenlibby.blogspot.com/
Love looking at everyone's blocks!
Kate

[Nancy]

Okay...Monday and Tuesday night, my hubby has to attend CPR and First Aid classes from 6 to 10 pm, does that sound like, "GET STARTED AND CATCH UP TIME" to you? It does to me, LOL. Oh, I'm so late getting started. Thanks!

[annieb]

Here is my progress- hope to be ready for the next post...

[Carol Lewis]

Hi Kelly, I just posted my progress for this weekend. I was able to get the framed 4-patch blocks done and I'll have to do the 16-patch blocks another day. Check out my blog to take a look.http://carolscraftblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/between-charming-friends-blocks.html

[Polly]

I loved making these cute little blocks! I can't wait to see it all put togehter!! See mine here! http://auntpollysporch.blogspot.com/2010/06/quilt-along-blocks.html Polly

[Mary Flynn]

Here's my mini version! Thanks Kelly!!
http://www.quilthollow.com/2010/06/fun-misc-stuffoh-and-i-do-mention.html

[Sharon]

Kelly, here are my blocks...progress has been made! I am caught up...thanks for the cute project and excellent instructions!

[Marci]

Hi Kelly,

This is a great quilt-along, so I can't resist jumping right in -- even though I'm a couple of weeks late here! I did get the 4-patch blocks done. Check out my progress:
http://roamingfree2010.blogspot.com/2010/06/wrapping-up-our-trip-to-indiana-dunes.html

[Carol Lewis]

Me again. I wanted to update you on my quilt-a-long progress. I just finished all of my 16-patch blocks and posted a picture on my blog: carolscraftblog.blogspot.com.

Carol Lewis

[Ulla]

I'm ready for the next step! I trimmed the 16-patch blocks this morning. http://kotkarankki.blogspot.com/2010/06/charming-pairs.html

[Beatrice]

I just received my charms packs, so I am far behind. I piece the 4-patch & 16-patch, still waiting my background fabric. More soon!

[Brenda]

I am finally all caught up and ready for tomorrow.Ii love my blocks. I must admit that I did all of the steps and just got caught up the last two days.

[call me crazy]

I'm working! You do realize the larger version has a lot more blocks, right? ;-) LOL Here's my progress~ http://crazyboutquilts.blogspot.com/2010/06/quilt-along-progress.html

[Cathi]

I posted my blocks last Thursday and forgot to let you know! . . . officially . . .

http://shakerwoodquilts.blogspot.com/2010/06/next-between-friends-step-check.html

[Karen at Briarside Lane]

I just posted my progress! ...Karen

http://briarsidelane.blogspot.com/2010/06/between-charming-friends.html

[Gran - Knot-y Embroidery Lady]

Hello there - just finished posting my blocks - I loved making them and even though it was in between a multitude of coming and goings, they turned out and are so darn cute!! Thank you for doing this fun quilt along!!!!!

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