One Block Wonders
I spent yesterday playing with my friends - we all worked with the book "One Block Wonders". This is a technique we all have been wanting to try, but were either too chicken to tackle it on our own or couldn't quite find time. By setting aside a time to work together, we all had a great time and are no longer scared of the process!
Sue used a piece of Amy Butler fabric. This pic shows what her fabric looked like before cutting and how some of her blocks turned out.
Diane chose a Kaufman novelty print that is very "Jetsons"-like. She's making this quilt for her husband who likes to read science fiction.
Sarah chose the new Jasmine line of fabric.
I fondled every bolt in the store before making my choice. I ended up picking a Moda fabric depicting moose and woodlands. Not that I'm into mooses, but I liked the colorations of this scenic print. I guess I thought by using a scenic print, I would get more variations of blocks - and I did!
I must say that the whole cutting out thing was much easier than I anticipated. The only rule we broke was that we split our fabric on the fold so that we were only working with a half-width of fabric at a time. We just figured it would be easier than trying to cut a 45" strip of fabric - we wouldn't have to keep moving our mats or our rulers. After I got home last night from running errands, I finished piecing the first half of my blocks
The premise of the layout process is that you use a design wall and putter with your blocks to get your colorations laid out in a pleasing manner. This was my first attempt at throwing the blocks on the wall - I'm not crazy about this layout. But until you see them all together, you don't really know how they're going to flow together. I can see that there are more predominantly blue blocks; when I re-arrange, I think I'll start with the blue blocks towards the center and work outwards with the rest. The other thing I am considering is stopping with this amount of blocks. My best guess is this will make a center approximately 30" x 45" which would turn into a small lap quilt with borders. I can't decide. Do you think I should make the other half of the blocks? All in all, this is a fun quilt to make. My only problem is now I want to whack up all sorts of fabric to see how the blocks will turn out. Just what I need.....another addiction......
posted by Susan @ 2:33 PM
32 Comments:
I like all of these but I think I like the 3rd one made from that floral fabric the best. But then it's red so of course I would. :-)
But yours is great with that scenic print. I would have never know what it started out like if you hadn't showed it. Maybe you would consider using it for the back. That would be a great conversation piece.
There is a lot of room for experimenting with all those colors. I think blue in the centre would be nice. You can tape two little mirrors together to make a right angle and set them on fabric to see how they will kaleidoscope. Saves you having to cut holes in all your fabrics!
Looks just like stack and whack to me. How was this different?
I love these quilts! They are all so cool! Thanks for sharing.
Can you think of any lines of fabric that you have in the store that are chocolate browns and light blues? I am doing a baby quilt in these colors and am drawing a blank. Thanks for your help!
Sarah Norman
These are so much fun to play with. I made some with Laurel Burch fabric, and never got them sewn together because I had so much fun arranging and rearranging the hexagons!
Beautiful, beautiful! I love seeing the original fabrics and resulting blocks.
Thanks for showing the fabric before it was cut up and the blocks. It really helps to visualize what you might end up with. I am anxious to play with some fabrics in my stash to see what I might end up with!
These are great blocks and yes I think you should make up the other half. You chose a great print to get that amount of variety. Arranging your blocks with lighter colours in the centre moving out to darker would look really nice, I think.
They look so fab...so different and it makes me want to grab some fabric and have a go!
They are just stunning! Do you need to cut exactly the same section of fabric for each block?
The woodland fabric was a great choice. It certainly provided a lot of variation. They all look wonderful.
I love this but would like more info Like do you use template?
What a great post. I've never seen photos before of the uncut fabric set next to this type of block. Love all of the choices and you were so right about the scenic working up well. Nancy has a great idea to put the uncut fabric on the back for comparison.
I have this book too. Along with the SNW books and one by Sara Nephew. They all use the same premise of stacking and then cutting but then throw in their own little variables. I do, however, want to make one of these. Thanks for the pics.
I think ALL of you picked some neat fabrics to do this with. :) They look great!
Looking at your finished blocks I noever would have thought moose and forest! Ilike the ides of having the blue in the center or maybe along the top?! Looks like a very addictive process...
What a great projects. That Amy Butler print is one of my favorites, ever! What an interesting pattern it made.
Nice blocks. These blocks remind of Stack and Wack! I've never made one of those but have seen others work on one! Thanks for sharing and happy quilting!
I would never have chosen the landscape fabric but after seeing the result, I am glad you did. It looks awesome. I would make some more blocks if only to get even more variations! I think that method coud become addictive or am I wrong there?! Take care.
I am glad you posted a variety of quilts--shows the possiblities with different fabrics.
Thanks!
These are very cool!!
I got that book from the library, but haven't gotten a chance to look at it yet. All these blocks are so beautiful. It looks like they would match and go well together in one quilt!
What a smart idea to use a landscape print for your fabric. You're right, you have such a variety. You could make two quilts, or make a double sided one, if you have too many blocks.
I've done a stack and whack that was square. I see many more of these in my future.
Yep...looks like Stack N Wack to me too...
I just started sewing my hexagons together based on this book. It's great to see what other people are doing with this technique. Thanks!
I have made several quilt tops with this method. I love it! If you are nervous about designing this is a great first step. Once you get started, your creative juices just get going.
I'm starting my first one tonight. Yours is really great colors -- who'd a thunk it from that moose fabric? but it's gorgeous! hope you finish all the blocks! thanks for sharing!
It's so great to see the examples of the fabric, none of the other One Block Wonder sites/blogs I've checked out have done that. The quilting club I belong to at work is going to do a two day OBW class and I've been stressing about choosing a fabric that will really give the kaleidescope effect. Thanks!!!
Kaffe fabrics turn out wonderful too, I've been working on mine this past week, and its is so exciting to anticipate the outcome!
These are great. I'd also love to see a very subtle print done with only a few colors in the original fabric. When cutting out the hexagons from the original fabric, I'm wondering how hard it is to "leave out" sections of color you don't want in the final quilt.
Great post - the group I belong to are having a one block wonder tutorial day in a few weeks, your images of the fabrics before & after being cut have been a huge help to us in trying to select our fabrics. Thanks, can't wait to get started!
I've made several quilts from this process and it is addictive. Once you start sewing blocks you can't stop as you want to see what the next block will look like - and the next and the next! Another wonderful designer of fabrics for this project is Alexander Henry. I'm already planning another one. B J Berlo
I've been making these One Block Wonder blocks for a couple of years now. I just love them - they are very addictive so beware once you start you just can't stop making more. I LOVE THEM!
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