Rectangles and Squares

This is a very simple top - and depending on the chosen colours, can look either very scrappy, like the one above, or more controlled. (Like the ones we made for the block lotto in June 2011).  The nice thing about this pattern is that there's no given size for the block - you can make it in whatever size you need to suit your scraps.

The basic block is two squares and one rectangle the size of the two joined squares. These were, I think, 2.5" squares, which means the rectangle was 2.5x4.5.  But you could go bigger (or smaller) and of course you could control the colours more - for instance, make the two squares in the same two colours and the rectangle a third colour. Or make the squares scrappy and the rectangles a consistent neutral. Or whatever.

What is uses: 2.5" squares, 2.5" strips (or other size squares and strips as desired)

Criss-crosses

This is a variation on the stained glass crossed-nine-patch block - here I started with a plain block, I think I used a 6.5" block but it might have been slightly different - and anyway, it doesn't really matter.  

It's very simple to do - you take a plain block and two (or one longer) strip in your chosen width - these were 2" strips, or possible 2.25".  Then you make a slice across the block at a bit of an angle - the more extreme your angles are, a) the harder it will be to match your crosses in step two and b) the smaller block you may end up with, due to trimming - once the block is sliced, you insert the strip and sew the block back up.  Then, you turn the block 90 degrees and do it again.  This is very quick to do, particularly if you aren't too fussy about completely matching the crosses in the second step.

What it uses: strips of any width

Peaches and Dreams....

From a free Judy Laquidara pattern.

What it uses: larger scraps, 2.5" strips, 1.5" strips, 2" strips

Modified Nine Patch

What it uses:

1.5" squares or 4.5" squares or 5" squares

1.5" strips

This block finishes at about 5" - you could, of course, start with a bigger square size...

Boxed-in batiks

What it uses up: 2.5" squares

You could use this pattern with any colour or theme of 2.5" squares - and of course, you wouldn't have to use black for the sashing between the sections. I saw it originally on the So Scrappy blog, in blue and white - as you can see, a totally different look - but equally good. Unlimited possibilities!

Squares and Rectangles

What it uses up:

• 2.5" squares,
• 2.5"x5" rectangles (i.e. half a "nickel" piece)

OR any combination of squares and rectangles where the square is half the size of the rectangle

Easy block to do - plan to create a square from three pieces - a rectangle, which is half the width of the desired square (plus seam allowance), and two square, each of which is half the size of the rectangle (plus seam allowance).

For instance, you'd like some 6" (finished) blocks. Rectangle size: 3.5x6.5"; square size, 3.5"

Or if you want to make 8" (finished) blocks, rectangle size 4.5x8.5"; square size, 4.5"

The block construction is so simple, I don't think I even need to tell you how to go about it!

Log Cabin Corners

Small Log Cabin Corner Quilt

What scraps it uses up:

• 2 inch squares (1 per block)
• 4 inch squares (1 per block)
• 5 inch squares (1 per block)

alternatively, you can use 2" strips you might have, or of course, you can always use fabric which is bigger in size than what I list - you just can't use anything smaller!

For each block cut

• one 2" square for the cornerstone (white in my block)
• one 2" square and one 2x3.5" rectangle in the same fabric (you can cut these from a 4" square)
• one 2.3.5" rectangle and one 2x5" rectangle in the same fabric (you can cut these from a 5" square)

For the setting triangles:

The setting squares could be scrappy but will probably look better if they are the same fabric all around. For this number of blocks I used (32) you will need

• 14 QST triangles (cut a 7.75" square in half diagonally twice) [i.e. 4x 7.75" squares]
• 4 HST triangles (cut a 5.5" square in half once) [2 x 5.5" squares]

Personally, I am probably going to put a narrow border in the same fabric around it, so the top floats a bit, but you don't have to!