In Our Garden Blog Hop - August Blocks, It's My Month!!

 

Wow!  You've made it past the halfway point of the hop and today I have the pleasure of sharing my blocks with you...

But first, I want to thank all the great sponsors who have been so gracious in sponsoring our hop. 

This month the hop is sponsored by Riley Blake.

They provided this pretty fabric called Calico Days by designer Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet that I used to create my blocks as well as a giveaway for those who are going to sew-along with us in a linky party later this month.

The other wonderful sponsor for this month is the  Fat Quarter Shop who is also providing a giveaway on this post!

 

Be sure to leave a comment on this post on what your favorite gardening task is to be entered in the drawing for the FQS gift certificate.  We will pick a winner on August 15th!

Giveaway Closed!!

Now, let's get to my blocks for August...

Block 1 is a "Churny" Flower
I love a good churn dash so I made my block with that type of construction but a coloration and scale to represent a posy...

 To make this block I used:
2   5" squares of background (white)
2   5" squares green print
4   2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles background (white)
2   2 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles blue plaid
2   4" x 4 1/2" rectangles blue plaid
2   1 1/2" x 2" rectangles blue plaid
1   1 1/2" x 1 1/2" square yellow

To construct the half square triangles for the corners, I took the two pairs of 5 inch squares, placed them right sides together green against white and drew a line from corner to corner.  Then I sewed a quarter inch from either side of the marked line and cut on the marked line. This gave me four half square triangles slightly oversized which I pressed then trimmed to 4 1/2".

 Next, I arranged the pieces into my flower as shown below:

 Then I sewed the pairs of rectangles and the center rectangles and square together as shown below:

 It is now time to assemble the 3 columns...each should measure 4 1/2" x 12 1/2" at this point

 And finally, sew the columns together to produce the "Churny" Flower block which measures 12 1/2" x 12 1/2"

 Here is the back to show how I pressed the seams, feel free to press them open if you like to achieve a flatter block.

 
My second block is called Trowel Time! 
It is an applique block.  I used fusible machine applique on my sample.

Here is the link for the pattern on Craftsy for you to make your own Trowel Time block.


My favorite method of machine applique is fusible applique and I like to use a black thread to outline the shapes, I think it makes it look like a child's drawing.  You are welcome to use your favorite style of applique whether it is a button hole stitch or a zigzag or even needleturn...you will need to add a seam allowance if you wish to needleturn by hand.  

The pattern has not been reversed but is easy to place on a lightbox or against a window to trace if you would like it going the direction I have it on my model...it would look equally good facing the other direction though!!

Here are my versions of prior blocks and the future designers from this QAL as well as the links used to find them:
 

Month 1 February
Amy – Sew Incredibly Crazy

Block #1 and Block #2 from Amy's design, you can find the patterns by visiting her blog.

March
Carol – Just Let Me Quilt 

Blocks 3 & 4 are designed by Carol and you can find the patterns here.

 

April 

Doris – Quilting Queen Online

They are designed by Doris  of Quilting Queen Online and you can find the patterns here.

May

Carla – Creatin’ in the Sticks

 June
Sue – Super Mom No Cape

 

July
Joan – Moosestash Quilting

August
Kris – Kris Loves Fabric <---Me!!

September
Pat – Life in the Scrapatch

October
Vicki – More Stars in Comanche

November
Lana – It Seams to be Sew

December
Jan - Sew and Sow Farm

January

Amy – Sew Incredibly Crazy– Final Blocks and wrap up

You can also join the Facebook group if you like and share your blocks and/or see what everyone else is making.

CLICK HERE

 Reminder: Be sure to leave a comment on this post on what your favorite gardening task is to be entered in the drawing for the FQS gift certificate.  We will pick a winner on August 15th!

Giveaway Closed!!