Block Inspo

 

This interesting block was on the donation quilts table at the most recent BAMQ meeting and it's been on my mind ever since. I wish I'd measured it, but it was a pretty big block, I'm guessing it was somewhere between 12.5 to 14.5" square or so with the individual squares probably 2.5". I tried researching the block to see if there were examples and found something similar called Grandma's Windows, but it wasn't quite the same thing. 

I am not that much of a quilt block detective so I soon gave up as the block looked fairly easy to assemble on my own without a pattern. Instead of cutting out a bunch of 2.5" squares, I decided to use one of the charm packs I've been hoarding for no certain purpose. This was the purpose it turned out!

If you're counting, that's 36 squares. These are pretty cute fabrics, but not really my style so they're perfect for this experiment.

For the smaller sashing I guessed that it was probably .75"and the larger sashing 1". How funny, as I was writing this I noticed that friend Jaye also posted just yesterday about the very same block, GMTA* and all that. She thought the sashing might be 5/8" and 3/4". So...I ddi a little test sewing some extra squares together using the two sashing combinations. Yes I wrote the sashing widths on the selvedges ends.

I thought the .75"and 1" sashing looked about right, so I went with that choice as it's easier to measure and manage. I wasn't too worried about the fabric placement, but I like the idea of the four corners being the darker solids and I just didn't want too many similar patterns right next to each other.

I sewed the squares to the smaller sized sashing.

I pressed open, then sewed the matching square from the pair on the other side of the sashing lining up the edges of the squares.

I cut those apart and then sewed them on the long side to the crossways sashing. And repeated on the other side of the sashing, making sure to line up the seams.

I cut them apart into squares and pressed them. I think it's looking pretty great. Onto sashing #2 tomorrow.

*GMTA=Great Minds Think Alike