November 2014 - Lottery Block 'Kaleidoscope'

Welcome to the ECMQG October 2014 Block Lottery!

If you are new to the group, or our blog, you can read the general Block Lottery details here, as well as see previous blocks (with instructions or tutorials) and past winners.  As always, please read through the entire instructions before cutting and sewing.

What is this month's color palette?  Think of those yummy peppermint candies, with the bold red and pure white colors.

As you sort through your scraps and stash, pull red and white print fabrics.  Your background fabric will be white - Kona, Moda, or another quilt shop quality pure white solid. 

The block we are going to make can be found here, courtesy of Marcia Hohn .  

It is a 6.5" unfinished paper-pieced block. 

**To participate, you must make four individual blocks and join them into a 12.5" unfinished block.' 

Click here for the template.  

• Print four sets of templates.  There are two pieces to each 6.5" block.
• Check the test square.  It should be 1" (or 1 and 1/16").  Anything larger or smaller will create an incorrect sized block.
• Mark spaces numbered 2 & 5 (I just make an X) for your red and white print fabrics.
• Spaces numbered 1, 3, 4, & 6 are for the white solid fabric.
• Once you've sewn your fabrics to the template, trim to the outside seam allowance.  This is the ONLY time you'll need to trim your blocks.  
• Remove the paper.  Sew the two halves together to make one 6.5" unfinished block.
• Repeat three more times.
• Press and starch your blocks.
• Sew two 6.5" blocks together, pressing seams open.
• Repeat with the remaining two 6.5" blocks.  Again, press seams open.
• Sew these "double" blocks together to make one, 12.5" unfinished Peppermint Candy block.  Press seams open. 

Resources for paper piecing, if you need a refresher, can be found with just a quick search engine inquiry.  I like Marcia's step-by-step lesson and this video from Jennifer Mathis of Ellison Lane.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Have fun sewing!

xoxo,  Kira

ECMQG Block Lottery Coordinator 

F8 Rainbow Solids Swap

Our November ECMQG fabric swap will be a Fat Eighth Rainbow {Solids} Swap!  

Quilting with solids has become a huge trend in modern quilting, but accumulating a good selection of quality solid color fabrics can sometimes be frustrating and expensive.  Our Fat Eighth Solids Swap will help you stash a decent sized selection without the frustration and expense.

Hadley Coordinating Solids Bundle - photo courtesy of Westwood Acres Fabric

What is a Fat Eighth?

A fat eighth (FE or F8) is one eighth of a yard of fabric, or a yard of fabric cut into eight equal pieces. Traditionally, this long narrow cut from the fold line to the selvage, resulted in 8 strips measuring 4-1/2" x 44".  

Like the Fat Quarter, quilters changed the cutting dimensions of of that same yard of fabric to be both more useful by doubling the width and halving the length and ended up with a piece 9" x 22", and called it a Fat Eighth.  A fat eighth has so many more possibilities for quilting than a long, skinny 1/8 yard piece.

Modern quilters still found this cut too confining, and realized by changing the cutting dimensions yet again, shorter fatter pieces were even more user friendly.   

This newer cut, still a FE or F8, and hugely popular with modern quilters is sized at 11" x 18" or 10.5" x 18" (after selvages are removed).   

The Rules

If you wish to participate, here is what you need to do:

1.  Purchase one yard of Kona by Robert Kaufman.  Please do not choose other brands.   As we decided at the meeting Saturday, this is a NO NEUTRALS swap.  Some possible sources for your fabric might be:

Pensacola's A&E Pharmacy, both Lynn's and The Sewing Center Around the Block in Fort Walton Beach, Margie's in Crestview, as well as many online retailers - Pink Chalk Fabrics, Fat Quarter Shop, Fabric dot com, eQuilter, Intrepid Thread, Fabricworm, etc.  Some even have ALL 303 colors!!! 

NOTE:  Joann's and Hobby Lobby both carry a limited selection of Kona colors.  Should you choose to purchase from a big box store, be sure what you're buying is authentic Kona.  Their store brands are of a much lower quality and are unacceptable for swapping.

2 - You may swap up to three yards of fabric.

3.  Cut your fabric.  

4.  Place your cut fabric in a zip top bag labeled with your name.  If you're swapping more than one yard, place each color in a SEPARATE bag.  

***For this solids swap ONLY, label the selvage of each piece with the color name or color number.  

5.   During the November 8th meeting, leave your labeled bag(s) on the swap table for sorting and distribution.  

6.  At the the conclusion of our meeting, pick up your bag(s), each containing a colorful rainbow of quality solid fabrics.

7.  With 303 colors from which to choose, we will not have a sign-up requirement.  However, if you'd like to post in these comments, or on our Facebook page, the colors you select, please do so.  

Additionally, if you're one of those I-want-all-of-it types and plan on swapping two or three yards, please mix it up and choose a variety of colors!  For example, rather than choose three blues, choose a blue, a pink, and an orange.  Just don't bring fabrics that are neutral - whites, beiges, grays.

  

Cutting Modern Fat Eighths

1.  Press your fabric to remove the center crease.  Do not remove the selvages.

2.  Rotary cut your fabric lengthwise through the center.   This results in two pieces, each measuring approximately 22" x 36".

3.  Cut each 22" x 36" piece in half again lengthwise.  This gives you four pieces, each measuring 11" x 36".  

NOTE:  Solid fabrics are sometimes milled to wider widths than prints.  Be sure to measure the width and cut equal quarters.

4.  Cut each 11" x 36" piece in half crosswise.  This gives you eight pieces, each measuring 11" x 18".  A modern fat eighth.  


As always, if you have questions regarding the swap, or this tutorial, you can email me at wendimihalik at yahoo dot com.

This is going to be a super fun swap!

Wendi Mihalik
ECMQG Swap Captain