Category: Block of the Month

Announcements · Block of the Month · Blog · Charity · IEMQG Meeting · Show and Share · Upcoming Meeting

May Meeting Recap

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WE HAD A SEW DAY!

If you missed our sew day, don’t worry. We had so much fun, we’re already planning another. We met Saturday morning at 10 am, and our beloved President, Candy Scott, brought us boxes and boxes of free remnant fabric for charity quilts straight from the Robert Kaufman Co. warehouse. If you would like to take free fabric to make charity quilts, make sure you send us a picture of your finished quilt.

Treasurer, Gayle Bennett, inspired us with some amazing scrappy quilt ideas, and we all dove right in, sorting fabrics and cutting strips for scrap quilts. Don’t worry, there’s still some fabric left. It will be available at our June meeting.

April Meeting

Programs Vice President, Laura Green showed us loads of Wedge Quilt inspiration to motivate us for our July Modern Wedge Challenge Reveal. She also showed us how to construct a set-in circle. If you missed it or if you need a review, click here or go to YouTube and search for Christina Cameli Set-in Circle.

To learn more about our the Modern Wedge Quilt Challenge click here.

Ector Simpson, from Mizell Senior Center in Palm Springs, spoke to us about participating in the Aids Quilt project. This is the project’s 37th anniversary, and to continue to call attention to HIV/AIDs, Ector is working with the founders to bring quilt panels to Palm Springs. He is also encouraging local quilters to make panels.

Panels can be made to remember someone who has been lost to Aids or to celebrate a survivor. Panels must be completed by October 15, 2023.

Stay tuned for more information.

We’re having a Yard Sale! Guild Members, Christine Sharpe and Kate McCarthy are organizing the event which will be held on June 17th from 8 am to noon.

Please donate items by bringing them to our June meeting. Please only bring items in good condition. Unsold items will be donated.

This is a fundraiser for our guild. Fundraisers help us pay for workshops and speakers and also help to keep our dues low.

Block of the Month

Here is our May Block of the Month. You may make it in any size and with any color palette. For more details, ideas, and tutorials visit our 2023 BOM page right here.

June Meeting: SUNDAY June 4th – Save the Date!!!

Don’t miss our June meeting on SUNDAY, June 4th! Veruschka Zarate will be with us live at a new location: D’Andre Lampkin Foundation, 2151 E. Convention Center Way, Suite 210, Ontario CA. Please bring a canned food donation.

Veruschka was the 2022 QuiltCon Viewer’s Choice winner and best piecing winner for her quilt titled “Love Quilt”. Veruschka was inspired to make this award winning quilt following a disappointing quilting – related setback. In her own words, “this piece developed much like a Phoenix from the ashes.” Click here to learn more about Veruschka.

Show and Share

Our talented members never disapoint!

Announcements

  • It’s never too late to become a 2023 member: The cost is $45 and includes one book of Opportunity Quilt raffle tickets. Go to Members’ Corner or email us at iemodernquiltguild.@gmail.com for more information.
  • Sign-up for our 2023 Retreat: November 6-9th at Vina de Lestonnac. Total cost is $445, and includes four nights and all meals. Deposit of $100 required. Go to Members’ Corner for more information.
  • Drop-in Sew via Zoom: May 22nd, 7 – 9pm. Zoom Link goes out on the Sunday before.
  • SUNDAY, June 4th Guild Meeting at NEW LOCATION: D’Andre Lampkin Foundation, 2151 E. Convention Center Way, Suite 210 Ontario, CA. Guest Speaker Veruschka Zarate
  • Saturday June, 17th Yard Sale: Bring donated items to June 4th meeting.
  • Saturday, July 1st Meeting: Modern Wedge Challenge Reveal. Get the details here.
  • Long Beach Quilt Festival: July 6th – 8th. Get more information here.
Announcements · Block of the Month · Blog · IEMQG Meeting Recap · Quilt Challenge · Quilting Retreat

April Meeting Recap

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Guest Speaker Debi Gardner

This month our Guest Speaker was IEMQG Member, Debi Gardner. She shared her journey into modern quilting and many of the beautiful quilts she has made along the way. Debi can do it all; appliqué, English paper piecing, improv, tiny piecing, art quilts…

You name it, she has given it a try, and regardless of the method, her quilts are stunning. Her use of color and contrast are outstanding. Thank you, Debi, for sharing your quilts with us.

Block of the Month

Here is our April Block of the Month. You may make it in any size and with any color palette. For more details, ideas, and tutorials visit our 2023 BOM page here.

May 6th Meeting

In May we are meeting at a new location, SSgt. Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanca Library, 2985 Madison St, Riverside, CA 925043.

We are having a Sit and Sew event in the morning beginning at 10 am. Our meeting starts at 2 pm. Laura Green will be our program speaker and she plans to have lots of Modern Wedge Inspiration to kick start our Modern Wedge Challenge. Get the challenge details here. Be sure to bring your sewing machine, sewing supplies and a small project to work on. Maybe you’ll want to bring your wedge project!

Evolving Threads heads to International Quilt Festival!

Evolving Threads is a group of IEMQG members and friends who have started a monthly 12″ x 12″ quilt challenge with the goals of camaraderie and artistic growth. Every month the members individually create original mini quilts inspired by a prompt. They then meet to share their work. Evolving Threads applied for an opportunity to exhibit their work at the International Quilt Festival – Long Beach, July 6th – 8th, and they were accepted! Congratulations to Evolving Threads!

Show and Share

Announcements

  • It’s not too late to become a 2023 member. The cost is $45 and includes one book of Opportunity Quilt raffle tickets. Go to Members’ Corner or email us at iemodernquiltguild.@gmail.com for more information.
  • Sign-up for our 2023 Retreat, November 6-9th at Vina de Lestonnac. Total cost is $445, and includes four nights and all meals. Deposit of $100 required. Go to Members’ Corner for more information.
  • Drop-in Sew via Zoom. April 10th and 24th, 7 – 9pm. Zoom Link goes out on the Sunday before.
  • May 6th Guild Meeting at NEW LOCATION, Casa Blanca Library. Bring your sewing machine and supplies for Sit and Sew at 10 am. Meeting starts at 2 pm.
  • Saturday, July 1st Meeting: Modern Wedge Challenge Reveal. Get the details here.
Block of the Month · Blog · IEMQG Meeting Recap · Important Dates · Quilts from our Members

March Meeting Recap

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March is National Quilting Month and March 18th is National Quilting Day. Find ways to celebrate our craft like hanging your quilts proudly in your home or even outside! Make a charity quilt! Share your quilting skills with quilty friends! Let us know how you are celebrating National Quilting Day. Share with us on Facebook and Instagram.

This month we started the celebration by revealing our members’ 2022 Block-of-the-Month quilts, reviewing QuiltCon and enjoying some fantastic Show and Share items from our talented members. It’s all summarized right here so you don’t have to miss anything. Make sure and read all the way to the end so you don’t miss any important announcements.

2022 Block-of-the-Month

The 2022 Block of the Month program was designed and lead by member Evelyn Rienstra. She was inspired by Los Angeles mid century modern architecture like that of the “Hollywood Metro Apartments” that mimic the art of Dutch painter Piet Mondrian. All 12 of Evelyn’s block patterns are available on Members Corner. See below how each quilter infused their own artistic style into their finished quilts and quilt tops. Isn’t it amazing that each of these quilts came from the same set of block patterns?

QuiltCon Review

IEMQG member, Michelle Nichols presented a review of the quilts at QuiltCon 2023 in Atlanta, GA. She noted that a big trend this year was the use of colored quilting thread to enhance the the color and texture of quilts.

IEMQG member, Carl Brown had his quilt, “New Beginnings” juried into QuiltCon in the Small Quilts division. Congratulations, Carl!

To see more of the quilts from from QuiltCon be sure to visit the MQG website and follow #quiltcon2023 on Instagram.

March Block of the Month

Here is our Block of the Month. You may make it any size and with any color palette. For more details visit our 2023 BOM page here.

Show and Share

Announcements

  • It’s not too late to become a 2023 member. The cost is $45 and includes one book of Opportunity Quilt raffle tickets. Go to Members’ Corner or email us at iemodernquiltguild.@gmail.com for more information.
  • Sign-ups have started for our 2023 Retreat, November 6-9th at Vina de Lestonnac. Total cost is $445, and includes four nights and all meals. Deposit of $100 required. Go to Members’ Corner for more information.
  • Drop-in Sew via Zoom. Link goes out the Sunday before. March 13th and 27th, 7 – 9pm.
  • Free online classes hosted by Latifa Saafir 7 ways to use a clammy Sign up now. Classes begin March 20th
  • Saturday April 1st Meeting, Arlanza Library and on Zoom. Guest Speaker IEMQG member Debi Gardner.
  • Sunday June 4th Meeting: Guest Speaker, Veruschka Zarate of Pride and Joy Quilting.
  • Saturday, July 1st Meeting: Modern Wedge Challenge Reveal. Get the details here.
  • Fabric of a Nation Exhibit at Skirball Cultural Center now through March 12, 2023. Reservation may be required. Click here for more Info.
Block of the Month · Blog · IEMQG Meeting Recap · Important Dates · Quilts from our Members

February Meeting Recap

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We had record attendance at our meeting this month, about 20 people in person and 20 on zoom! It was so much fun to see everyone. We had several new members in attendance and some guests as well. Our speaker, Carolina Oneto, was a real treat! Carolina is a wife, mother, civil/industrial engineer, and an award winning modern quilter who has immersed herself in the study of the principals of art. She is well know for her colorful quilts and she gave us a terrific lecture on “The Power of Color.” She overwhelmed us with beautiful examples of color inspiration and she shared how color can be used to influence the elements and principles of art. She graciously provided us with an outline of her presentation. Members can access it in Member’s Corner on our website.

Did you miss the meeting? Do you need an overview of upcoming activities? No worries. We have all the details below!

February Block of the Month

Here is our Block of the Month. You may make it any size and with any color palette. Although we are only making one block (left), it’s fun to see the versatility of this block. For more details visit our 2023 BOM page here.

February Block
February Block Tiled
February Block Rotated and Tiled

2023 Opportunity Quilt

Can you help us sell raffle tickets for our Opportunity Quilt fund raiser? If you attend other guild meetings, please consider asking if you can take our quilt to your meeting and sell tickets. This quilt is so beautiful, that the tickets practically sell themselves! For more information about the quilt go to the 2023 Opportunity Quilt page on our website here.

March Meeting

Our March Meeting will be via Zoom and in person at Arlanza Library. We will have our 2022 Block of the Month reveal. Its not too late to participate. All 12 block patterns are available in Member’s Corner . They sew together quickly, and you only need to bring a finished quilt top to participate. Also, If you would like to donate your quilt top to charity, bring us your backing and binding and we will finish your quilt. Just make sure your backing is 8″ longer and 8″ wider than your quilt top. Each donation to charity gets you an entry into the end-of-year raffle basket drawing. We will also have a guest speaker at our March meeting. Ector Simpson, of Mizell Senior Center will speak to us about the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.

Announcements

  • 2023 Membership dues are now due. The cost is $45 and includes one book of Opportunity Quilt raffle tickets. Go to Members’ Corner for more information.
  • Sign-ups have started for our 2023 Retreat, November 6-9th at Vina de Lestonnac. Total cost is $445, and includes four nights and all meals. Deposit of $100 required. Go to Members’ Corner for more information.
  • Drop-in Sew: on Zoom. Link goes out the Sunday before. February 13th and 27th, 7 – 9pm.
  • QuiltCon is February 22nd – 26th in Atlanta Georgia. If you can’t attend, follow the hashtag #quiltcon2023 for updates.
  • Saturday March 4th Meeting: 2022 BOM Reveal and guest speaker for NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.
  • Sunday June 4th Meeting: Guest Speaker, Veruschka Zarate of Pride and Joy Quilting.
  • Saturday, July 1st Meeting: Modern Wedge Challenge Reveal. Get the details here.
  • Fabric of a Nation Exhibit at Skirball Cultural Center now through March 12, 2023. Reservation may be required. Click here for more Info.

Show and Share

Announcements · Block of the Month · IEMQG Meeting Recap · Important Dates · Quilt Challenge · Show and Share

January Meeting Recap

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We had a very well attended January meeting. What a great way to begin the new year! Our president, Candy Scott started the meeting off with some important announcements. She was followed by an introduction to our 2023 Block of the Month program by member, TriciaWilliams. Next we saw many fantastic show and share items from our talented members. Program Vice President’s Laura Green and Jennifer Boling wrapped it up with a fun, informative, and interactive workshop on modern wedges. Following the workshop they announced our first challenge of 2023 – the Modern Wedge Challenge!

Did you miss the meeting? Do you need a brief review? Then read on because we’re have all the details right here!

Announcements

  • 2023 Membership dues are now due. The cost is $45 and includes one book of Opportunity Quilt raffle tickets. Go to Members’ Corner for more information.
  • Sign-ups have started for our 2023 Retreat, November 6-9th at Vina de Lestonnac. Total cost is $410, and includes four nights and all meals. Deposit of $100 required. Go to Members’Corner for more information.
  • Drop-in Sew: on Zoom. Link goes out the Sunday before. January 9th and 23rd, 7 – 9pm.
  • Saturday, February 4th Meeting: Guest speaker Carolina Oneto
  • Saturday March 4th Meeting: 2022 BOM Reveal. Have at least a quilt top to show.
  • Sunday June 4rd Meeting: Guest Speaker, Veruschka Zarate of Pride and Joy Quilting
  • Saturday, July 1st Meeting: Wedge Challenge Reveal
  • Fabric of a Nation Exhibit at Skirball Cultural Center now through March 12, 2023. Click here for more Info

2023 Block of the Month

Guild member Tricia Williams kicked off our program with Half Square Triangles (HST’s). This year each block will be made with 16 same-sized HST’s. This modern take on a sampler quilt was designed by Omaha Modern Quilt Guild Member, Stephanie Jacobson and is used with her permission. Members will need a total of 192 same-sized HST’s. The size of the finished quilt will depend on the size of the HST’s each member chooses to make, and whether or not sashing is used. There are plenty of ways to make HST’s and we will share some of them on the Block of the Month page here. Check out the page for all the details, some inspiration, and some helpful tutorials.

Modern Wedge Challenge

Put on your thinking caps and your Machingers and join our 2023 quilt challenge, “Wedges”. Grab your 9°, 10°, 15°, 45° or whatever size wedge you have and create! We will show off our quilts at the July 2023 meeting. For the rules and other helpful information, check out our our 2023 Challenge page.

Show and Share

Our talent members had quilt a variety of work to impress us with!

Block of the Month · Quilts from our Members

Can you say Red? White? Blue?

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We’re excited to have some more quilts to share with you. We asked for redwhiteblue, or red or white or blue, or any combination of these colors, and it’s been fun to see them come in. They do not have to be patriotic, and we also encouraged you to send in photos of bags, totes, zip cases — in other words — small makes in these colors would be fun to see, too.

Small Make Title: Mini Double-Pocket Bag
Maker: Elizabeth Eastmond

Elizabeth writes: I was perfecting my new pattern for the Mini Double-Pocket Bag, and thought about our RWB makes on this blog. And after the sheep baa-ed at me, I knew I had to use these fabrics. Red, white and blue is always cheery.

Maker: Laura Greene
Quilt Title: Symbol of Freedom
Dimensions: 24″ × 72″
Machine Pieced and Quilted in March 2020

I wanted a quilt that would fit my wall space. It needed to be simple yet modern. I marked the eagle and hearts on meltaway stabilizer on the back use free -motion quilting. I used stencils and a frixion pen to mark the red and white stripes for quilting.

Maker: Debi Gardner
Title: Red, white, and blue table runner

I made this for the top of my buffet. The pattern is in a quilting magazine. I can’t remember which one, though. [Note: This is the Arrow Points quilt block by Nancy Page, 1920-1940.]

Quilt name: Chuck’s Quilt
Quilt Maker: Pat Klassen
Size: 20″ x 32″
My son has a cat named Chuck who sleeps on his pillow every day which was taking a toll on his pillow. So I had these scraps of War planes and patriotic fabric and turned it into a wonderful little quilt Chuck could sleep on.

Quilt Title: Azulejos
Quilt Maker: Elizabeth Eastmond
Quilt by: Cathy Kreter
Dimension: 63″ x 76″

This quilt is based on a tile seen in Lisbon, Portugal, when we visited a couple of years ago.

This last quilt was added in to show you that your quilt doesn’t have to be a patriotic quilt, or even an equal mix of the three colors. Send us your quilts with red, white, blue, or any mix or combo of the three hues.

Housekeeping: We’ve posted the newest Board Minutes up on the Minutes Tab, above. And our VPs of Programs were able to get more Zoom Meeting Dates for us for the rest of this year. They will show on the right in Calendar, but please do mark them on your calendars:

• Saturday, August 1 (submit your Show and Shares by July 29th, to iemodernquiltguild@gmail.com) In addition, please submit photos of your MQGuild Block of the Month Strawberry Blocks. (see info below)
• Saturday, September 5
• Saturday, October 3
• Saturday, November 7
• Saturday, December 5 — our Christmas party
Please submit your Show and Shares by the Wednesday before the meeting.

We’d like to encourage you to take advantage of the resources available on the national Modern Quilt Guild website, so to do that, we’re asking you to create a Block of the Month along with them. Laura writes that the July Block of the Month comes from The Modern Quilt Guild website, and was highlighted during our meeting. The strawberry block pattern, which was designed by Sarah Flynn, can be downloaded from the Modern Quilt Guild, after you log on as a member. Here are some of her creations:

And now for two creations from our guild:

Michelle Nicols, one of our members, is well on her way to making this table mat.
Inspired by Nicole, Laura made a table runner of strawberry blocks.

Head over to the Modern Quilt Guild national site, log on and download your free pattern. Send photos of your blocks to our guild email, and at our meeting in August, Laura will coordinate a slide show of strawberry block creations.

from here

Since next week is a holiday weekend, we’ll be taking a break with our next post on July 13, 2020. We hope you have a great 4th of July! Wear your quilty masks! Practice physical distancing! Enjoy some time celebrating our country’s Day of Independence! And submit your REDWHITEBLUE makes and quilts! The show continues through the month of July.

Block of the Month · Blog

Block Lotto • March 2020

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Simone has a new block for us to try, and she writes: “The block’s name comes from the drunkard’s path shape. Since the block is raw edge appliqued and there’s the bonus geometric shape in the lower corner I’m calling it Drunkish. It’s kind of like a drunkards path, but it also has some other features.” She has quite a few photos showing us how to make the block *here.* And has provided us a pattern on her blog, so head over there to download it.

Please make your blocks in three analogous colors: blue, blue-green & green.

NOTE: Because of meeting cancellations and library closures due to the COVID-19 disease, we are putting a hold on Block Lotto. We will let you know when to make and bring them, so for now, enjoy using this pattern for your own use.

I pulled together an array of the three specified colors and starching, stitching and playing:

Congratulations to Jan, our Block Lotto winner for March:

Block Lotto · Block of the Month

October 2018 Block Lotto – Witches Hat

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This month’s block is Witches Hat, but was originally called ‘Triangles 4 Fun’.  You’ll start by printing out the one-page pattern to show the cutting diagram here. The rest of the instructions are found below for constructing your triangle block!  Happy Triangles!

You SHOULD spray and iron your fabric before cutting triangles; as you can see – I didn’t.

Align the print triangle fabric “down” ¼” from the point of the background triangle (yellow fabric).

After the first ¼” seam is sewn, align the points of the background triangles and stitch the second side,

After pressing – like a good quilter – you’ll have this.  Square up this module to 7 ½” wide X 6 ¼” high.

Add the 1 ¾” strip at the bottom to complete the square. Re-trim for a 7 ½” block.

Block Lotto · Block of the Month

August Block Lotto – Square in a Square

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August 2018 Block Lotto Challenge

Improv Square in a Square

This month’s challenge is inspired by a Pinterest post I can no longer locate.  I’m sure no one has EVER had that happen before!!

The quilt was composed simply of an improv square in square blocks. No sashing, no repeating pattern, no color theme – it was stunning.  This month’s challenge is going to be that quilt!

Create an 8 ½” square in a square block. The “inside” square can be any solid (or, reads solid).  I used up some scraps and leftover squares from another quilt. The “outside” square should be a light neutral/white/beige. I used improv techniques for several of mine – again – just to use up odds and ends from my stash.

The inside square can be ANYWHERE in the square! You can put it in the middle, on the edge, in a corner. Make it big, make it small, on point. Have fun with it.

Bring your squares to our August 4th meeting and let’s see who wins!

Block Lotto · Block of the Month

July Block Lotto – Wonky House

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Wonky House Tutorial

Block measures 12.5″ square
Seam allowances are 1/4″ but don’t need to be perfect
Press seams to the side that is darker
I suggest you read through all the steps first before beginning

You will need at least four prints for the house, roof, door and windows (more for additional windows, chimney, etc.), a background fabric and a green print for the grass.

I find it extremely helpful to mark off the finished block size on my cutting mat with painter’s tape.  This helps to keep proportions accurate and ensures you don’t cut anything too small!!

BEFORE YOU START CUTTING, REMEMBER – CUT YOUR PIECES BIGGER THAN THEY NEED TO BE AND THEN TRIM THEM TO SIZE.  YOU CAN ALWAYS TRIM DOWN, BUT YOU CAN’T ADD FABRIC BACK!!

Looking at the final block picture above, you will see that it is basically three sections – the base, the house body and the roof.  Begin by cutting the base 13″ long and at least 4″ wide.

For the house body, it is easier to cut the door and window first and then “fill in” the area around them with the house pieces. They can be trimmed and adjusted as you go, but you don’t want a door or window that is too small or too big so I start with them. I like to cut the roof triangle now so I can “see” how it is going to come together.

These measurements are a good starting point, yours may be different. I like to start with straight edges and I trim them at angles later.

Now cut the house pieces.  Using the picture as a guide, cut a piece for below the window, between the door and the window, the right side, the left side, and the top.  Remember to cut them too big and trim as you go.

The numbers indicate the order to sew them together.

To make it wonky, trim the angled edges as you go.

To make your angled edges match before sewing, cut one piece to the desired angle, and then use a clear ruler to cut the second piece.  In the picture below, I first cut the blue door piece at an angle. Then I placed the red piece next to it – straight.  I placed a line on my ruler along the cut edge (the 3/4″ here, but it doesn’t matter). Then I cut the red piece.

I did this on both sides of the door.  Doing it this way keeps everything on the straight of grain which prevents distortion.

I used the same method to angle the window.

After sewing pieces 1 – 6 together, trim the top edge and bottom edges.  They can be straight or angled.

Sew on the top piece.

Trim the sides and do it wonky!!

Cut two rectangles out of the background fabric..  Mine are 4″ x 8″, but you will want them to be at least an inch bigger than the finished background area.


Using a clear ruler, cut the angle to match the sides of the house in the same manner
as you did the door and window.

Sew the two side pieces to the house body and trim the top and bottom edges even with the house.

It is looking pretty cute, right?  I know you are dying to see how it looks sitting on the green grass, so go ahead and sew that to the bottom edge.  First cut the angled edge on the green rectangle to match the angled edge on the bottom of the house.  You should be pretty good at that by now!!

Notice that the block is extending beyond the blue tape – that is good!  You will trim it up nice and square when it is all done.

Test the roof triangle to make sure you are happy with the fit now that the house is done.  If you want the roof to extend beyond the sides of the house, keep in mind that you’ll lose about 1/2″ in seam allowances.  Trim it smaller if you need to.  If it turns out that it is too small, toss it in the scrap bin and cut another one.

This is my foolproof method of making sure the roof and background fit together nicely.


Cut a rectangle at least 1 inch bigger on all sides than the finished piece will be.

Place the roof piece on top of it in the exact location of the finished roof.

Line up your ruler with the edge of the roof and cut through both thicknesses.
(oops – the sun was coming through the window!!)

Put the underneath piece of background fabric in the scrap bin.

Sew the roof piece to the right background piece and then the left

background piece. Don’t worry about the seam allowances or the edges not lining up – the piece will be trimmed down.

(If you want to add a chimney first, cut one of the background pieces in half where you want the chimney to go.  Piece the chimney with the background fabric and sew into place.)

Trim the lower edge and sew it to the house section.

Using a 12.5″ square ruler, trim the block to size.  If you don’t have a 12.5″ ruler, I recommend you get one!  It is the one ruler I couldn’t live without!!

TA DA!!

I hope this all made sense and was easy to follow.
If you have any questions, please leave me a comment and I will be happy to help you!

If you’d like a PDF printable file, you can find one here.