Quiltmaker Scrap Squad

Quiltmaker Scrap Squad
Quiltmaker Scrap Squad

Friday, December 16, 2011

Quiltmaker's - Hip to be Square



This will be my last quilt for Quiltmaker's Scrap Squad 2011.  This has been a very fun year getting to make quilts for the Scrap Squad.  Most of all, "thanks" to all the other Scrap Squad ladies for their inspirations, fun times and sharing over the past year.  You will find lots of good pictures and ideas on their blogs:
          Dionne in Washington
          Jane in Tennessee
          Ruthie in Indiana
          Kim in New York
          Carol in Ohio
          Linda in California
          Pat in New Brunswick, Canada


I am a new Electric Quilt user and this is my first attempt to draw a specific block, put it into a quilt setting, color it, rotate it, and just have fun exploring how this block could be used.  The Hip to Be Square block is designed by Elizabeth Dackson and has proved to be a very versatile, pretty block that I like a lot.

Usually, I am drawn to use bright, clear colors but, after trying several colors in EQ I decided to use a more subdued color pallet.  The centers of the blocks are all very “scrappy”.  The corner units, the rectangle with triangle on the end, are the same fabrics in all blocks.

Fabrics I used


Two blocks, with one rotated

Since this quilt is called Hip to Be Square, I thought, maybe, I could make it “more hip” if I added more squares.  So by rotating every other block until the corner aqua units came together, instead of the 4 patch unit, a new aqua square was made inside a larger white square, which turned out to be “on point”.

Once the blocks were completed, I laid them out like the original pattern and then tried them with every other block rotated.   I liked both, but decided to use the rotated version for my quilt.


Straight set, like pattern in magaine


With every other block rotated

When I am going to make a pieced border, I like to pull out an element from the block.  The centers of the Hip to Be Square block made a great border with each border separated with a one inch piece of background fabric.  By just putting the squares around the corners, I can always get a perfect fit on the border, because I can adjust the size in the center background fabric of the border.


My finished Hip to Be Square quilt.



TIP:
One tip that I would like to share.  Instead of drawing a diagonal mark on each square to be added to the rectangle unit, I made a piece of cardboard, just larger than the square, corner to corner, held it down as I sewed along the side of it.  Saved a lot of time and the markings on the black square was too hard to see anyway.



Using a cardboard to mark and sew diaganol line

7 comments:

  1. Donna, I really like your quilt. Your border design is fantastic. I am on the 2012 Scrap Squad and have gotten so much inspiration from the 2011 Scrap Squad. You guys left some pretty big shoes to fill. Hugs

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  2. Thank you Cathy. I am glad that you like my quilt. You will have a wonderful year being on the Scrap Squad 2012. I will be watching for your quilts! Have a Happy Holiday

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  3. What a great idea to use cardboard instead of drawing the diagonal lines! Thanks for the tip.

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  4. Forgot to say I love your colors too!

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  5. Thanks, Material Girl, Hope this will help speed up your diagonal lines. Happy New Year!

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  6. Hi Donna! you are as bad as me - nothing new on your blog after Hip to Be Square &:-D although I know you have been sewing! Linda

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  7. Hi Donna! I love this border and want to remember to use the idea in the future. Did you find it in a book or pattern?

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