do.Good Stitches: Sept. Block Tutorial

I am so excited to be the quilter in charge of this month for the Harmony Circle of do.Good Stitches! Once I found out that I was going to be a quilter I knew right from the start what I wanted to do. I've been super excited for this! :)

The style for today, I saw somewhere, is called square-in-square - containing 4 squares in each block.  I'd like the blocks to also be off center, but not wonky. My first block isn't super off center, but I really don't care to what degree it is. Although I have a few (or a lot) of guidelines for the blocks, there is also a lot of freedom, and I'm hoping I receive a good variety of blocks. :)

Squares: These are made log-cabin style, but the difference is that each "square" is the same fabric, so it truly does look like overlapping squares rather than just strips sewn around and around. Please keep the center square around 3"x3".  Though you can go bigger or smaller. I would just like to keep some unity between all the blocks. Maybe I'll scratch this so that it's not so boring all the same.

Guidelines on color: I'd like each block to have at least one square of white, and one of orange. It can be off white or a light natural, and any shade/value of orange - just as long as you could call it whit"ish", or orange, it works. You can keep it to those two colors, or add in  one to two more colors. If you add in additional colors, please keep the colors the same in each block. (even though the shades or values of that color can be different). If you could also, make one square (any square) from a solid fabric. If you do your blocks mostly solid, add one print. My whites are solid in both of my blocks, but you don't have to do the same color solids.


I'm hoping that we'll get a good variety of colors, but I'm thinking that if we can have at least two with each (so there isn't just one single bold color) that it will help unify the quilt when it's all put together.

So here's a quick tutorial for making your block if you need/want it:

Sorry, I'll add pictures when I get on my other computer - that has all the pictures. :)

I like to draw up what I want to do first so that I know how big to cut my pieces. Here are my sketches. I colored in the blocks that I like to plan the colors.

Draw lines to divide the squares into strips/pieces that will be sewn together to create the block. and then figure out how big each piece is going to be - ADDING 1/2 inch to each piece for the seam allowance. Here's what my paper looks like at the end:

Cut your pieces. Here are all my pieces how they will eventually go.

Start sewing- starting with the smallest inside pieces and working your way out.

When you finish one square put your ruler over it and make sure the lines line up with the inside square, and have the edge of the ruler line up with the outside of the block like this:

cut off any bit that is hanging over to wide. By lining it up with the inside square, this guarantees that the squares will remain straight/parallel to the inside blocks and it won't go wonky.

Keep adding your strips and trimming until you get to the end.

ok, this is the back... just to give you a different picture than what's at the top. :) Plus I think it looks cool with all the seams open. 

Your outside pieces will be about 1/4" too wide, so you will need to trim them to get all the pieces together on the last row. I leave them wide just to help with any extra trimming that may need to be done if I sew something on wonky and need to chop some off. It kind of helps leave some wiggle room. Make sense?!

Anyway, there is your block! If you have any questions, please let me know! :) If you're not in the flickr group for do.Good Stitches, and want to make this block, feel free to add your pictures to the from blank pages... flickr group. I'd love to see what you make! :)