MSBHQAL – It Begins!

That’s the one! Now this tutorial looks much harder than it really is. Even with all those angles, you’re still sewing and joining straight lines, and nothing on the bias. Anne has laid it out really clearly with step by step instructions and photos. 

A few pointers from my perspective though:

• Now would be a good time to change your rotary blade and your sewing needle.
• Use fat quarters, 1/2 yards, and jelly rolls which already have one side cut for you.
  • Cut out a stack of bars and WOF sashing first, then get your chain piecing self on!

• No need to iron those strip sets until you’ve got a stack. Stay seated and join the chain gang.
• When you do iron them, iron the seams to the side towards the coloured fabric, away from the sashing. Not too much bulk to worry about.

• Make your blocks consistently the same way. Find the same line on your cutting mat and always position your bars and block on it. It will create a muscle memory and have you flying through them in no time.
• Don’t let the angles scare you. Everything is at a right angle, which are the angles in a square. We’re all capable of dealing with squares, right? Right. Angles. Right, right, see, I was right. You can do this!

• There are eleven possible spaces for fabric, so if you are using six fabrics for a completely scrappy look, one of them will only be seen once. See that odd pink out in the block above? Yep, only seen once. Consider it.
• You can get away with a strip of fabric that is 2.5” x 16” if you’re crafty. Maybe try it around block 3 after analysing your scraps.
• Save your scraps. (If you don’t want them, send them to me, I’ll take them!) You’ll have a great string collection by the time it’s all said and done. 

If you have a 12.5” square ruler it will help you, and curse you. When squaring up the width to 13”, and you are using said ruler, remember you’re squaring the width to 13”. Um, yes, that is in fact a half inch bigger than your ruler. My first block I squared up to a 12.5” width, from the right edge, which meant my top center triangle was off-center. Check twice, cut once!

Wait until your third block to get frustrated, and then if you’re stuck, let’s chat. No seriously, iMessage me, and we’ll make it happen.

After you’ve made a few, see if you can do it without looking at the tutorial, and only reference the blocks you’ve made. This will help your brain lock in the process.

If you’ve got some pointers to share, please send them to me and I will add them to this list! Now, I  just want to talk about fabric selection for a bit. I’ve already given you some major tips with this post but to reiterate, this block loves contrast. Don’t go putting white bars, next to white sashing, it just won’t pop. Play around with different colours within a block, or keep each block to one colour,  or work with your fave line of fabric–for the most part, it’s totally flexible! Y’all know I’ve been preaching on the solids train, so check it:

You can do each block a solid, or create a whole solid euphoria! A whole rainbow within one block, how could I not? Is it raining men, yet?   

Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but just to refresh you, this is where we are gonna wind up. It’s important to know where you came from, and just as important to know where you’d like to go!

I’m aiming for twenty-four blocks, so don’t let this little baby quilt fool you. I gotta have a rainbow blanket big enough to wrap up all my fabulousness. And there is a lot of it! I hope you’re measuring the same way!

Now, you’ve got what you need to get started: the tools, the tutorial, and the tips. But I want to give you … MORE, MORE, MORE! (<–lyrical reference!)It wouldn’t be a party if I wasn’t giving stuff away! So this is how it’s gonna shake down. I want you to spend this week making at least one test block. Be gentle on yourself, go slow, pay attention, and feel it out. If you make a mistake, don’t worry about it! This is just for practice. Hey, and if it turns out perfectly, you can include it in your quilt. If not, meh, use it for a label, or throw the sucker away.

Once you’ve made it, send me a photo (email’s in the sidebar, yo) and then comment on this post that you’ve done so. A bit trickier than normal, but I want to check up on you, and I want to give you something worth the effort. Next Monday, I’ll randomly draw a winner from eligible entrants, and I’ll be sending you a small MSBHQALB from Intrepid Thread. Oh, yes, honey, yes.

I just got mine this week, and had to shut the front door over how crazy fresh it is. It included some old favorites, and some new must haves. Oh, hey there Collage! Waterfront Park, nice to meet you. Constellations, the pleasure is all mine. Sketch, you’re totally invited. Posy, stop being a wallflower. Mr. Teal Ombre, I don’t know where you came from, but come lay yourself on my mat because I want to cut. you. up. Mmm. Hmm!

So that wraps up our kick off day folks! All MSBHQAL posts will be added in the top menu bar so you can easily find them. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions, and I can’t wait to see what blocks you make this week!

Oh, and one more thing: you’re gonna need a button. I’m wearing twenty-three of them right now. Of course I had mine custom made out of Swarovski crystals, but I’ll totally let you steal the idea. Put it in your sidebar, put in a post, show the world what you’re making, and tell them about your host!

Our loose schedule:  

• Week 01 – Sept 02 – Sept 08 – Introduction to the Tutorial
• Week 02 – Sept 09 – Sept 15 – Suggested Blocks: Pink, Red, Orange
• Week 03 – Sept 16 – Sept 22 – Suggested Blocks: Yellow, Green, Teal
• Week 04 – Sept 23 – Sept 29 – Suggested Blocks: Blue, Blue-Violet, Indigo
• Week 05 – Sept 30 – Oct 06 – Sashing, Sandwiching, Basting
• Week 06 – Oct 07 – Oct 13 – Quilting
• Week 07 – Oct 14 – Oct 20 – Binding & Label
• Week 08 – Oct 21 – Oct 27 – Show & Tell