The Bee Hive: Jagged Little Pill
“I want you to know, that I’m happy for you, I wish nothing but the best for you both.” Oh Alanis, you give me chills every time! If you are a child of the nineties, there was no escaping this 1995 track [rumoured to be] about the breakdown of her relationship with Full House star, Dave Coulier. You Oughta Know was the lead single from her third album, Jagged Little Pill, which is where I took part of the inspiration for this quilt block and subsequent quilt.
It’s about the physical difficulty of swallowing those plastic little capsules, but also swallowing the truth of a difficult situation. That’s why they encapsulate the edge of the block, while also having an angled edge to make sure you feel it. Basically, the truth can hurt, but if you accept it and move on, it can become a thing of beauty. Truth tea, anyone?
You’ll find my super simple Jagged Little Pill block tutorial as this month’s selection in the Blossom Heart Quilts, The Bee Hive series. Each block will only take about fifteen minutes start to finish, and can make great use of jelly rolls, and scraps! As you can see in my blue and green version I raided my scrap bins to get a lot of varying depth in my chosen colour way. There’s also a fair amount of negative space for you FMQ aficionados, or buck the trend and use a print instead of a neutral for extra visual interest.
I hope a few of you do decide to choose the Jagged Little Pill block (no offence if not, but you won’t be getting a holiday card from moi!) so I can see how you put your own spin on it. I’m thinking a dark background with rainbow pills, or low volume backgrounds with yellow and red pills, or all solids in sea glass colours, or … Or well, maybe I just need to make another one myself! Now that is a jagged little pill, indeed!
Jagged Little Pill Block Tutorial
(P.s. If you’re looking for a variation to make this block a little more challenging with some extra pieces … I’ve got that one figured out for you, too.)
Fabulous block!! Great inspiration too 🙂
I'm loving this block, Molli! Fabulous as usual!
Nice block! You illustrate it so well with the range of scrappy blues and greens.
Wow! Love this quilt and block! I would probably use all prints. My solid stash is incredibly skinny compared to my print stash. What is the final size on this quilt? I was a late bloomer to Alanis Morisette but I do love that album 🙂
Check out Taylor Swift/Alanis Morissette video from last night performing You Outta Know~great timing Molli!
I really like the secondary pattern that gets formed when the blocks join up, Molli! 🙂
Probably one of my most favourite of your quilts Molly – love the blue and acid green. Alanis (one of my favourite Canadian singers along with Shania), really has deep messages and you conveyed them beautifully.
"And every time I run my nails down someone else's back, do you feel it? Well, can you feel it?" Oh, Alanis. So much rage and angst. Definitely a large chunk of my university soundtrack – along with fellow Canadian songwriters, Jann Arden and Sarah McLachlan. Good times. But I digress. Love the secondary patterns created by the careful placement of blues and greens. Wicked good!
Oh Alanis… Isn't it ironic, doncha think** that this other 90s reference and I crossed paths just this week…
"You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes."
(**not actually ironic)
Love this quilt (and block). And Alanis and I go way back…a little too ironic. Thanks for the tutorial 🙂
Amanda
Great inspiration for a fab block. One of my boys is in need of a new quilt and this looks like a great block to try. He's all into planets and space at the moment so I'm thinking some sort of dark spacey fabric with yellow/red pills could be the way to go.
I have a friend who can't swallow pills at all. Made for an intestine trip round China with anti malaria tablets. Might just have to make this for her!
that is so clever. the block transforms into something else entirely once joined with it's mates.