January Mini Block Drive for Siblings Together will be going to Festival of Quilts - want to come?

Having entered two quilts into last year's festival of quilts and having seen some of the community quilts there I started hatching a plot for Siblings Together Quilt Group to join in the fun!

It is scary putting your work out there but both my quilts were joint ventures so I was not alone and I thought that would be an excellent way for others to put their work forward.

So here is my idea - I am the mama for the January #miniquiltdrive for the #100quiltsforsiblingstogether  campaign.  So instead of asking for lots of blocks I am looking for just ONE 6" finished Friendship Star block from everyone who has ever been involved in making quilts for Siblings Together.  Whatever you have done and whenever it was I'd love as many of us to be represented in this quilt.

I hope you would all love to join in - in fact I'm counting on it!  It will be a very small quilt otherwise.

So here is the block - a 6" finished Friendship Star block

You may have seen my photos on Instagram 

Here is the tutorial:

Cut five 2 1/2" squares - one is the centre square in a light colour.

Please write your first name on this centre square in a pen that will not wash out.  Let's make it easy to read so not your most undecipherable signature!  

Tip:  I did this before any sewing so I was happy with the result and didn't have to unsew due to unsightly wiggles - if you don't like your writing you can ask someone else to or send to me if you don't have a suitable pen, just make sure I know who you are!!

The other four 2 1/2" squares are the background, which can either be light or dark as seen below.

Make four 2 1/2" HST (half square triangles) in your preferred method - they can all be made from two fabrics (star and background) or be scrappy but best if the stars points are all in a similar colour and background fabrics too so the star will stand out.  

In my example below I have used all the same solid for the background and the star triangles in two fabrics

Assemble all HSTs and squares in a nine patch as shown above or you can spin that star the other way if you prefer - I am looking for a mixture of dark/light backgrounds and clockwise and anti-clockwise spinning stars!

Stitch the squares together in each row.

Press the seam allowance in alternate directions in each row to nest those seam allowances when joining rows.

 The finished block - from the front

from the back...

Just contact me Nicky Eglinton on IG or nickyeglinton@aol.com for my address and I hope to see you at Festival of Quilts in front of our quilt!

How to make the HST blocks:

Cut four 3" squares - two in background fabrics, two in star fabrics.

Draw a diagonal line across the back of the squares.  Pair up a background with a star fabric, right sides facing.  Stitch a quarter of an inch on either side of the drawn line.

Cut on the drawn line.   Repeat for second set.  This makes four HST blocks.

Press seams to one side and trim to a 2 1/2" square.

Time to make quilts for Siblings Together

Last year the fabulous quilting community made lots of quilts like these....

....for the charity Siblings Together.  

This charity helps to keep children in the UK care system in touch with their brothers and sisters.  Many children from the same family are not placed with their siblings.  The charity tries to keep the family bonds by reuniting children with their siblings at activity camps in the school holidays.  

Our campaign to make #100quiltsforsiblingstogether provides quilts for the children to take home - a fabulous memory of their experience and a quilty hug from the quilting community.  

This year I'm hoping you will join me again in the quilt block drive to make quilts like this...

                 

                                                            
                                               

                                                                                                                                 

...a new pattern I have designed just for this quilt drive.                                

The quilt is made with two blocks.  

This block, is a great beginner's block, using just HSTs in a colour (aqua in this case) and low volume fabric, to create an arrow head. 

Make four HSTs measuring 6 1/2" (6" finished) using your preferred method.   

For those new to quilting, take a pair of seven inch squares, one coloured and one low volume, and place them right sides together.

Draw a line across the diagonal of the low volume square and stitch a quarter inch away on both sides of that line. 

Cut along the line and trim both resulting HSTs to 6 1/2" square (6" square finished).  Repeat to yield four in total and stitch together as above.  Your block should measure 12 1/2" square (12" square finished). 

The second block in this quilt, isn't that much harder especially when you foundation piece it!   You can use paper or freezer paper.  I find using freezer paper works better for me and just wanted to share something in return for all the kindness you show in making blocks for the charity.

Here is a link to the pattern which you can download. Please check that your printer is set to print at 100% and NOT fit to page - it makes a difference to the size of your template otherwise.  

And here is how I use freezer paper to make it: 

Print or trace the pattern onto freezer paper and fold along the stitching lines.  

Use the kite template to cut four kite shapes.

Cut four rectangles from your coloured fabrics, 7 1/2" X 3 1/2".  Pair rectangles, right sides together,  and carefully place your ruler diagonally across the rectangle and cut.  This yields enough side triangles to complete one block.  

You will notice that half the side triangles will fit on the right side of your kite shape and the other half on the left.  Sort them so that you attach the correct triangle.  It is easy to pick up the wrong one! 

Press the kite shape on the freezer paper, making sure the fabric is centred.  

Fold back the freezer paper as previously creased.   With right sides together, align the first side triangle along the edge of the kite.  Stitch along the seam line, as shown in the middle photo above.

Once stitched, fold the fabric onto the freezer paper and press.  Repeat on the other side.  Trim to 6 1/2" square and remove freezer paper pattern and reuse.

Make three further pieced squared, and stitch together as in photo.

Now you are maybe asking yourselves which colours to use - if you know me you will know my answer is all of them!   Let's see how many different colours we can get through....  

Thanks in advance.