I. am. obsessed. with chevrons. The way they zig and zag just so. The pointy little joints where they switch directions. Everything about them makes me happy. Also high on the list of things that make me happy? Vintage fabrics. And color gradients. And ice cream cake. This quilt is the perfect joining of those things.
I apologize that my quilt is not going to be super exciting on the construction end of things. It was my original plan that everyone would sew a horizontal strip of the quilt but as I constructed my sample parallelograms (yep) the other day, I realized that that plan wasn't going to work out. So, everyone will be assembling 6 blocks (3 left sloping and 3 right sloping) that I will assemble to create a horizontal strip of the quilt.
The kit you will receive in the mail has 7 different fabrics. You will most likely not use all of them. Your finished blocks will need to be no taller than 8.5" high. They can be a little shorter if you wish but if they are taller than that then the template won't fit (learned that the hard way). Some of the fabrics are vintage (yay!) and aren't 44-45" wide. I cut extra strips of those fabrics so you can piece them together to match the width of the newer fabrics (44-45" wide). The strips have to be this wide so the template will fit (learned that the hard way). There is one fabric snuggly tucked in it's own ziploc baggy. I ask that you please use this fabric in your block. I want to make sure that everyone uses at least one of my vintage fabrics. As for the other 6 fabrics, you may use as many or as few as you would like. Depending on the width that you decide to make each strip you may have enough strips to make more than one set of blocks. I cut the strips in varying widths based on how much fabric I had. You may cut them narrower if you would like. The strips can be whatever width you want them to be and in whatever order you want them to be in.
(all of the different fabrics. everyone will get a different combo)
The kit also has a template for you to cut your finished blocks with (so you don't have to do math or anything tricky to get the angle right). The template is in 3 pieces so it would fit into the envelope. Tape the 2 angled end pieces onto the rectangle with 2" separating them in the middle (see below). Be sure the angles are the same on either end. Again, we want a parallelogram NOT a trapezoid.
step 1.) Sew 3 sets of identical strips. The sets of strips should be approximately 44-45" long by 8.5" wide finished. They need to be the same so the chevron pattern is continuous.
step 2.) press all of your seams open and flat
step 3.) fold each strip in half lengthwise wrong sides together (folded approx. 22"L x 8.5"W). I lined up my seams so the 2 blocks would be even.
step 4.) position your template so the bottom left corner of the template meets the bottom left folded corner of the strip. Trim off the ends so the strip matches the shape of the template. You now have 1 left sloping block and 1 right sloping block.
repeat the cutting process for the other 2 sets of strips.
step 5.) lay your 6 blocks out in a pretty chevron pattern and take a picture for us/me to get excited about.
(2 sets of blocks)
These blocks are so simple. What they make up for in difficulty you gain in experience. One of the wonderful side effects of strip quilting (sewing strips of fabric together to cut them apart and sew them back together) is that it helps us to all practice sewing long straight seams. I know there are several people in the group that have said they are new to sewing and quilting. This is the best way to practice!
Please send me back any strips you don't use or any scraps AND the amazing triangles you are going to cut off of the ends of your strips (I think I want to use them on the back of the quilt).
It's my birthday at the end of this month and I am excited to lay out everyone's vintage fabric color gradient chevrons whilst eating ice cream cake and bask in the happiness these things will create in my life.
Happy Sewing!
Amy B.
