Classic Blocks: Fresh Fabric for March… the Economy Block
I’ve been counting the days until I could share this month’s Classic Blocks: Fresh Fabrics tutorial and giveaway with you! All because of the fabric Blend sent for us to use this month… the delightful collection ‘The Makers’ from Cori Dantini. It includes several panel prints with lovely ‘Makers’ sewing, knitting, and painting. They are so pretty and cinderella-ish. And the block that I chose for us to make this month – the Economy Block – is perfect for using fussy cut squares from your favorite fabrics.
In case you are catching this blog series for the first time, we’re making gorgeous quilt blocks using the classic patterns and fresh modern fabrics from Anna Griffin and Blend Fabrics! So far we’ve made the Orange Peel Block, Shoofly Block, Bear Paw block, Yankee Puzzle, Spinning Spools, the Rail Fence Block, the Variable Star, the Sailboat Block, the Dutchman’s Puzzle Block, the Churn Dash Block, the Friendship Star, and the Snowball and Nine Patch blocks together! You can search for ‘classic blocks fresh fabric‘ in my search box to find them too.
Each post includes an easy to follow tutorial and a fat quarter bundle giveaway that lasts for 2 weeks.
Each month, Blend Fabrics sends me a collection of fabrics to work with and I get to giveaway a sweet bundle too! If you want to play, just make one or more of the current month’s block within two weeks that the tutorial is posted, and share a picture of your block(s) in our facebook group entry album or in our flickr pool.
The winner this month (chosen at random from all who make a block with us) will receive a bundle that includes 2 panel cuts from The Makers panels plus 8 coordinating fat quarters. Eeek! So pretty.
For each Economy block that you make, you’ll need a center square (fussy cut from your favorite fabric if you like) and four other squares. I cut my center squares 5” because that worked well with my fabric. I cut my other squares (the ‘triangle squares’) a bit larger than needed so I could trim the block down as I went along.
Here’s some simple cutting instructions:
- Cut your center block first. My center blocks are 5”.
- Cut 2 squares 1/2” smaller than the center block. These will make the first set of triangles.
- Cut 2 squares 1/2” larger than the center block. These will make the second set of triangles.
My 5” center blocks yielded 8 3/4” finished blocks.
Cut the ‘triangle squares’ in half diagonally.
Fold the center square in half and crease to find the center of one side. Repeat with a smaller triangle. Center the triangle over the square. Pin if desired.
Stitch the triangle to the center square and sew another triangle to the opposite side.
Press the triangles outward and trim the points away using the remaining edges of the center square as a guide.
Sew triangles to the remaining sides of the center block in the same way. Trim and square up the block so that the corners of the inner square are 1/4” away from the edge.
For my block, this meant cutting it down to a 6 3/4” square.
Sew the last four triangles to the block just like the first set.
Press the block and trim it down again so that the corners of the next-smaller square are 1/4” from the edge. For my block, that meant trimming it down to a 9 1/4” square.
And that’s it! How many Economy Blocks will you make?
You now have until March 16th to make your own block (any fabric, any size) and post a picture into one of the two photo albums mentioned above to enter to win the beautiful FQ bundle from Blend fabrics. I’ll announce the winner in our facebook group in case you are lurking there.
Happy sewing!
Disclosure: some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting SewCanShe when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 🙂
This fabric is too cute Caroline….I might just have the perfect fabric scraps to make this to go with my sampler quilt……..
These are lovely! The fabric feels so perfect for springtime… Tempted to make some of these out of the Heather Ross Far Far Away that I’ve been holding onto!
ooooo, that sounds wonderful for Far, Far Away! I haven’t been able to cut into it, but this is so adorable I might be able to do it. Thanks for the idea Shannon!
Such cute prints… and I love the block! I have some fabric that I think would work well with this block. I’m in!
Hi, I’m pretty new to quilting- crazy quilting is my usual thing, but have decided to have a go at this block. The fabrics you’ve used are just lovely especially the Makers panel. I didn’t have anything quite like that in my stash, my block is in much bolder colours. The link above does not take me to a Facebook group page. How do I find it? I’m not having much luck with Flickr possibly due to my rather ordinary internet connection.
I’m also unable to access the Facebook group entry photo album. Is it just Wendy and I? Anyone else?
Hi Andrea… see my response below. You’ll have to request to join the facebook group first, and then after you are approved you can see the album and add pictures. The link is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/729216580422635/
Caroline
Thanks for the response! It is too bad that Facebook doesn’t offer a more specific error response when trying to access that content. (The error message mentions several other possibilities as well as a permissions issue, so it wasn’t much help.) I’m new to your page and hadn’t come across any references to the Facebook group yet. 🙂
Hi Wendy… the group is closed to keep out spammers. You’ll have to request to join first, and then after you are approved you can see the album and add pictures. The link is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/729216580422635/
Caroline
I just uploaded my first block into Flickr, really made an effort to create another account to upload this picture. Am new to the quilting world and would love to win this giveaway. I love the fabric used for the center blocks in your economy blocks and would love to make some of my own. Thanks!
Merryorganic@gmail.com
I approved a couple of photos to the flickr pool just now. Hope your block was there. Good luck!
Hi i have just sent a request for joining your facebook group and i would like to share my economy block!hope you add me soon so that i can join the giveaway 🙂
OH thank you! I have one of these panels but didn’t have any ideas of how to use it until now. Would love to win the fabric to coordinate with this panel.
What do I do to join to receive the economy blocks an get sewing with ya all