I am so pleased to share with you my small project for segment 3 of this QAL. I decided to make design board blocks. I love them and have already been using them. I’m sure any of you that make them will fall in love and wonder how you made blocks without them. I often used scraps of batting but this is so much nicer.
WHAT YOU NEED:
2 20″ x 30″ Foam Board
Exacto knife
Elmer’s Glue
Your blocks
Border for each block: 2 @ 2 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ and 2 @ 2 1/12″ x 16 1/2″
Thread to match your border
Old sewing machine needle
Leftover batting
Before you begin, TEST your machine with the foam core board. For machine settings, I used a standard foot. I moved my needle to the left (1.0) and stitch length was lengthen to 2.8. I tested a piece of scrap foam core before I committed to using a machine. My machine mostly liked it but if I went too fast tying a knot or backing up, it would jam up. Slow and steady wins the race in this fast project!
GET YOUR BLOCKS READY
- Cut your lattice strips, 2 @ 2 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ and 2 @ 2 1/2″ x 16 1/2″ for each block.
- Sew the lattice strip to the side of your blocks. Press.
- Sew the lattice strips to the top of your blocks. Press.
GET YOUR FOAM CORE READY
- Cut the foam core board to 14″ square using Exacto knife, ruler and cutting mat. I wanted a size big enough for 12″ blocks.
- Cut a piece of batting about 1″ bigger than your foam core square. I used a 15″ square.
- Do this for as many design boards you are making.
MAKING YOUR BOARD
- Elmer’s glue one edge at a time. I worked top to bottom edges, then left to right. Let dry.
2. Place block on bottom of foam core and center. Fold over the the bottom edge to the batting and sew. I used coordinating thread. I did not finish the edges of the pieces as it is for work, not display! (Note: If I were to give to a friend I might glue a ribbon down with a hot glue gun.)
3. Then do the top edge, pulling taught.
4. Fold over the left edge and miter the corners. Then sew the left edge.
5. Miter the right edge then sew.
Voila! you have a great design board!
Check out what the other hosts have done – finished quilts and projects await you!
Segment 3: July 16th to September 10
Full Time Hosts for Quilts:
April Adams @ Janda Bend Quilts
Becca Fenstermaker @ Pretty Piney Quilts
Bobbi Bridgeman @ Snowy Days Quilting
Sherry Shish @ Powered by Quilting
Full Time Hosts for Small Projects:
Abbie Danahy @ Sparkle On!
Jennifer Fulton @ Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Sandy Maxfield @ Sandy Star Designs
Segment 3 Small Projects Host:
Kathleen @ Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing
CALENDAR
September 24th – Grand Prize Winner Announced
And there is a Grand Prize, too, over $300 worth of merchandise. *The GP total is $300 (MSRP)
- From Bluprint: Color My World Quilt Kit by Nancy Smith featuring Boundless Blenders Ombre fabrics. Plus 4 yards of 44” Warm White Boundless Solids fabric for backing!
- From Timeless Treasures: A fat quarter bundle plus a 24” panel
- From Island Batik: A fat quarter bundle of fabric
- From Shabby Fabrics: Two Vintage Blessings table runner patterns; October and November and two packets of l2 piece laser-cut appliqués; Butterflies and Pink Ribbons!
A special thanks to Timeless Treasures and Shabby Fabrics for supporting us throughout the Sew Let’s QAL.
In order to win, you will need to post between before September 23rd at 11:59 pm (EDT). Winner will be selected on September 24th. One Rule – One Picture! of either a finished quilt top or your small projects that include all of the blocks. Posting is the same; you can post on either
our linky party (8/27 12:00 am – 9/23 11:59 pm)
our facebook page or
instagram with #sewletsqal.
Coming Up on the Blog:
8/27 Segment 3 Project
9/3 Quilters Meet and Greet
9/4 Barn Quilt BOM Month 1
9/11 My Favorite Quilt Block Blog Hop
Color Block of the Month
September Island Batik Challenge
Tutorial on Converting Picture to Mosaic in EQ8
Linking Up With:
Wednesday Wait Loss
What I Made Monday
Hi again, Kathleen! Wowee – this is slick. What a great idea. Just the perfect size, I think. Hmm, I may have to make a couple of these. ~smile~ Roseanne
Its a great use for those test blocks and I now wonder what I did without them.
Ok, this takes design boards up a notch — no two! I have a set and never finished the edges of mine as pretty as I would have liked. With this they can get an upgrade AND a decorated back. So glad I discovered this QAL and just in time!
Thanks, Vivian. They really are fun and I love using them. Then I display one or two when not in use!
Hi Kathleen,
Very cool project! I love it and will have to make some. I don’t have any design boards! Your post is inspiration!
Thank you, Abbie. They are fun and are already in use!
Okay sorry to be a dunce but what do you use these for? I thought at first to hold perhaps appliqué pieces or parts of a quilt block you are assembling, (but wouldn’t it get confusing to have a different quilt block on top of the one on the board?), but then it sounded like you hang them, so a good way to use those orphan blocks, but now I’m not sure, so I dunno! I especially love your rotary cutter one!
Well, you got it. The design boards are for holding the pieces of a project. This is one in use ( I maybe should have explained more). The fact that they have a decorative side just makes good use of the blocks (I didn’t want another quilt) and they can be displayed….although I don’t have the right system set up to display them yet, but I will!
Great idea, Kathleen, your blocks look super!
Thanks, Sandra. It was a fun little project and I am enjoying using them!
Nice directions. My daughter made me some boards quite a few years ago except they are about 8″. A few bigger ones would be nice. I like how you made these. thanks for sharing.
I am enjoying using them, so if you make some I hope you find the instructions helpful. 14″ is a great size.
Such a clever use for orphan blocks! Thanks for linking up to What I Made Monday.
AndI love using them! Thanks for hosting.
Very clever way to use blocks! Thanks for sharing on Wednesday Wait Loss.
I am so pleased with them – they are getting a lot of use.