Fab Farm Sew Along – Block 1

Its time for our first block, the strawberry, for the Fab Farm SAL! Its an easy block so, don’t fret. I will give you detailed help with how I approach these blocks, much of it is overkill for this sweet block, but the techniques will help with the more complicated blocks.

Cutting The Block

The cutting instructions are on page 12 for the Strawberry block. I scanned the cutting instructions into the computer. Display the scanned image or photo and use the snipping or clipping functions to get the important information.

• On an Apple machine, use Command-Shift-4 to take a screen shot of the section you want to print. The file is in your desktop folder and labeled screenshot-blahblah.png.
• For a Windows machine, use WindowsKey-Shift-S to take a screen shot of the section you want to print. You can find more information on this here.

Then, I select that file and print it, enlarging it using the print function Scale on my printer.

Prepare your paper by trimming the pieces apart so you can attach to the fabric as you cut it.

I write the colors on this sheet so I don’t have to go back and forth to the pattern. The pattern stays free of these notes, and will work for the next time I use it. More importantly, this helps me know which color I am cutting.

Use clips and attach the paper to pieces as you cut.

Lay it out in alphabetically order on a design board or table near your sewing machine. You are now ready to sew the block.

Making Block 1

This is a pretty easy block to get us going. Keep your pattern right at your sewing machine. This shows you the way I am set up. I have my design board with my pieces and the pattern right at my machine (obviously I thought to take this a little later in the process of sewing).

I then begin to sort sections together, on my design board and begin sewing according to her directions.

I made a mistake and placed the pieces on the green leaf with the wrong side up. I then corrected that but should have rechecked it against the diagram. I didn’t so here are my top 2 hints for this block.

HINT #1: If you have to reposition a piece check it against the diagram!
HINT #2: You need to trim this leaf unit before piecing it with the bottom half. It is sometimes easy to miss these instructions.

The Finished Block

Block 1 is done and gets attached to Block 2 next week. Admire your block and be ready to get working on the horse block. Block #1 had 12 pieces. Block #2 ratchets it up a bit to 64 pieces if I counted correctly.

The Schedule

Here’s the schedule. If you want to pick a block and co-host with me on a particular week, I would be thrilled, please email me if you are interested.

Pattern and Kits Available

I am listing some links for patterns and kits. They are affiliate links, so a little comes to me (no additional cost to you) to support the costs of running the blog.

• Amazon: Fab Farm pattern
• Annie’s: Fab Farm Pattern
• Fat Quarter Shop: Fab Farm Pattern
• Fat Quarter Shop: Fab Farm Quilt Kit (currently scheduled for July)

Coming Up on My Blog

I will be a guest blogger for Sarah, at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, for the Hands 2 Help Project. I will have a fast quilt to show you and a quick dinner recipe for days you are quilting. Its a favcorite in our house, maybe it will be in yours too.

Hands 2 Help Guest Post 4/30
Fab Farm SAL Block 2 5/1
Diatom Row 2 
Fixing a T-Shirt Quilt
Ships Ahoy

Linking Up

Put Your Foot Down

Fabrics Stash

I purchased 1.25 yards at a quilt show this weekend. Pretty darn restrained if you ask me. This accountability really helps.

Fabric in this month: 12.5  
Fabric out this month: .5
Fabric in this year: 35
Fabric out this year: 28.25
NET Fabric: +8 yards!