This block started a little something like this…Sometimes I go to my favorite fabric store, the Cabbage Rose http://www.cabbagerosequilting.com/, during my lunch break and just wander around. This usually puts me in a better mood and I usually end up buying something for my stash. One day while I was there the owner had lost her cell phone and shouted that whoever found it would get a free charm pack. It was on! I had seen the Half Moon Modern by Moda charm pack and I wanted it! I love a bargain and free is even better! I was going to win! So I waited and listened and I almost took out a display but I found the phone! The problem then was I didn’t know what I was going to do with it. I talked to the wonderful staff and then came up with this pattern. I bought the correspondeing jelly roll, my idea of a neutral gray solid and got to stitching.
This block is made with 1 jelly roll (2.5 inches wide), 1 charm pack (42 5 inch squares) and 1 solid color (I got 3 yards and if I have some left over I will incorporate it in the back or use it for bindng). This will WOW your friends and is really quite easy! The only parts of this block that you can’t skimp on are 1) a consistent seam allowance and 2) you really need to iron all the seams before moving on to the next step.
**I didn’t like some of the squares in my charm pack so I found a couple of complimentary fabrics and substituted the ones I didn’t like. The red pictured was one of those replacements**
The first thing you want to do is decide how wide you want your connecting strips to be. I wanted the color of the outside “panes” and the interior “window” to be the focus so I made my connectors 1 inch finished. (I cut each of those to 1.5 inches for a 1 inch finished piece.) I wanted my interior solid frames to be larger than my connectors but smaller than my panes so I wanted them to be 1.5 inches finished.
Lets start by cutting your fabric for your first block!
Cut 2 pieces of your solid fabric 2 inches X 5 inches. Cut 2 more pieces that are 2 inches X 7.5 inches. Begin by sewing the 5 inch X 2 inch strips to each side of your charm square. Press your seams open and continue. You now have a rectangular piece.
Take your 2 inch X 7.5 inch strips and attach to the top and bottom of your rectangular piece. Press your seams open and continue. You now have a charm square that is framed by your solid.
Now take 1 of your jelly roll strips. Cut 4 pieces from your jelly roll that are 3.5 inches long. Cut 4 pieces from your solid fabric that are 1.5 inches X 2.5 inches. Take 2 of your 3.5 and sew the solid piece to each. This makes your first pane and connector piece. Repeat with the next 2*3.5 pieces and 1*1.5 piece. Press your seams open and continue.
Take the 2 pieces that you just put together and sew to the sides of your charm square framed by your solid. This should measure exactly. If you happen to have some hangover during this step, mark the center and trim the ends. Press your seams open and continue.
Now take the remaining section of your jelly roll strip and cut 4 strips in 5.5 inch sections. You are going to assemble these longer pieces just like you did the shorter pieces. Press seams open and attach to the top and bottom of your block. Press 1 last time and admire your work.
Part 2 – Putting the Blocks Together is coming soon!
Hoecakes & Hemlines 
Very cool! I’ve seen so much grey lately for a neutral. Even though, to me, grey is probably a no-brainer neutral, I never think to use it in a quilt! It looks great in this quilt. I think I’ll be looking at grey a little differently now.
Thanks Candy! I love using gray! I have had gray in almost every one of my quilts. It has almost become a “signature” in my work.
I make my quilts to be used, washed and dried. I needed a neutral and have discovered that the gray hides wear a bit better without dulling down the overall look.
I love it! Thanks for the tute.I have a charm and matching jelly that I am going to dig up and this might be what I do.
Susan, I love your blog! You have some beautiful work there!
This really is a great block and it goes so quickly! You will notice that there is a little left at the end of each jelly roll strip and I am thinking of piecing the binding with some of that. Also, I haven’t decided if I should put sashing between the blocks to frame them in the solid a 2nd time or not. What are your thoughts?
This is great! Not that you asked me, but I would say no to sashing. That way it looks more connected, like a garden gate, which is the name of this block as I’ve seen it elsewhere. When are you going to come back with Part 2? 🙂
I have decided against sashing as well. Part 2 is on its way, but I am planning on this one being for me. “Me” projects always take longer because I begin working on others before I’m finished. I promise, Part 2 will be out at some point!
Have you done a block similar to this? I would love to see your project!
I’m glad you agree with me about the sashing. I did do one block–for a bee. But I did it in bubblegum pink, bright orange, and white and in the photo, which I took with my phone, there isn’t much contrast between the orange and pink. Are you on Flickr? If so, the picture is on the first page of my photostream (Artsy-Craftsy Ivy), but I don’t have a blog.
Excellent post. I used to bе checking constantlу this blog ɑnd I am inspired!
Extremely helpful іnformation рarticularly the closing ⲣart :
) Ӏ maintain such info mսch. І used to be
ⅼooking fοr thiѕ partiϲular info for a lⲟng time.
Tһank you and good luck.