Welcome to Block 2 - my contribution titled 'Cooee'.
To download this block click the link below-
This is my first time as a Blockheads Designer and I am very excited to be joining in, teaching some techniques but also learning a lot from other designers and all of you, sewing along too. I will be blogging about every block, mostly including ideas for stripes and sometimes different cutting and block assembly instructions. Occasionally I change up the directions a little, to make the most of a striped or directional fabric, but finish up with a block that looks identical to the original.
Please sign up to my website www.piecestotreasure.com and follow me on Instagram at piecestotreasure.
I have the honour of designing toweling fabric for Moda and, as you can see, I have included a little Moda Toweling from my Lakeside range in my blocks. I like the directionality and geometry that stripes add to a patchwork block. The print fabric, I am using, is from 'Midnight in the Garden' by Sweetfire Road. Both these ranges are available in stores now.
I have several previous posts on my Blog that talk about how to cut toweling to create symmetrical stripes. So please browse around and read some more.
Of course, you don't need to use stripes or toweling in your blocks, but I think it adds some texture and something different to your blocks. You can also use the hints and tips, I will provide for toweling stripes, for regular printed and woven striped fabrics. The information on cutting and placing stripes also works perfectly for printed directional fabrics.
In the interest of not making this blog post too long, I have written a separate post with lots of hints and tips for this block. To access some more information on how to sew the 'Cooee' block click here to read the 'Sewing Tips for Block 2'.
I decided to design a couple of little bonus projects for you. I thought it might be nice to have some pillows to match your quilt so here is a free pattern for two pillows, which you can download here, from my Blog, in the post titled 'Blockheads Pillows'.
The 17" square pillow uses one 9" block and the 36" x 18" lumbar uses four 4 ½" blocks.
You could use any of the blocks from Blockheads 4 to create these projects. I have used my 4 ½" Cooee block four times for the lumbar pillow but you could use 4 different blocks, if you prefer.
I have used toweling for the main body of the lumbar pillow and the frame on the blocks and also used toweling for the mitred border on the square pillow.
Please head over to my Blockheads Pillow Blog post to access this pattern. I would love to see photos of your completed projects so tag me on IG (piecestotreasure) and/or put them on the Moda Blockheads Facebook page.
Here are two 9" Cooee blocks I made. Using the stripes in different sections of the block creates a whole different look.
If you plan to use a larger scale stripes, like those in toweling, or a directional print, consider the direction you would like the pattern to run. When I am using smaller scale stripes, from traditional woven fabrics, I don't worry about the direction so much. Feel free to experiment.
Below are three 4 ½" Cooee blocks.
Once again, I have changed the placement of the striped fabric, to create different effects.
Click on the link below to download the instructions for Block 2 - for Moda Blockheads 4.
I can't wait to see your blocks,
Happy Sewing everyone,
Jenelle