Patchsmith Sampler Block 43 - Chain Link

Patchsmith Sampler Block 43 - Chain Link

This week’s Patchsmith Sampler sew-along block is all about placement.  The stitching of Block 43 ‘Chain Link’ isn’t difficult – just squares and rectangles.  However, the block depends on you placing those squares and rectangles correctly.

The pattern diagrams show four primary colours but you may choose instead to use four different patterns or four shades from the same colour.  

All Patchsmith patterns come with easy-to-follow colour diagrams

Whether you use primary, solid or patterned fabrics there are several ways you can ensure you get the placement correct. 

Use four fabrics from the same collection for this fun block.

I find laying my pieces out onto the worktable in the order that they will appear in the final block works just fine (use the colour placement chart at the beginning of the pattern instructions).

Alternatively you could colour four small paper squares using red, green, blue and yellow pencils.  Sort the four fabrics once you have cut all the shapes.  Then simply position a coloured square on top of each of the four fabrics to correspond with the placement chart.

For this block four simple coloured squares work well to keep the fabrics sorted

A quicker way is to use Alphabitties available from The Fat Quarter Shop - they are handy for a whole range of projects.

Alphabitties - a great quilting tool from the FQS

Once you have sorted your fabrics, simply follow the block directions and diagrams to create a unique Chain Link block.

I would love to see a copy of your block over on Instagram (#block43chainlink) or in the Flickr group.  

Next week we will be making Block 45 - 'St Louis Star' as we have already completed Block 44 'Autumn Daisy' when we made Block 35 - Topiary Tree.

Block 44 - Autumn Daisy tutorial can be found HERE

That just leaves me to wish you all .......

A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR

Farmers Wife 1920 Blocks 29 and 30

Block 29 - Economy

I am not sure which block we are up to in the Gnomeangel Farmer's Wife 1920 sew-along - it has all got a little confusing as Angie's last post was for block 26 back in November.  I think we should be up to Block 34 or thereabouts.

Block 29 – Economy (shown at the top of this blog)

I love this block - I loved stitching it, the fabric combo and how it turned out.  My notes scribbled in the book reflect this: "So simple - so elegant".

Block 30 - End of Day

Block 30 - End of Day

This block was "easy to patch using block 13 from my Patchsmith Sampler book".   All that was needed was a turn of the four quarters before stitching them together. Click on the photo below to see how easy it was to patch.

Patchsmith Sampler Block 13 - Slice-and-Dice

Next week I will be back with another two blocks.  Until then .....

Patchsmith Sampler Block 42 - Fir Tree

Block 42 - Fir Tree

Have you picked your tree yet? Decorated it? With Christmas just around the corner it is great to take a short break in the sewing room – away from the busyness. Just enough time to make a little 6” Fir Tree block which has minimal seams and seasonal sweetness.

You can decorate your tree with three different fabrics as shown in the book and above - or you can keep the unity by using one fabric for all three branches.

Block 42 dressed in Fig Tree fabric

Either way this is one tree you will not want to put away when the season is over. And if you are feeling really generous, head over to Instagram (#block42firtree) or the Flickr group and share your creations with the world.

Block 43 - Chain Link

Next week when we will I will be linking together a lovely little chain block. Until then it is back into the fray for me - the fray of fabric scraps that is.