Quilt of Valour #3 Using Fat Quarters to make a triple framed block/quilt

 This is the third post that I am doing because I realize, as a Quilt of Valour rep here on the West Coast, that many quilters want to make a quilt but aren't sure where to start or what to make. 

The pictures here show  quilts  made with a block I call triple round.  It uses fat quarters and the finished block measures 15".  It is a great quilt to make for donation because you can use a variety of fat quarters that you don't know what else to do with and the finished quilt from 20 fat quarters measures 60 x 75" which is a nice size for a tall Canadian Armed forces member who is suffering from an injury (mental or physical) during their service to Canada.  I also had made a few smaller ones in December when I got a call asking for some baby quilts that were needed for the local native band and their newborns.  Fast, quick, easy and used fat quarters that I had on hand. The border was added because the size of 30" x 45" didn't seem quite right to me?

I chose a variety of fat quarters for this tutorial to show you how the fabrics don't have to come from a bundle of matching fabrics.  Mine are all chosen from fabrics that seem to be sitting in my stash waiting to be used.  For QOV I like to use more masculine fabrics since the majority of donations go to men and I love autumn fabrics, leaves, foliage, sporting, scenery, and rustic types of prints and colours. So the following fat quarters are the 20 that I am going to use.  When choosing fabric, realize that each fabric will appear in 3 places in the blocks: the center, the second round and the third, outer round.  If a fabric is too plain, it won't look good in the center.  I like a variety of colours as well as size of print.   You will use almost the entire fat quarter so you need a minimum of 18" x 20". 

The first step is to fold your fat quarters with the selvedge and opposite raw edge together.  This gives you a rectangle that is 18" long and the folded width is approx 10 - 12".   I tidy up the left edge, carefully so I don't lose more than ¼" and then make 4 cuts.  The first cut is 5.5".  The second, third and fourth cuts are 3.5"  - so you need a minimum of 16".  The extra bit can go into your strip scrap bin.

Using the 5.5 strip, open it up and cut (1) 5.5" x 5.5" square, (2) 5.5" x 2.5" rectangles and from the rest of the strip, cut (2) 2.5" x 9.5" strips. 

From the first 3.5" strip, cut (2) 9.5" strips.  From the remaining two 3.5" strips, open them up and cut (2) 3.5" x 15.5" strips - one from each strip. 

Layout your blocks like this.  The center square surrounded by the 2.5" strips, sewing the short ones on first and then the longer ones.  The third round gets added, again, short strips first and longer ones last. I have made this block where I just reach and grab fabrics, not worrying too much but have found that it makes more sense to actually lay out the blocks with each of the fabrics so that you get a good mix of lights and darks or a good mix of the size of the prints or the colours. 

After stitching the blocks, I find that I always need to trim my blocks to the final 15.5" and the easiest way to do that is to have a ruler large enough.  It can be done using the lines on your mat but I find it quicker and more efficient to use a large, square ruler. 

Because my ruler is larger than the size of the block, I use tape to mark the lines so I don't get confused and line up the edges of my block with the wrong size.  I also changed the blade in my rotary cutter and what a difference!  I write the date with a Sharpie on my blade so I can see how long it lasts and this one hadn't been changed since September, so it was time!

After I trim my blocks, I get them up on the wall which I find motivates me to keep going!  When I put them on the design wall, I try to have the blocks going different directions so the seam on one doesn't have to line up with the seam on the next block.  It is hard to see here but the green blocks have the seam running across the other blocks have the seam running up and down. 

Here is the final quilt top put together.  I think that I probably chose too many bright gold/yellow prints as the colour seems to jump out at me when I see the picture?  Maybe a few more darker orange might have been good or maybe more dark blues?  But, as you can see, each fabric ends up in the center, the first round and the second round.  This quilt was made from fat quarters that were sitting in a box that I really didn't know what to do with and now I have a quilt top that will be a warm, caring hug for a member of our Canadian Armed Forces through Quilts of Valour.  

I am hoping that you will have seen a few ideas that might work for you in making a donation quilt.