One idea we both had was to cut our scraps into 2½ inch wide strips. Barbara even went one step further and cut strips from all her fabrics. We have also been seduced by the handy packs of 2½ inch strips (a.k.a ‘jellyrolls’ etc) and each have a little selection of unopened as well as part used ones. But what to do with those strips and squares once you have them?
Here’s one idea from Chris which used 2 1/2 inch strips and squares but could be used with any size – providing they were all the same width.
You need a collection of leftover (or newly created from scraps) 2½ inch strips and squares in assorted colours and /or prints and in a contrast plain such as white/cream or navy/black/dark grey. The plains can be all different fabrics – they are in Chris’s quilt – but they need to be the same colour and value. The block will finish at 12 inches if you use 2 1/2 inch wide strips and squares.
Make 4-patch centres either by joining two strips and then cutting into 2½ inch slices, turning one slice and stitch together or by joining four 2½ inch squares. You can find out more on how to make these units here.
You need one of these units for each block.
Corner units are made by again either joining two strips and cutting into 2½ inch slices or joining two 2½ inch squares. These pairs of squares are then stitched to a 2½ x 4½ inch strip. Use a background strip with pairs of colour/print squares and a colour/print strip for pairs of background plus colour square. You will need two of each sort for a block.
Remaining units are 2½ x 4½ inch rectangles of background and colour/print stitched together.
You need four of these for each block.
Stitch the units together as shown – taking care with the placement of the background strips.
Stitch the rows together – reversing the bottom row – to complete the block.
Make as many blocks as you can or you feel like. Join them together to make a quilt top, or a runner, or a wall-hanging or . . .
Further strips can be used to construct a border.
You can find another free pattern to make two little quilts from left-over 2 1/2 inch strips on our Free Patterns page.
Or there is this quilt from our Payhip shop which uses 2 1/2 inch strips and squares.
chris & barbara quilts 