Our guild has this fun tradition of exchanging friendship squares. When a member does any traveling and get to a quilt shop, they try to find a fabric that represents the location or experience in some way. The member will cut 6" squares to share with the guild. Obviously there hasn't been a lot of travel done in recent months/years but I do have a lot of these squares accumulated again.
And a few adventurous members have shared some new squares with us recently. These were in my "guild bag" and it was time for them to join the others. When I pulled out my project box holding the collection of squares, I realized that I really do have a lot of them to play with. Months ago I tried out a block pattern from Pat Sloan. This one was from her Winter Fun series, and seems like a great way to use the squares without cutting them up and losing the fun prints.
In 2016 - I finished a queen-sized quilt using the friendship squares. It's on the basement guest room bed, and I really enjoy seeing all of the different fabrics. I called it Traveling Stars. Each star block used a square as the star center, and the star points were all fabrics that read solid.
After digging around in the project box holding the friendship squares, it is obvious that there are probably more than enough to make a great I Spy quilt for some child. So I think there will be more of these blocks made in 2022 as part of my focus on using up scraps in lots of colors.
And here is a good start - finding the squares that will look great with red frames, like this Texas version. I cut and sewed this block in less than 10 minutes on Thursday while waiting - impatiently - for my husband to finish whatever work project he said he was almost done with so we could get on the road. I would have had time to make a couple more before he actually finished up. He was seriously cutting into the small window of time I had planned to stop in a quilt shop before meeting our niece at the UNO arena for the Jackrabbit game. How thoughtless of him to mess with my schedule! LOL
I'm linking up with RSC today:
Oh, what a fun idea - friendship squares.
ReplyDeleteI love that Traveling Stars quilt. I have a few Travel themed fabrics and just could never figure out how I wanted to use them. Now maybe I know!
what a fun tradition, the block is perfect for the square
ReplyDeleteThis is a great design to use your squares of fun fabrics. What a neat idea your guild has with purchasing fabrics on trips or from events.
ReplyDeleteGreat use of the friendship squares. Traveling stars quilt is beautiful
ReplyDeleteYour red Texas block looks pretty good. I have made this block already for Love Quilts in Brazil.
I like that pattern from Pat Sloan. It looks good in all sorts of colors doesn't it? I think I'll pop over and see if I can find it. Thanks for the info.
ReplyDeleteThat is a really fun idea for your guild! I love the Traveling Stars quilt! The new block idea looks like it will work great, too. I always enjoy buying fabric when I travel - will have to keep your quilt ideas in mind!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of sharing blocks of fabric from travels! And you’ve certainly got some super ideas for using them in quilts. That red Texas block is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteLove those crossroads blocks! I've been wanting to make a scrappy quilt with those blocks for a while now. Maybe that's a 2023 rainbow project?? LOL
ReplyDeleteflamingos... tasteful flamingos cute pattern to use for these
ReplyDeleteWhat a great guild idea! I really like the Traveling Stars quilt and I think your new block idea will be fabulous!
ReplyDeleteI like your new block, I think it will be fun to see what you come up with to match all of the squares. And use up scraps, what a win win!
ReplyDeleteThose squares are going to make a really cute RAC quilt, Sara!! You did a good job of finding one to go with RED.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea! Love the layout of the block and the frame of the squares.
ReplyDeleteThat is a nice pattern for spotlighting those fabrics. Sounds like a fun way to enjoy large scale prints. It is going to make a nice secondary pattern when they all come together.
ReplyDeleteI love that idea of the traveling friendship squares. Your queen-size star quilt is beautiful AND fun!
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