Patchwork & Quilting UK – August 2019

REGULAR // stashbusting

64 British Patchwork & Quilting AUGUST 2019

Confession time! I absolutely love and I mean LOVE charm

packs...you know, those little packs of 5" pre-cut squares in

either a colourway or a new range of fabric? They satisfy my

need for a little bit of everything and let’s face it, who hasn’t

walked into a quilt shop and dreamt of exactly that! Once

hoarded, I now make it my business to use my charm squares

and I regularly challenge myself to design a quilt using them.

Here’s my latest, ‘Little Crosses’. It uses thirty six charm squares

plus a few fat quarters or scraps for the backgrounds.

LITTLE CROSSES BLOCK

Finished size: 5" square

For one block you will need:

• 5, 1½" Squares cut from a charm square*


• 4, 1½" Background squares


• 4, 2½" Background squares

* You can cut nine, 1½" squares from each charm square so why

not mix and match your squares to make your quilt even more

scrappy?

MAKE THE BLOCK

Use ¼" seam allowance throughout

1a. Join one, 1½" charm square to one, 1½" background square.

b. Press seam towards charm square.

c. Make four pairs of squares in total.

2a. Take one pair of squares and add one, 2½" background

square to each side of joined squares.

b. Press seams towards larger squares

c. Repeat with a second pair and remaining two, 2½"

background squares.

3a. Join remaining pairs of squares to opposite sides of

remaining 1½" charm square, ensuring 1½" charm squares

form a line of three squares.

b. Press seams towards centre charm square.

4a. Arrange pieced rows together and join rows together.

b. Block should measure 5½" square.

MAKE THE QUILT

Finished size: 30" square

For my virtual quilt I have made thirty six Little Crosses blocks

and arranged them into six rows of six blocks...perfect for

a wall hanging or table topper! Join blocks together in rows.

Press seams for alternate rows in opposite direction. Join

rows together to complete the quilt top. Double bind the

edges with 2½" orange strips. You will need 30cm of fabric to

bind your quilt.

Have fun with your scraps this month and remember, if you

need more of one colour and less of another, consider a swap

with a quilting friend to expand the variety in your stash!

Join me each month as I share with you a block and quilt pattern to use your

scraps and bust your stash! It’s time to stop hoarding and start using!

Stash busting

WITH STUART

dia. 1. Little Crosses block