wonky improv circle block tutorial

Let's make improv wonky circles, shall we???  

(Acutally, 4 of these blocks together make the circle)

You will need:

• Solid, 100% cotton fabric (4-7 colors per block).  If you have left over scrap fabric, that is even better!  Kona cotton is my favorite.
• A cutting mat
• Scissors
• Pins
• A ruler

Please read Tutorial in it's entirety before starting.

Seam Allowance = 1/4"

Completed block will be 14.5" x 14.5".

1.  Start by cutting your first piece in a 1/4 circle with one corner at a perfect right angle.  There is no exact measurement for these pieces, but just make sure this piece is not too small to start out with. If the straight edges measure somewhere between 7-10", minimum, that should be a good starting point.  It tends to get smaller the more layers you add and the more trimming you do.

2.  Set the first 1/4 circle piece of fabric on top of the next color of your choice.  In the picture below, I have drawn dotted lines so that you can imagine where you will be trimming after you sew these two pieces together.  Make sure your 2nd color extends a few inches past your first piece of fabric (where these dotted lines are drawn).

3.  Pin the two pieces together if you'd like so that they don't move.  I'm not much of a pinner, so I don't have a pin in the picture, but it wouldn't hurt to throw one in there.  Cut the 2nd piece of fabric (pink) mimicking the curved line of the 1st piece of fabric.  

3.  Remove the fabric that is under the first 1/4 circle and put it in your scrap bin.  You will no longer need this.

4.  Choose a spot where the two pieces of fabric line up together near the center.  Mark these two spots with a pin on each piece.

5.  Fold the 2nd color fabric (pink) directly on top of the 1st piece of fabric (green).  The two pins should now be kissing.

6.  Remove the two {lovebird} pins that are now on the inside of the two fabric pieces and replace them with one pin on the outside that is in the exact same spot.  

7.  Pin and pin and pin along the edge of the two pieces of fabric.  

8.  Sew the two pieces together using 1/4" seam allowance. Hint:  It helps if you start with the 2nd color fabric along the bottom so that the machine has something to start sewing into at the beginning.  When I started with the 1st color (green) on the bottom, the thread jammed up a bit and I had to start over.

9.  Press seams towards the 2nd color.

10.  Trim up along the right angle.  

11.  Set the block on your next color fabric of choice.  Remember to imagine those dotted lines like in step 2 so that you have plenty of fabric to use.

12.  Trim away the corners about an inch from where your imaginary dotted lines are.

13.  Pin the block to the 3rd color (yellow) and trim both pieces together creating a new curve.

14.  Just like in step 4, choose a point in the middle where the two pieces meet and mark both with a pin.

15.  Fold the 3rd color (yellow) on top of the 2nd color (pink) and smooch the pins again.  

16.  Remove the pins from the inside sandwich and replace them with one on the outside marking the exact same spot.  Then continue along that edge pinning and pinning and pinning.  

17.  Sew the seams together and then press toward the third color (yellow).

18.  Trim up the right angle.

19.  Choose another color and repeat the process again.

Lay out on new color of fabric.

Cut.

Pin.

Kiss pins, then move pin to outside.

Pin, pin, pin.

Sew, then press open.

Trim to a 90 degree angle.

20.  Add another color or two and then trim it up to 14.5" x 14.5".  And wallah!

Now for a little tip:

When you cut the curves, it may be a good idea to use a chalk pencil to see where you want you line to be.  It is very easy for the lines to become more diagonal than curved.  Try really hard to make them 1/4 circles.  (I feel like my yellow lines above are too diagonal rather than circular.)

Two blocks together....two more on the bottom and you've got your improv wonky circle.

Please let me know if you have any questions.  If you are helping out with the Heroes Helping Heroes quilt, don't feel like you need to make an entire circle (4 blocks).  One block is perfect!

Thanks!

~Val

The Heroes Quilt is features on Quilt Story today!

Hey everyone....

Go check out Quilt Story.  The Heroes Quilt is featured today!!!

Thanks, Heather & Megan for the feature!

~Val

O.M.G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Check out how much the Heroes Quilt sold for last night....

$1,000!!!!!!!!!!

I just can not explain how thrilled I am about the response the quilt received last night.  Thanks again to all wonderful ladies who made this vision become a reality.  I honestly could not have done this without you!!!

~xoxoxoxoxoxo~

(~you get extra hugs and kisses today~)

~Val

Bring on the bidding!

I am so excited!  I found out that the Heroes Foundation silent auction will be live to the public via the internet.  What does that mean?  ANYONE can bid on the Heroes Helping Heroes quilt!!!  All you need is texting capabilities and you are golden.

The bidding is open now and closes at 8:30pm on Saturday, February 25th.  You guys...people have already bid on the quilt!  SCREAM!!!!  Not only that, there were two friends of mine at my son's pre-school telling me that they had already bid on it.  I am so excited.

Go check out the auction site here: http://heroesfoundation.auction-bid.org/

The Heroes Quilt is item #270.

For the silent auction, I took all the cards that people sent that shows who their blocks are in honor of and put them on a poster board next to the quilt.  I hope this will tell the story of this quilt and make people want to bid even more!

Share this news about the quilt.  If you want it and can't afford it, tell your rich Uncle to bid on it for you!!!!  It's a tax deduction after all and supports a wonderful cause!  (oh, and this pillow comes with the quilt!)

Fingers crossed for a fun Gala full of generous bidders!

xoxo

~Val

She's done! SHE'S DONE!!!

 

What started out as one quilt block made from scraps and a plea to have some friends help make a few more, has turned into one incredible quilt, full of stories, that is ready to be auctioned off at The Night Under the Stars Gala benefiting the Heroes Foundation on Feb. 25th.

I dragged my Dad (and his camera) over to the railroad tracks by his house to take some fun shots.

(Thanks, Big John!)

Ok, the quilting on this is just amazing!!!!  Tammy Lawson, of Indianapolis, Indiana, home of the Super Bowl, what what, offered to donate her time (4 hours!), her batting, her thread, her long arm quilting machine, and her skills to put this quilt together. Watching her free motion quilt this was mesmerizing!  I can not comprehend how she quilts this without drawing the pattern on the fabric.  If anyone in the Indy area needs long arm quilting services, contact me to get Tammy's info. You will not be disappointed!  She even let me sew on her machine while I waited.  We called it a Sewing Play Date!

Check out this video I took of Tammy in action....

I LOVE the little ribbon block that Charlotte of Lawson and Lotti made. 

It makes a statement without saying a word!

If you made a block(s) on this quilt will head over to Flickr and tag it here?  It should be fun to see everyone on there.

My friends in charge of the auction thought a throw pillow would be a nice addition to the quilt.  I chose 4  blocks that were extras sent in that I thought went nicely together and made this pillow.  I put pink pom poms around the edges and now I don't think I'll ever be able to make another pillow without them.

The silent auction committee thought it would be nice if I would write up a little somethin' somethin' about this quilt to put in the brochure that everyone will receive the night of the Gala.  Here is what is submitted:

When I first became involved with the Heroes Foundation Silent Auction Committee, I knew I wanted to make something special to donate to such a wonderful cause.  Modern Quilting is a passion of mine and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to use my art to raise money for others.  I posted a request on my blog asking my sewing bloggie friends if anyone would be interested in helping me make this quilt. Each person could make one quilt block using their scrap fabric and send it to me with a note telling who their block was in honor of.  I was very nervous that no one would want to help me.  To my surprise, within 48 hours, 45 women had responded that they would like to contribute.  Not only did these women send one block each, but many sent two!  Coming from as far as Australia, the stories behind each block will tug at your heart strings!  Some blocks are in honor of lost parents and spouses, some are in honor of those currently fighting, and one is even in honor of herself, a woman currently going through chemo and radiation.  This quilt has helped me see that cancer does not discriminate.  Everyone all over the world is fighting this ugly disease and the 46 of us hope that we can use this disease as an opportunity to make something beautiful, that will hopefully raise money for those who need it.

~Val Campbell

Blocks have come from: England, Australia, and The United States (Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Kansas, California, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Utah, Florida, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.)

***Thank you all that contributed.  I am honored to have put this together. I will report back w/ pictures from the Gala and hopefully a large dollar figure that this quilt has raised.  Fingers crossed!!!***

xoxoxo

~Val~

I've shared this quilt over at String Thing Along.  For other great string quilt ideas, head on over there!  I'm also linking up over at Made By You Mondays @ Skip to my Lou and was featured on Quilt Story!

I have a few more blocks to share that have come in to help me with my Heroes Helping Heroes quilt.  I love the colors & the flower print on this block from Juli Ann.  Thanks, Juli Ann!

A great friend of mine, Dayna, made this yummy block.  I LOVE IT, DAYNA!!!  Thank you so much!

And last but not least, I received the coolest package from Australia today.  AUSTRALIA!!!  Alison from Alioop was more than generous with her gifts.  First she sent two adorable blocks....

love those polka dots!!!

...then she handmade this adorable card...

...and even sent 3 additional cards!

She even sent this super cute bag.  (Wait til you see the inside!)

SCREAM!!!!

I just scheduled my appointment with Tammy who is going to quilt it for me on February 4th on her longarm quilting machine.  I will take pics of the experience! I better get moving on finishing up the front and completing the back. 

Agh! 

Thanks again ladies for sending such goodies!

~xoxox~

Val