This is a tutorial that Elizabeth Hartman put out a few years back on making postage stamp blocks…didn’t we do a swap with someone who wanted these? I still have tons of little 1 inch squares from that!
Pellon has since made an interfacing with a one inch grid already printed out! It is on sale at Joann’s for about $4 a yard!
I saw this method when Elizabeth Hartman did her tutorial. I feel like the whole internet went nuts about it. But I’ve never tried it because it seemed like a completely unnecessary step, that would only take longer to put together, and result in bulkier seams and a stiffer quilt. Even lightweight interfacing adds a certain stiffness, that seems unappealing for a cuddly quilt. And spending the time to lay out a million squares perfectly straight, then iron them without nudging any out of place, or needing to slide the whole thing over on your ironing board to get the whole width, seemed like an exercise in frustration. I always felt like as long as I cut my small squares accurately (which is easy to do with a rotary cutter and mat), and used a consistent seam allowance, then pressing your rows, you’ll get perfect seams and corners.
I’m totally not trying to rain on anyones parade, and if other folks have success with it, that’s awesome! Just explaining why I never bothered trying. Especially on something as easy as squares. 
Same. I can see it being a miracle for complex paper piecing to keep all the bias cut edges from stretching out but it seems wasteful for squares.
I often see videos on the “easiest method” to do something and go whoa, that would take forever and is so fussy. And then sometimes you see a small tip that completely wows you and makes things easier. For a specialty piece, that grid method would be great, but a whole quilt?
totally agree…it was faster just to sew the tiny pieces together…hey, a few crooked rows never seemed to bother anyone…lol
Happy July everyone! 
Not only is it July, it’s a new quarter, so that means a few things - 1. A new monthly prompt, 2. A new quarterly challenge, and 3. A prize drawing from all the ticket entries last quarter!
July Prompt
Christmas in July:
Quilt something for Christmas! Whether it be a gift for yourself or someone else, get ahead of the game by quilting up some Christmas joy!
I am currently visiting family out of state, so I’m a bit behind on things, but I will add the new challenge and announce the prize drawing winner within the next few days.
Ok quilty friends, I’ve sewn a couple quilts from kits but never designed one so I could use some help. I got lots of gorgeous 2.5” squares in the Scrap Swap and want to make them into a (simple-ish) wall hanging.
I’m thinking to sew them in strips into a rectangle shape and maybe put sashing (I think that’s the right word?) around the outside before adding the binding. I was originally thinking a light sashing fabric but now I’m wondering if something like a navy would work better? Although lots of the blocks are darkish so it might blend in too much.
I originally thought I wanted to do them in rough color order but now I’m kind of liking them more random.
Any thoughts? Things I haven’t considered? Tips for laying out so many different patterns? Help 
There are so many options! I personally would prefer to go with a light background / sashing, but that’s a personal choice. I don’t have the best eye for colour so I wouldn’t dare to use a more unusual colour. I think @Edel has made quite a few scrappy quilts in (to my eyes) unusual colour combinations so I’d look those up for inspiration.
One project I made recently with (full-sized) charm squares is Rainbow charm baby quilt - Inspired-along challenge 2022 Entry After lots of playing around with the squares I decided to do it in colour order. These fabrics all matched but I still went with white as a background colour to make it a bit more easy on the eye.
But here’s an adventurous person who went for a scrappy look and a non-white background: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0091/7061/6401/products/11176_056_D1_1024x1024@2x.jpg?v=1569162104 It can work but you just need to be very careful picking the fabric. I would guess navy is indeed a bit too dark for your squares, but as I said, I don’t really have an eye for colour. Or if you’re going dark, maybe go really dark and go for a near-black or dark grey fabric.
I also saved this quilt but personally I would think that would be a bit too colourful: Nancy Zieman The Blog - Quilt to Give: Step Seven—Audition Borders I still saved it just because I’m trying to force myself to go for more non-standard combinations.
Random, much more interesting. Both are busy, but that’s just my preference. maybe an introduction of some solid colors to unify and rest the eye. It depends on the final use, restful, fun, wild?
Something fun to hang on my wall and make me smile when I see it.
Then I think you’ve got it!
In an effort to be helpful…. Borders go around the outside of the quilt top. Sashing is fabric that goes in between each of the blocks.
This quilt by @craftADDchick has a white border and a purple border.
My ombre rainbow quilt has charcoal sashing around the blocks. Think of it like the the sashing in between the panes of glass in a window.
I can’t wait to see what you make!
Scrappy random is my fave but I also like centre out like this one:
This is also so pretty:
Personally I’m a big fan of white sashing, I feel that it gives the eyes somewhere to rest when you’ve a lot going on with prints and colours.
With such vibrant colours you could try something like this https://pin.it/1iJLFJ2
I love that last one especially!! 
Thanks for the ideas! I really like some of the rainbow quilts and have bunch of rainbow colored fat quarters I could use to make another quilt.
I think for this one I’m going to go with scrappy random in an all over pattern since that’s what I’ve had in mind since I signed up for the swap. The more I stared at the second picture the more it just felt like that’s what they wanted to be so I’m going to go with it :). And I’ll do white or maybe a slightly off white for the border.
I’m thinking for sewing to do the short rows, since that’s how I stacked them when I put them away, unless there is a benefit to doing the long rows first. I think I remember from years ago that if you press the seams on one row going one direction and the next row in the opposite that it will help the corners to line up.
Ironing technique. She is the literal best, I love her.
https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-rogers-ca-revc&source=android-browser&q=karen+brown+how+to+iron#kpvalbx=_lUPGYqWpJpqhqtsP7NStoAY24
That was super helpful, thank you! I also found a 1/4” foot in with the feet that came with my machine so hoping that will help with my tendency to get sloppy and speed sew.
Inspired by all the earlier scrap talk, links, the scrappy mail fabric swap, and @photojenn’s scrappy layout photos here is our next quarterly challenge!
Quarter 3 Challenge
(July 1 - September 30)
Quilt with Scraps:
Gather up your quilt scraps or create some for this challenge, use them to quilt something scrappy and fun!
I’m really looking forward to seeing the entries for this challenge!
Scraps and Christmas in July!! I really need to start working on a few projects.
