How do I make this into a 12 1/2 X 12 1/2 (unfinished) block? HELP!!
 

My son was in the Air Force and now works at Cape Canaveral as a civilian. I want to make him a quilt. I want to have it reflect the air force and his current job. I have this panel that I would like to use. Once I cut out the blocks to use, they will be 7 1/2 X 7 1/2. Any suggestions on how to make these into 12 1/2 X 12 1/2 size? That is the size I need for the quilt I want to do. I will also have some other blocks too.

I would just add a 3" border around each block.

Thanks gotthebug. What kind of dog is in your avatar?

You could make half square triangle blocks to frame some of the blocks or do them like an attic window design to enlarge them. or using the pictures as a center, make a log cabin type frame around them.I bought a panel with large rose designs inside a log cabin design with the "logs" 1 inch wide, so that would be three different fabrics on each side. I actually used 12 different fabrics to frame each square. Then I made regular log cabin blocks with larger "logs" to make a block the same size as the picture blocks. It turned out really nice.

Thanks gmcsewer. Great ideas.

Square in a square blocks?

Hard for us to suggest, when we have no clue as to what your planned quilt is.

My first thought was attic windows, using the AF logo colors of blue and grey, maybe add one of his name tapes and the USAF tape somewhere on the front. Thats a great panel selection for his new job. You could use a dark border/sashing and add embrodierd words that reflect both jobs...honor, integrity,etc. Glow in the dark thread incorporated in the panel prints would be cool. Have fun with it.

Your problem is the type of thing I enjoy solving for myself. I made a quilt, one of my first, called confusion. I had seen it on Alex Anderson's program. You sewed patchwork pieces to the sides of the small center and then trimmed them off on an angle by laying your 12 1/2 inch ruler on it. So each square was not straight on when you lined them up, but not exactly on point either. Also if you go to quilterscache.com there are many quilt blocks there and you could use one that had a square center. Two I liked for your purpose were (Page 15) London Roads and Page 11 (sq dance. You can search them by page or by name. i will try a search for the confusion quilt or see if I can find my picture of mine. and will then post it.

On Pinterest there is a confusion quilt. If you look closely you will see a square the middle of each block. You arrange the outside pieces so that when you sew the blocks together, it makes a pathway thru the quilt.

I would put black sashing on only two sides of each block. Not the same two sides - that way you can arrange them on a design surface and the space images will "float" on the black background, and appear to be in a random arrangement. Does that make sense?

Darren