ncredbird

I was reading a tutorial on the 10 Minute Block here:
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/...Fiylam?start=0
It is 3 pages. When I saw the finished block I thought that the center square looked very small in relationship to the overall size of the block and that there looked like a lot of blank space around it.
Her instructions start with all blocks the same size. Has anyone tried making this with the focus block being cut larger from the start so that when finished it will fill more of the whole center of the finshed square? Ann in TN

PaperPrincess

I've seen them all different sizes. Experiment making a sample block with the focus fabric cut in a larger square.

Stitchnripper

We had a tutorial at our quilt guild and I ran home to make one. And then I thought, maybe I could trim the outside to make the block size smaller, so will be curious to see if it is possible to make the center one bigger. My way would cause a lot of wasted fabric.

nativetexan

sometimes 10 inch sqs are used for all five, but others have used a smaller inset square. it's your choice.

scrapykate

I've done one using 9inch blocks and made the middle block a color that really popped so the smaller size was fine.

Stitchnripper

We used 6" squares.

Pinkiris

I've been thinking about this for a while after teaching my granddaughter and her "other" grandma how to make the 10 minute block. It seems that it should be possible to make the center square larger than the other 4 squares. Then it will fill the center of the block better.

I'm gonna try this tomorrow and will let you know!

Sue

ncredbird

OK, I just played with a bunch of paper and folded and stapled it and can see that it is possible. (My sewing machine is in the basement and I have been down there for the last time today).
I started with center focus block of 8.5" and background blocks of
5.5 inches. Looks much more balanced to me. Maybe tomorrow I can get down to the sewing area and actually work with some fabric and see how it looks with the curved edges. Paper doesn't have much stretch on the bias edge : ). Ann

littlehud

I have been playing with one. It's a mock cathedral windows. The outer blocks are 2.5 inches and the center one is 4.5 inches. Please ignore all the threads. It's just a practice piece. Maybe someday it will grow into a quilt. :-D

Stitchnripper

That is quite nifty