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Old 03-10-2008, 06:35 PM
  #11  
cnolan
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: FROM: Idaho. IN: Georgia
Posts: 268
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OK... here it is, quick and easy!

First, select your fabrics (of course!) :)

From your focus fabric, cut 6" blocks (later called "bricks"). How many depends entirely on how big your quilt will be.

Next, cut the 5 "stick" fabrics into strips 1.25" x width of fabric. Lay them out and determine which order you want them to be in. Keep in mind that the outer 2 will "box in" your focus fabric, and the center strip will kind of make extra boxes as well. Once you have determined the order of your strips (aka "sticks"), sew them together in that order, using a generous 1/4" seam allowance. When all your sticks have been assembled, cut them into 6" blocks (you may need to trim the sides as well as cutting the ends, depending on how generous your seam allowances are).

Now, lay out your quilt, alternating your sticks and bricks. I suggest starting with a brick, then a stick, etc. across the width of your quilt. Note the outer edges of your sticks against the brick. Each brick should have the same fabric on both sides. Using my bird quilt above as an example (working toward the wall in the picture), note that I have a brick, then a stick with the blue strip against the brick. Next, there is a brick, followed by a stick with the red against the brick, etc.

For the second row, start with a stick (in my example, it is blue strip UP), then a brick, then a stick (red strip up), etc.

I have found that I prefer to use either one of the inner strip fabrics, or a completely different (but complementary) fabric for the border, rather than using one of the same fabrics as already directly frames your bricks (in my example, I used the golden Fairy Frost, rather than either red or blue). HOWEVER, this is YOUR project, and you have different likes, will use different fabrics, etc. Play around, have fun, and POST YOUR WORK!! :wink: 8) :-) :!:

If you have any questions, please feel free to let me know. I tried to make this clear, but I am sometimes "clear as mud".
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