Hello All, New here with a block question
 

I decided to try the 100 blocks - 100 days challenge using the Tula Pink book. I love the colors and the designs and really enjoyed seeing other people's work last year. The problem is... I hate those tiny pieces. It took me hours to cut out the many tiny pieces for the first block and the small 6" finished size drives me crazy. Is there a way to proportionally size these blocks up? I don't mind the finished piece looking wildly different, I just know I can't spend my time cutting tiny pieces and sewing them back together. Am I just not someone who should be quilting? I have made smallish blocks before, but using a pinwheel pattern or half square triangles. A block the measures 6" finished and is made up of 20 pieces makes me not want to sew.:shock: Thank you so much in advance for your advice.

I don't have the book, but I do know that 6 inch blocks are a fairly easy size to upsize. Doubling up the size to 12 inch finished blocks shouldn't be that hard. The key thing is to look at the finished size of each piece, say it's 2 x 2. Normally, you would cut 2 1/2" squares. To double that up, you would do 2x2 = 4 for each side of the block + 1/2 inch seam, so you would cut 4 1/2" blocks. You have to allow for the seam allowance separately. I use EQ7 when I want to do that. Graph paper works just a well.

To do a 9 inch block, you would do 1 1/2 of the original finished size. So, a 2 x 1 piece, would end up 2 x 1.5 = 3; 1 x 1.5 = 1.5 so you would cut 3 +1/2 inch for seams 3 1/2 inch by a 1.5 +.5 = 2 inch.


And, no, I wouldn't make a block with that many pieces as a 6 inch block. Quilting should be some fun, and that would only be tedium for me.

There is nothing that says you have to continue working with those blocks right now. It is ok to set this project aside and continue your quilting journey with a different project, one that you enjoy working on. After you have gained more experience, you can try it again, if you want. I like to use a plastic art box from Michaels to store the pattern and fabric for a specific project, on sale for about 3 dollars often and it will be there for you later. Or you could just enjoy looking at Tula's book as an art piece and use the fabric for something else. I'm just throwing this out there as another possibility since the idea of trying to increase the size of intricate blocks, even with all the great suggestions you've been given, really gives me a headache:) And welcome to the board!

Some people just love those tiny pieces. So far I am not one of them.

I would double the size of the block to 12", as Barb describes. Or find another project. There are all sorts of different types of quilts out there that not liking one particular type doesn't rule you out from quilting altogether. Try different things until you find what you like best.

Is there a pic somwhere of this challenge. Which Tula pink book are you talking about?

I may have to look up that book. I'm one that loves small pieces. I've got the "Nearly Insane" and was going to replace all the 6" blocks that have less than 20 pieces with more complicated ones.

I think the "worst" has something like 200 pieces, it's mostly HST that are really small.

I have the book you are talking about, and I also decided the blocks were too small. I didn't realize they were so small when I ordered the book, but I just decided to not make them. I want quilting to be fun, not stressful. But doubling them is the way to go, if you still want to make them.

Just make it fun. :) Fun is good.

Dina

There any many different patterns that don't have such small pieces. You just need to find a size you are comfortable with the let those creative juices flow! I just am not a small piece person. I don't find it enjoyable either!