Orphan blocks…
 

I have been gradually building a collection of orphan blocks, to eventually make into an orphan quilt. I was wondering if anyone had made one of these before and if you have any tips or pictures on how you connected all the blocks together? And what kind of challenges you had putting it together.

Over the years I've made several. My blocks were all different sizes so I found it a bit like putting a puzzle together and I enjoyed it. I gather the blocks I think work best together in coordinating colors. Then lay the lager blocks out on the floor. Begin to fill in with smaller blocks. If there are spaces that needed to filled, I add strips of fabric or strips of pieced 2 1/2" squares that have been sewn together cutting them down to the size needed. If you are trying to stay within a size, I have laid them out down one side of the quilt size I am aiming for and then across the bottom. Repeat for all four sides of the quilt and then fill in with the remaining blocks as needed using the same filler type strips when needed. I'm sorry, I have no way to attach a photo but would be happy to send one directly to you if you PM your email address. I find it harder to explain in writing than to actually accomplish putting it all together.

Lena -- that sounds like a logical way to approach orphan blocks. I tend to think of the orphan blocks much like they just wrapped up in Quiltmaker magazine for their Ruby Jubilee. https://www.quiltingdaily.com/produc...tern-download/

If all the orphan blocks are the same size, I would set them up in offset columns. Here is a website with both kinds of layout explanations: https://thequiltrambler.com/what-is-...ne/02/05/2023/

Jen Kingswell's Gypsy/Wander's Wife quilt is a great example of another way to set up your orphan blocks if you have multiple sizes of orphans.. https://www.jenkingwelldesigns.com/w...s-wife-booklet If you search for images for Wander's Wife quilt you can see all the amazing variations folks have come up with using differently sized blocks.

I have never made an orphan block quilt. I just accumulate ideas. :-)

I admire you quilters who put together a nice looking quilt from orphan blocks. I have made smaller projects with them but never a quilt.

Ibex94- thank you for those sites. I usually put my orphan blocks together according to size, but some of these ideas I never thought of.

Thank you for those links! They are super helpful! I have orphan blocks of all sizes, so it's great to see the layouts of how people put them together!

Now I will wait to see your new quilt, Logcabin! I'm glad these links helped!

I support a charity that gives quilts to dying patients in the hospital who do not have time to take advantage of hospice. Blocks are made every 2 months with a special color combination along with a particular block pattern. Many times the dear lady who runs this charity has blocks left over so she will bundle them all up a couple of times a year & send them off to one of the supports who does absolute magic in putting all those blocks into beautiful quilts that all look like they were planned and made by one person. It's amazing to see the talent that this supporter has.
I look forward to seeing what you do with your orphan blocks soon.

Here's a link to a series that she created on how she makes orphan blocks work in quilts. She made 5 different posts that she links to pertaining to the quilts she's made from orphans. Hope this help you.
https://myquiltodyssey.blogspot.com/...=orphan+blocks

Great site Osewme!! What a wonderful way to give back to the community, too. Covered in Love sounds like an amazing project. I think I may have to participate in the block drive if they are still doing them. I didn't see anything on the website for a 2023 block drive but I will send an email.

Kat has taken a bit of time off this year with the block drives to get some much needed rest & rejuvenation. She is a nurse that works very, very hard at her job and needed some personal time for herself at the beginning of this year. That being said, Covered in Love is still very active with volunteers still sending in orphan blocks, binding, backing, unfinished tops, finished tops, etc. It's a very versatile organization with lots of ways to help. Thanks for considering helping!