What to do with this 5 X 3 1/2 inch block?
 

Hi everyone,
I got a few box of quilting stuff from a retired quilter and found about 150 identical block like this one (sorry for my dirty mat!):[ATTACH=CONFIG]543598[/ATTACH]

It is 5 X 3 1/2 inch. Any idea how I could use it? I can bear the idea to put them away; they are all hand sewn!!!
Thanks

Put a strip of white on each of the long edges. This strip should be cut 1" x 5". Then you will have 5" blocks. Lay them out in alternating directions (blues going horizontally, then vertically, then horizontally.)
Lay them out in an arrangement that is 13 blocks long by 11 wide (you will have 7 squares leftover).
the result will be very striking.

I was thinking on the same lines as JenniePenny. You will get a basket weave look

Good idea to make them 5 inch, but wouldn't it be boring because the fabric is exactly the same on all the bloc? I'm kind of used to have at least 5 or 6 different fabrics in my quilt :)

Just make 4-5 blocks and lay them out. It won't take a lot of time and you can then see where the creative process takes you. Maybe you'll decide to alternate the blue and white blocks with 5" yellow squares. That would be pretty and make it bigger.

You can add different color strips to the blocks you have, but I also tend to think use the same additional color on all blocks to extend them. if you want more colors, I would make more blocks in another colorway and mix them with the ones you have, using the same additional color to tie everything together.
You can easily experiment a bit. Just use a long stitch to baste strips the same color to 6 or so blocks and lay them on your design wall. then do the same thing with 6 more, using strips of multiple colors. If you don't like either of these layouts, then make some additional blocks in different colorway(s).

I like Jennipenny's idea, almost like a split rail fence.
Are you doing them by hand also?

God, no! :D It would take me forever !!! But I hate the idea to throw away the work of the quilter who must have spent hundred of hours doing this.

I have rescued quilt blocks when they are dropped off at the senior center. Her is one of the quilts design I made into a Bible bag. You could alternate using white, black or gray making it look like it was woven.

Looks great ManiacQuilter. I was hoping that somebody with design software would pop by.

It would fall into the monochromatic look and be really stunning with the white contrast. You can also use white thread show the quilting in the blocks. I don't think it would be boring at all. Some guy would LOVE to get it.

Thank you everyone for sharing your ideas. I will put some block on my design wall and try several combinaisons.

I like that block, but then I really like blues. You could do what has been suggested with the white but use yellow and give it a spark of more color. Or alternate the white with yellows or maybe pinks? I love that you are using your friend's blocks and not letting them go to waste or to someone who won't care about them as much as you do. You go girl!

I would try to come up with a design to use all those blocks. Even if it meant adding another color combination of blocks. Add borders to make it a nice size .

Jenny Penny, is this what you had in mind? I like playing with puzzles. Hope they're not too big

[ATTACH=CONFIG]543630[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]543631[/ATTACH]

This is all my feeble mind could come up with atm. One has the white on the opposite side to the other, and I think the white would have to be cut at 5x2? to make a square block.

oops, sorry for large pics, thought I had double posted for a minute.

I think you meant 1 1/2"x5" since you want a 5" square. I would probably add alternate blocks of a similar color way to make the quilt a bit bigger. Blue and white is a great combination for a quilt.

I like the second layout as the dark strips make a nice pattern. But I would lay some of these 4 patches a little closer, so that the corners of the colored blocks are meeting. Keep the 4 patch pattern and move them around a little. Will make a very nice quilt.

To give you an idea what JenniePenny was trying to explain, here is a picture of the quilt I made our DGD. You could use any color with your blue squares, but mine was done with white. Good luck. I'm glad you will be putting those pretty blocks to good use.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]543648[/ATTACH]

I was thinking the same!

This is cute also!

Thanks Emeliasnana! Yes, that is what I had envisioned. Two white strips per block, to make an outline and provide sharp contrast to the blue, when alternating direction of the blocks. Your quilt came out so pretty!

Wow, ladies, you are so creative! Thanks a lot. I have already made a quilt like the one proposed by Jennie, but with jelly roll. Could be nice, but I would have to make more blocks. I love the idea of a monochrome quilt, but I would have to get more blue shade to be my liking. It may end up being a king; that's ok, I still don't have make a quilt for myself ;)

here is an idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEROi6myQ9s

You could look at a brick wall and using white join together with a narrow strip. There are different designs for bricks.

I am not at all sure it would look bad if you wanted to add more colors by adding them as the double sides to the blue bars. If you are consistent in using solids and the some color on both sides of one block, going for a scrappy look just with those solids, might add some real variety and interest.

The other thing that I can see, and I think I would do if they were mine, would be to find all my floral scraps with any hint of those blues that I could do the double strips in, making it a floral scrappy with the blue bar blocks uniting the florals.