Squaring Up The Blocks

After joining the strips into blocks, the next step was to square them up. And I had a note-to-self. Thing is, as good as I thought I wrote it, the list of steps confused me. I wrote myself into a corner of confusion. I brought out the blocks made earlier and re-measured them to make sense of my note-to-self. Then it made sense.

I actually did have a list of the steps to take, and yet not written so clearly that my 'today' brain could figure them out. It was though the image that I had of myself when I wrote the note had become outdated.  It was a trap to think I would always think the same way one day as I would in the future. Its not that I want to dummy-down my notes-to-self, however I do need to make them more clear for anyone to read.

I will re-write them, not really changing the notes as much as clarifying my own instructions. Clearly, what I had was outdated. There are cuts on each side of the block. Each cut is specific to make the block 12" unfinished. It is a modified rail fence block. Scrappy.

And now, for the layout and joining of the blocks to make a center piece, I decided to rotate the longer strips one turn and then simply join them at the edge of the blocks. It measured 69" side to side with six blocks to each row. I think making it seven rows down will give it a good size to put away and save for next year. With the extra blocks, if more width or length is needed, it will be simple enough to add a block to a side or top for an extension. Any leftovers can be cut off. I don't want to make huge quilts and the suggestion for a back is to have a 3" overhang. This seems like a perfect way to go. I am not invested in saving the overage once it gets cut.