Make blocks bigger?
#1
Make blocks bigger?
I pulled out some old block exchange blocks - three of the nine are 1/4-1/2 inch smaller than the others and I can't make the others smaller without cutting off points. Is there a good way to make them bigger aside from adding a mini border around them? I am going to sash them when they're all the same size, but I don't know how to make it work well and look cohesive without taking the blocks apart. Help?
#3
I decided to add in a mini border around them. I haven't added the sashing to them all yet, so I'm hoping it won't look funky once they're all put together. I was afraid making the sashing a bit bigger on some would make them even wonkier looking with the sashing not being entirely straight.
Thanks for the input!
Thanks for the input!
#4
Sharon Schamber has a brilliant you tube vid on enlarging/blocking quilt blocks that have shrunken in when stitching them up. It would be worth looking this up so that you can get them to the size you want. It's a bit of effort but well worth it for the finished product you end up with. HTH
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,783
One great way to handle this is to put each block on point by adding four setting triangles around, making each block the center of a square-in-a-square. Oversize the triangles a bit so the blocks "float" within. I saw a friend do this with her exchange blocks, which were all slightly different sizes, and it looked great. You'd never know the original blocks weren't identical.
#7
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
There's a book "Setting Solutions", by Sharyn Craig. The book has all kinds of interesting ideas for setting blocks, and many of her ideas address blocks that came out different sizes. There's some good deals on used copies:
http://www.amazon.com/Setting-Soluti...ting+solutions
http://www.amazon.com/Setting-Soluti...ting+solutions
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 416
You could also make them all wonky. Instead of just a mini border around the smaller ones, add a larger border 3 or 4 inches around each one. Then turn them slightly and make them all a standard block size by cutting them so that the 'border' is wonky triangles.
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Turn-Fra.../dp/1885588100
http://www.amazon.com/Twist-Turn-Fra.../dp/1885588100
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