Sew Let's Quilt Along Block 10

Button, button who's got the button? We do! Thanks to Laura Piland who designed this fun Buttons Quilt Block for the Sew Let's Quilt Along. You can download the block pattern on Laura's blog Slice of Pi Quilts.

Do you save buttons? I remember playing with my Nana's button collection when I was a little girl. My Gramps made the ebony black button box with dovetail joints and a smooth sliding top, which I now have in my sewing room. I loved sorting through the mounds of buttons to find all the fancy ones mixed in with the plain shirt buttons. I always looked forward to playing with that button box when we visited my grandparents.

My version of the Buttons Block
designed by Laura Piland

My Tips for Block 10

This block is all about fusible appliqué, which is a technique we have played with in this QAL many times before. I think it is clever how Laura nested the circle templates for cutting.

I actually used the same button colors as illustrated in the pattern: red, green, and blue. But I chose a lighter background to blend better with some of my other blocks in a door quilt. As long as you have good contrast between the buttons and the background any combination of colors and patterns could work.

The Blueberry Park fabric that I am using for this QAL is printed on solid Kona Cotton so the reverse side is not lighter than the front side. Instead I chose some lighter fabrics in the same color family for the button rings. My buttons are kind of crazy, but I'll bet some of your buttons will be delightfully crazy too!

Tips

  1. Starch your fabric before cutting. Starch makes fabric behave.
  2. Use small sharp scissors for cutting the appliqué shapes. I like my Kay Buckley 6-inch scissors. They have serrated blades that grab the fabric perfectly for accurate cuts.
  3. Instead of pinning I used a dab of glue stick to temporarily hold the templates onto the fusible for cutting. The pins through paper tend to make it bumpy.
  4. Note that you need to place the big button holes and the smaller buttons at least 1/2" away from the edge of the background piece so they don't get chopped in the seam allowance.

Community

The absolute best thing is sharing and seeing what everyone is making. Even if you are not keeping up with the schedule or posting for the prize drawings we still want to see what you are making!

You will find announcements and plenty of other quilters to cheer you on in the Partners in Design Facebook Group.

On Instagram you should use #SewLetsQAL on your posts. Be sure to follow the hashtag so you can see what everyone else is making.

More Blocks and Tips from Hosts

Visit the hosts for this block to see a variety of sewing tips and fabric choices from the Partners in Design team.

Abbie Danahy @ Sparkle On!
April Adams @ JANDA Bend Quilts
Becca Fenstermaker @ Pretty Piney Quilts
Bobbi Bridgeman @ Snowy Days Quilting
Jennifer Fulton @ Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Kathleen McCormick @ Kathleen McMusing
Sandy Maxfield @ SandyStar Designs
Sherry Shish @ Powered by Quilting

Amazing Sponsors

We are lucky to have amazing sponsors on board with some fabulous prizes for this QAL! In addition, many of the block designers are donating quilt patterns for the prize packages.

Prize Drawings

There will be a prize drawing at the end of each segment and then a grand prize drawing at the end of the whole QAL. The prizes are open to participants who are at least 18 years old.

Segment Prizes

To be eligible to win a segment prize, you need to make all of the blocks from that segment. Then share a photo (or photos) of your blocks in a single post to be entered in the drawing at the end of each segment. This block is part of Segment 3, which includes Blocks 10-13 and runs through Sept. 9.

Amazing sponsors for Segment 3. Show them some love!

Grand Prize

To be eligible to win the grand prize, you need to make all 13 blocks and turn them into a quilt top or other projects. Quilt tops don't need to be quilted, but projects do need to be finished. Share a single post at the end of the quilt along that shows all of the blocks in a quilt top or other projects. It doesn't matter how many projects or what projects you make, or how many blocks you use in each project, as long as you show that you have used all 13 blocks in a finished quilt top or projects.

How to Enter the Prize Drawings

There are three places you can share your blocks to be entered in the random prize drawings. Each participant will only be entered once in each drawing, even if you post in multiple places.

  • Facebook - share your blocks in the Partners in Design Facebook Group
  • Instagram - Share your blocks with hashtag #SewLetsQAL
  • Blog Linky - The hosts will share a link-up on their wrap-up posts at the end of each segment.

~Sandy

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