Thursday, June 2, 2016

If You're Happy and You Know It Make a Block (or Swap)


Happy Blocks are quick and easy and a great for using up scraps.  
They can be made any size or with any shape. 
I keep a box of them around in various themes so I have the ingredients for a quick quilt should the need arise. 

Over the last couple of years I've made pillowcases with comic book themed fabric. I have quite a few leftover pieces of fabric now so decided to make some Happy Blocks. These are 6.5 inch centers framed by 2.5 inch sides for a 10 inch finished block.  I'm just going to frame these in red, blue and yellow solids. 



I'm participating in a swap of six inch (finished) Happy Blocks. 
The centers are four inch I Spy novelties and the sides are 1 3/4 inch bright Tone on Tones. We are swapping 8 each of 7 different blocks.   I used insects, birds and animals for all of my blocks - the six on the bottom and the green background mouse on top.   The other three will stay with me as well as a set I'm swapping.   I had those four inch center pieces already cut in a novelty pile of fabric so went ahead and added frames while I was at it. 
Swaps are a great way to get a variety of different fabrics if you are a fabric -holic. 

(And if you want to swap any wild kingdom Happy Blocks like these with me let me know. I want to make a big Wild Kingdom quilt).  



And speaking of swaps...
There's still some spots left.   
Above are the fabrics I'll cut into squares for the swap.






6 comments:

gayle said...

You always have so much fun going on at your house! I love your cheery blocks!

Dasha said...

Lovely cheerful Happy Blocks. I checked out Val's swap and would have loved to join in, but I am o/s so the return postage is a problem for me. Have fun with that. Your fabric pull for that looks good.

Quilting Babcia said...

I love making Happy Blocks, though I wasn't aware that is what they are called. Back in 2012 I made one of the grandsons a superhero quilt very much like yours! It was fun to make. My youngest grandson will be moving to his big-boy bed soon and his Happy quilt will need to be cars and trucks, his passion since before he could walk!

Sally Trude said...

I saw the I-spy exchange button on your blog and followed the rabbit hole. I was very good and included only two cat prints in my selection of ten fabrics.

Val's Quilting Studio said...

I love the idea of the happy blocks and bookmarked your page! I'm motivated by your "keep a stash" going idea...as these could make great donation, baby or kid quilts to have on hand. Wish I had found that swap as I would have done it with you.. Sooo email me about the wild kingdom you are thinking of...and love the additional fabrics you found for our swap! What are you planning for all your new I-spys?? Look forward to chatting through email:) V

Kaja said...

I just had to hide this screen - my boy would go wild for your Spiderman blocks! Novelty fabrics are always fun, aren't they?