A Block and a Half ... and a New Quilt Pattern

This block and a half doesn't seem like much of an achievement in terms of fabric and thread and blocks, but  ... it is what's I've been making and what's on my design wall at the moment.

I made them as part of putting together The Three Bears - A fill-in-the-blocks quilt pattern.

This is one of the alternate blocks and a pieced setting triangle from the quilt design. YOU fill-in-the-blocks with a set of your own 8 inch (finished size) blocks to make it your own.

You can purchase/down-load the pattern here or by clicking the image below.

The quilt pattern is called The Three Bears, because fabric yardage and directions are included for three sizes:  

Baby Bear - add 12 blocks to make a quilt that is 54 by 68 inches
Mama Bear -add 24 blocks to make a quilt that is 68 by 96 inches (shown here)
Papa Bear - add 36 blocks for a quilt that is 96 inches square.

The pattern includes fabric yardage needed for each size, directions for making the alternate block and the pieced setting triangles and directions for putting it all together.

There are also coloring sheets for each size quilt and my tips for making half-square triangle units–the math and methods for making them 7 ways.

How would you fill-in-the-blocks and use this pattern? I can imagine that you might use:

• 8 1/2 inch squares of a large scale fabric that you wanted to feature (and not cut up)
• Plain squares in which you could feature quilting or embroidery
• A set of 8 inch (finished size) blocks all the same pattern (maybe some lotto blocks you have won)
• A set of sampler blocks–you might guess that's my plan ... and you'd be right!
• Orphan blocks that are 8 inches (finished size) or smaller–add background strips to the smaller blocks to make them all 8 1/2 inches before you sew them into the quilt.

This is how Mama Bear might look made from coordinated batiks, adding the split heart variation in this month's Block Lotto pattern. 

Members of the Block Lotto who make and post lotto blocks will receive a coupon to get this pattern for free–details are included in this post.

Friday Night (Virtual) Sew In

I have this quilt pattern idea–a "fill in the blocks" setting that would allow you to add your choice of 8-inch blocks.

The 24 blocks you add in the open spaces could be orphans, lotto blocks won or even ... a sampler quilt made by adding 2 each of a dozen blocks.

This quilt, constructed from 8-inch blocks with two borders would measure 68 by 96 inches.  I have been thinking about it as The Three Bears, because it comes in three sizes, Papa Bear (add 36 blocks), Mama Bear (this one) and Baby Bear (add 12 blocks).

What do you think?  Is it an idea worth pursuing?