Yesterday afternoon I hustled to get 36 Potato Chip charity quilt blocks for Many Hands and Many Hearts finished and dropped off at the post office.
Potato Chip Charity Blocks – Fabric Pull
Cynthia requested that the blocks be made using complementary colors: red with green centers or green with red centers / purple with yellow centers or yellow with purple centers / blue with orange centers or orange with blue centers. So last week I started by pulling out my brightly colored prints. I was aiming to find 6 in each color, because the block uses (6) 2½” x 4½” rectangles around a center 4½” square.
Potato Chip Charity Blocks
It took me a few evenings to get all the pieces cut, but it was satisfying to watch the blocks grow on my design wall. I then spent a few fun days sewing the blocks all together and then promptly forgot to get a picture of them before pulling them off my design wall to secure the edge seams, so you’ll just have to take my word for it that they looked great when they were pieced!
Potato Chip Charity Blocks
Once again, I sewed ⅛” away from the edge of the block to secure the seams at the edge of each block. This extra seam adds just a bit more security for all the handling that these blocks will undergo until they are sewn into a quilt top.
Potato Chip Charity Blocks
I really love that these blocks are 8½” square unfinished – they fit perfectly in a USPS flat rate envelope. These blocks sew together quickly, and are a great way to use up some of your scraps, so I hope you consider contributing some Potato Chip charity quilt blocks for Many Hands and Many Hearts; this block drive runs through the end of August.
Fun blocks for a wonderful charity project.
A fun block for using up scraps!
These are really great blocks. They are fast finishes and so satisfying…just like potato chips.
You definitely had the fabrics for these. Yay for getting them off already.
They look so happy on the design wall!
What a fun set of colorful blocks! They look fun to sew too!
I love the name of this one! It totally made me smile ;) Plus, how can you resist playing with all the fun colours!
These are great blocks, Yvonne. I love your color combinations and how you matched up the stripes in the one block! I’ve not tried a potato chip block but have an AccuQuilt die that is perfect, 2-1/2 x 4-1/2 so they would be easily cut. This is a great size block you end up with and I love the idea of securing the seam with that 1/8″ stitch line. I usually do this around my quilts before longarming them, and I don’t know why I’ve never thought to do that on the block seams. It certainly is better than having to restitch those that ease apart while sewing them together.
Whoa!! that is a lot of blocks!! love all the happy colors! Go yoU!!!
Such a fun quilt to work on. I don’t know where I’ve been, but i’ve not heard of a potato chip block before (and i do love chips!). I shall go and do some googling.
The way you describe this project makes me immediately want to dive in! I love all your bold and saturated colors, and all those blocks will certainly be welcome into a new quilt. Bravo to you for getting them all done and finished and SENT!
You nailed all three color palettes. Those would make a really fun quilt, very bold and bright.
I love this idea for a charity quilt. I am on my guild’s community service commitee so I am making note. I do have one question…when I am making blocks to be mailed I always backstitch at any seams that will end up on the edge of the block for security. I am wondering why you choose to do the perimeter 1/8″ stitch instead? You are such a methodical quilter I am sure your method much have some benefits!