Community Quilts

​by Margaret Scofield 
Community Quilt Workday Suggested Pattern, February 2023 

​This suggested pattern is designed to be worked on a little at a time and use up your scrap fabric. ​​​
  • Start with a center block (pieced or square/rectangle) approximately 5”. 
  • Add strips log cabin style until you reach about 11” square. 
  • Finger press each strip to keep it under 10 minutes per block (if ironed, it will take longer than 10 minutes).
  • Once block reaches 11”, press the block, then square it to 10.5”. 
  • Make a total of 48 blocks.
  • Bring finished blocks to sew together for the February Meeting Workday. 
  • Cut coordinating sashing in a size and color that’s pleasing to you.  Have those ready for the meeting. 
  • Watch the short YouTube video from Karen Brown Just Get It Done Quilts for sashing ideas. (Click on link.)  https://youtu.be/_sW6n6-0SaM 
  • If you don’t have any scraps to work with, don’t worry, there will be scraps for you to make blocks with.
Other Suggestions
Community Quilt Workday Pattern (64” x 80”)
This quilt is very scrap friendly.  It will use forty (40) – 8 ½ x 8 ½ in squares and one hundred sixty (160) – 4 ½ x 4 ½ inch squares. It is best if all the 8 ½” x 8 ½” squares are cut from the same fabric (about 2 ½ yards), but it is not required, see below.  The 4 ½’ x 4 ½’ squares can be cut from a variety of different fabrics (a total of about 2 ½ yards or about 10 fat quarters.
  • Sew four 4 ½’ x 4 ½’ squares to form a Four Patch Block.
  • Sew alternating Four Patch Blocks and 8 ½” x 8 ½” Blocks, so that there are eight (8) blocks across by ten (10) blocks down.
  • See different alternatives below.
Community Quilts Workday
Community Quilt Workday was dedicated to making twin quilts for Educate Tomorrow and made quilts for students transitioning out of the foster care system.   If you missed it, you can still participate.
Gather up your fabrics that young adults (18 year old) may like and let's use them to make quilts. Let's try to bring a little joy to their lives because they have so little. Fabric suggestions: Graphic prints, solids, something that all gender identities would like.  
We are going to follow a video quilt tutorial with the fabulous Jenny Doan of Missouri Star and make Dakota Sunrise quilts for the students of Educate Tomorrow. The quilt is shown in two colorways, and is suited for scraps or pre-cuts.
Here is a short list of the fabric requirements.
  • 1 layer cake (or scraps) cut as follows:
    • 16-10 x 10 inches (uncut, if using layer cake)
    • 31-5 x 10 inches
    • 15-5 x 5 inches
    • 48-2.5 x 2.5 inches
  • 2 1/2 yards background cut into 2.5 inch strips
    • For Sashing: 57-10 x 2.5 inches and 54-5 x 2.5 inches
    • For Border 2.5-inch strips to fit quilt perimeter
Please note that the instructions call for an outer border. We are omitting that to end up with a twin sized quilt, about 60 x 80 inches.
Visit the online tutorial for more details on cutting and sewing this easy quilt: 
​ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLlcpFBIFkM
To learn more about Educate Tomorrow, visit: https://www.educatetomorrow.org/index.php
Fidget Quilts
Ocean Waves is making fidget quilts for the VA Hospital as part of our Community Quilts projects.  For more information and ideas on making fidget quilts, check out: 
www.needlepointers.com/main/youtubecontent.aspx?youtubepageid=255
youtu.be/GhojSOjTAn4