Moda Modern Building Blocks

I am so excited that my first month's subscription for the Moda Modern Building Blocks quilt pattern came at the end of last month. I managed to restrain myself from cutting all the fabric that came for the various blocks and just started with block num.37. Good thing too, because I could not for the life of me figure out what I was doing incorrectly.

The block is too small. For a 6" finished block I need a 6.5" unfinished block to account for seam allowances. It is assembled using triangles, which can be tricky because of bias sewing, but I measured carefully and followed the limited directions in the pattern. My points do not line up and the block is messy. You can see how the HST in the corners run off the edge and how some of the points are staggered. Not pretty.

After a few days of planning and hypothesizing I decided to try the pattern instructions again but being super careful of my technique.

• I used only one ruler, instead of my square ruler and long ruler
• I checked and marked my 1/4" seam allowance on my machine and used a scant 1/4" seam allowance when sewing, replaced the needle, and oiled the machine
• I pressed with ample steam on high heat being sure to pin bias seams to prevent stretching
• I trimmed dog ears and pressed seams to nest and avoid bulking

As you can see, despite my best efforts, the pattern instructions just yield a small block and the points do not line up. I am sure there are a number of extra things I could do to prevent the fabric from distorting, such as pre-washing and using starch spray, and I may have to consider some of these going forward, but really the pattern should produce the resulting block for all fabrics and quilters. 

I did note in the construction the second time that the center square (yellow in blue) measured only 3" square instead of 3.5" and that the geese on the side were only 1.5" tall instead of 2". This pattern has a number of 1/8th inch increment cuts and triangles, which are not easy to work with. Though it calls for more planning, there are ways to create these blocks (not just num.37, but all the blocks) using squares and rectangles, making 2 HST or 4 FG at a time, which result in more precise blocks and less heartache.

As I make this pattern, I will document it here under the Modern Building Blocks link on the right. I foresee having a number of orphan blocks at the end of this quilt which will all go into the backing. As a note to those that bought the kit, my construction changes may eat up more fabric than your kit provides. I will do my best to stay as true to the pattern as possible, but I am neither an employee or a pattern tester for Moda, so the changes in construction I make are to be used at your own risk with the pre-packaged kits.

Other than MMBB I have been working on this large block quilt made of Cotton & Steel. The bright teal is Julianna Horner from Joann Fabric and the white background is from Bonnie Christine's new line, Winged. I wanted to make a quilt that was just a large block and as it grew, I realized I needed to make it more, so it is not done yet while I decide on the next border. I am thinking blue diamonds and pink pluses but that could change on a whim.

What an exciting first week of fall and the rest of the month is looking up too. In two weeks my guild will be holding the first ever Fall Retreat at The Hideaway in Monument, CO. I am excited to be part of this retreat and will probably take the time to finish projects in my studio instead of starting new ones. We shall see.