Hive 2 April Tutorial: Fan Block

My how our world has changed in one month.  Here in Wisconsin, we are in “Safer at Home” quarantines keeping appropriate social distancing when outside running essential errands only.  Fortunately, I live in a very remote part of the state on forty acres with no neighbors, so isolation is not so new to us, but I confess, it is getting old.  I am a lawyer and am managing the logistics of court hearings by phone, but it is challenging.  My sewing this month has to be my refuge and not another challenge, so I chose to help you tackle a tiny bite of your string stash and play with color any way you choose.

Start with a piece of 8.5” x 11” inch copy paper and cut it to an 8.5” square.

Start with a strip between 1.75 and 2.5 “ inches and place face up in the middle of your paper.  Add a second string and place it face down and angled so that you sew it so the top fans toward the top corner.

Flip and fold back the paper to trim the excess fabric. 

Press strips open.  

Add more strips in similar fashion until you cover the paper in a “V” shape being sure to trim each time you add a strip.  Make sure your strips go over the edge about a 1/4 inch over all sides of the paper, because the paper shrinks a bit when sewing strips on.

After the paper is covered, press and trim to 8.5” square  and you’re done!

I started cleaning up my sewing room and kept finding bags of strings and scrap pieces that never made it to the master bin, so I dumped them out with the plan of just sorting, but decided instead to play with colors and create a block I could just sit and sew together.  I’ve managed to use up most of those string scraps which is very satisfying.   Here’s a square that didn’t  quite make a v shape, but this little guy in the picture is too cute to toss, so it will be one of the odd ones, but it illustrates why the first strip should be more or less straight up and down.

I hope you each find a little peace with your sewing through these trying times.

I’m going to get busy now making face masks for those heroic healers on the front line.  May we keep them and the rest of humanity in our collective prayers.