Hive 4 May Tutorial - Stacked Squares Block

 Hi Everyone -

I'm Joan from New York City and this is my first year in Stash Bee.   I've been quilting about 8 years and love my hobby, but I have way too many scraps that I find hard to throw away!   Stash Bee is helping to  tame the scrap basket a bit  and I'm enjoying  sewing up our blocks as well as crashing other hives.

My favorite quilts are scrappy ones and I'm always looking for  new and fun blocks to use up my seemingly endless bucket of scraps.   I recently found this Stacked Squares block and tutorial from Melissa Cory of Happy Quilting (www.happyquiltingmelissa).    Super scrappy block which uses brights and low volume fabrics and sews up like a log cabin block.   I am fine with all bright colors so that there is a good contrast with the low volume.  For the bright blocks, try to use small prints or near-solids so that they pop.   I am not a fan of neon, but everything else goes!

Step 1:  Cutting

From your BRIGHT  print scraps cut:

(1)  3.5"  x 3.5" square

 (4) 1.5"  x 2 .5" rectangles and (4) 2.5" x 3.5" rectangles -- Note: that you need to pair these.  See picture below.

From your LOW VOLUME  scraps cut:

 (2) 2.5 " x 2.5 " squares

(2) 2.5 " x 4.5 " rectangles

(2) 2.5" x 6.5"  rectangles

(2)  2 .5" x 8.5" rectangles

Step 2:  Assembling the block

Pair up the low volume rectangles with the matching/same prints.  Any combo is fine.  Using a 1/4" seam, sew each unit together.   Chain stitching makes this go really fast.  Press towards the prints.

From here on in, it's like a Log Cabin block where you continually build on layers.

Start with your 3.5" square and add the smallest unit you just sewed to the right of the square, press outwards.  Next add the matching print unit to the bottom,  always press away from the 3" square.

Continue to add pieces to the right, and then bottom as shown in the following pictures.

Finished square measures 11.5" x 11.5"

Here are a few blocks that I’ve sewn to give you an idea of how the finished quilt will look. 

Thanks for sewing for me.  I really look forward to putting this quilt together!

Joan