Simply Retro Challenge – June update

It is still June, right? Thanks to some serial migraines, I’ve gotten terribly behind with my Simply Retro Challenge quilt this month, but I’ve got a few days left of June and I’m powering through putting the blocks together.

I have to admit that this is one of my favourite patterns to date, and I am already thinking about different fabrics and colourways I could use to make it. This pattern, Swell, would be ideal to use with a jelly roll, and even quicker to cut if you used a white solid jelly roll too.

I worked out some tricks to speed things along which I would like to share with you. In the original pattern Camille suggests arranging and sewing together blocks piece by piece. However, it’s obvious that at the end of every long rectangle there will be a background square, so I spent a couple of hours chain piecing them through the machine.

Edited-1430

Now I have a beautiful stack of rectangles, patterned squares and white squares ready to be arranged into blocks. I arrange 2 sets of blocks on the cutting board and chain piece everything!

Edited-1431

Four smaller blocks are made, then sewn together to make a larger 12.5″ block. I have been pressing seams to the dark where possible, and everything nests together so well. Trimming the smaller blocks down to 6.5″, centering the white square in your ruler is also vitally important. The finished blocks, corners and intersections are perfect!

Edited-1433

Using these quick techniques I whipped four blocks together in the afternoon yesterday, and I have only 12 left to make. All the pieces are cut and sorted out so it will be super easy to put it together.

Edited-1432

If you are looking for a satisfying piecing project, or a fabulous scrap buster to use up those leftover jelly roll strips, I would recommend Swell! See you back here next week for another fabulous finish!

 Linking up with….

Happy Crafting - Cassie.

Please be aware that there may be affiliate links in this content. Your support allows me to keep creating for you!

2 Responses

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *