March challenge results: exploding rail fence

In February, Terry showed us how to make the exploding rail fence block. She challenged everyone to try it and to bring samples to the March meeting to show. This block proved to be very versatile with many looks depending on how many rails and the size of strips in the rails. The placement of colors in the block could also completely change the look and pattern as well as how the finished blocks are turned and arranged.

Donna made her rail  pieces completely scrappy and random and varied the width of rails. 

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Ilene used five strips for each 5-inch square and used 1 1/2 inch strips of fabric. She used a white strip in the center of each rail section and two scrappy strips for the outside rails.

Leann's rail blocks had four 2 1/2 inch strips of fabric with pink always placed on the outside.

The small blocks from Des had three strips with red in the middle and blue on the outsides. The large blocks are made with five strips (2 1/2 inches) with white in the center and dark strips on the outside.

Julie used four strips of different color fabrics in her blocks. The strips are always placed in the same order (yellow, green, white, blue). She arranged the blocks to have opposite colors of "hearts" in the center. When you stand back from this quilt top, the yellow and blue look like circles. 

Heidi's blocks are made from four strips of varying widths and in random order, but she used the same fabrics in each block for a controlled scrappy feel.

Tiffany chose to have just three rails with white always in the middle and two different teal and brown strips on the outside.

Chris is using a jelly roll and sewing four strips together to form her blocks. She alternated orange and teal strips.

Darlene also used four strips that were sewn in the same order (yellow, green, multi, blue) but she ended up with two different blocks because of how she arranged the cut triangles pieces.

Linda used 1 1/2 inch strips and always placed white in the middle with two different prints next and two different solid strips on the outside. 

Linda discovered she could arrange blocks so the solid colors made long strips and created a lattice pattern that resembles sashing.

Rosemary's blocks resulted in different patterns completely. She used four strips in the pink set, but instead of turning the rail pieces at angles to sew them together, she matched the two squares so the strips went the same direction and the same-color strips were matched.

She used five strips for the black and red set and made the rail pieces run the same direction but the color strips are opposite each other. 

This was definitely a fun challange! Thanks Terry. We were amazed at the variety from one block!

February 2012 Meeting

February was a fabulous month for projects and inspiration.  

Teri started us off this month with her patriotic table runner she quilted herself and a pretty throw pillow.

She also brought this rag quilt made in boy colors.

Teri's fall table top quilt has a panel in the center and disappearing 9-patch blocks.

Donna brought two tumbler quilt tops she has been working on and also an organic feeling strip quilt. When Leann quilted this top, she said it reminded her of water so it is quilted in ripples and swirls.

Des worked on baby gifts this month and shared this gift set she made.

Julie quilted this baby boy blanket herself with straight lines.

We love seeing the quilts from exchange blocks and Julie brought the top she put together from the 2011 exchange.

It seems like Julie brings a cute hand bag to our group often. She made this one using charm squares.

We are excited to have Christina join our group! She shared this bright and girly quilt made from jelly roll strips. She said she purchased additional yellow fabric to match.

Rose was the lucky winner of some of the quilt blocks from our local library's quilt contest in January and she already has them put together in a quilt top! 

Darlene brought this beautiful king-sized quilt she calls "buck-eyed beauty." 

DeLene did the quilting on this and it is amazing. This quilt could really be reversed because the back is as stunning as the top!

Darlene had extra blocks from her quilt so we can see better how to make the design.

Thanks everyone for so much inspiration!