When I set about creating a modern I-Spy quilt for my youngest daughter, inspired by (okay, totally ripping off) this beautiful quilt by From the Blue Chair, I didn't much think about the construction. Then I tried to make the first block using a log cabin sort of approach and I had lots of waste. I cut a piece a bit bigger than the finished block size I wanted, cut two pieces for around the center block and...ack, now the other sides were too small.
When I googled how to do this I found some tutorials for inserting centers of the same size and in the same location but that is not what I wanted. I had fussy cut with abandon, and each of my centers was a totally different size AND I wanted them to be randomly placed within the larger block. After some more experimentation I came up with my solution, and while this may be obvious to everyone but me, I thought maybe you'd like to see how I did it.
To begin, I fussy cut all my centers, in all different sizes. I just wanted to capture the best image. Then I used 1" strips of varying colours (with some Kona White for a restful look and, again, because I was copying From the Blue Chair's quilt) to surround each fussy cut center.
Then I cut a 12"x12" block from the solid colour I wanted.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAi5yl6V3fIk61YAP9E25iSwCVNUgSApsdU83AnWvxLbGOlbGENFKdxZzMPRuemoLGbW1_oTzR3AJTbwFpt24-QJiLYgcxVrVIPsHu66xTUaIuO-83Q1wpekusruu_CawiDmCz1bLq_Gn/s400/blogger-image-259539349.jpg) |
That is a 12x12" block of Celestial with a little fussy cut sloth from C+S beside it, wrapped in a 1" border of Pomegranate. |
I measured the sloth,(he was 6 3/4") then placed the center approximately where I wanted it.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVgs4szRDM50riHivMASmWLT-7OX4fmwxRJabB9SbRj784PyPdCb_gqt2Y-B4vi7twPnRfMC_1Eh-bEZCmL9VeFXwEIS8buPESlP-kZh5eC8G7Icz0Pu0d5VsCxbO4Ll-q5iVQ-oZwCz5L/s400/blogger-image-1683159289.jpg) |
Approximate placement. |
Then I cut the width of the sloth, 6 3/4" (with the borders) from the square, as show below. That center strip is the same width as the sloth.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-z_Sjl4Ld2IaxW46VUKwkRcxfbQrJgvvmDefcp4LqGjbmuCiqGNdmFa7ILiDavKfzmQucajADvyQC4z_1VRhTvph2L_olMUbyDWDca6NhLJACeMBz8oSPYezWJXxwkOAmvzKbhbKTb8lo/s400/blogger-image--378309484.jpg) |
The strips on either sides will become the vertical strips on my block. |
Then I used my ruler and cut the center strip approximately where I wanted the sloth to be in this square.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfhsIIjJyRiE0sfbBHH6OelCF8g-hDeP_8eO3OktfUS_JWdA8muqhczOEfK884bU3vIKQWVBSRa0hhn12NqvKZcaZaO-N0gzhyphenhyphensjrBbyawcbFLX0fkrivs8fEw1FnZsN6v3k1UNHifIXWB/s400/blogger-image--273943143.jpg) |
3" up I cut the center strip. This two pieces will become my horizontal strips in my block. |
Then a cat helps by inspecting the whole thing, sitting right in the middle of the block you are making and trying to photograph.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGOLfBirm7KRlI-51VOfvlac8GLhBLTG7rUFeOCXVLWa9QeevBVraZCIYqS1zO2-GEA8ieFM4rwa9TOsLjbEXaysAc_vfzX68SeTi_LUZ5XS8hcBSapMuJ8Up0QNPn8t5kuFelvGslBYG/s400/blogger-image-1178347886.jpg) |
Is it acceptable? |
I then sewed the top and bottom horizontal pieces to the sloth, as shown below.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqla3Y707rGSACIoQfMgXrCeqiS9IbDjSXgfBNlZzjRONlr_V-fCFNibdYmDqPO6ltGBnm5fzNiIGP4a9jS9OHyeh6w_muPXigt4OHax5ctU2FkdB3tF-JKR7VVtAmse4BvAJjuR8mGZu9/s400/blogger-image--1828101375.jpg) |
Doesn't he look lovely? |
And then I sewed the two vertical pieces on, being sure to line up the bottom edge of the vertical pieces with the bottom of my center strip.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7lqn57XPqszw7i01vard8UujMVUjYo9v8m7M8I52pA9emd1Kkn9e4EsMIyEYQYIuaDU_n7dJw8VJ_JPQT4lvnEXbydZuXa7SD1O1Q16WuJxzR6Zrp3CSjaf-vZoMZAmdQAAf7rkxF70tR/s400/blogger-image--1812636964.jpg) |
Now it looks something like this. |
A little trimming gets it to the size I actually want (I decided on 10 1/2") and places the sloth exactly where I want. Starting with a 12" square let me play with where exactly I wanted the sloth (or any center) to actually be on the final block,
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyBAlRfI23v4co-ImxFBp1LzKpELfgH_cLGT-2c5lFQ0uDXyp190Kz4j1BMUvRWdj481FWKhJkRSVdFhh96FTdDvql-3gPw1IhBk1-paQFZy3HWbDliO7UvPD9SI5lmGRV7HYIJ_mTWT2Z/s400/blogger-image-1796578511.jpg) |
Ta da! Sloth is ready to go! |
I used washi tape or painter's tape to tape up all my blocks since I still don't have a design wall in my sewing room.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjicbLQFf2y-sXWPZ-McDSaVKbdWix1ZcpKAc_Rb3NMi9_bKYBNp_6gO2ojs97FitpqpBriKcVLoUPB-4ABHKOr5F3lw8spsWOUWUvYzMiQB6DQnD9s-IM7jzkB5MKQUSE-K2cVJM9sbL_W/s400/blogger-image--1237604789.jpg) |
The sloth is ready to go. |
And I kept the momentum going making more and more blocks. Note that the center appears in a different part of the block for each one.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6BKUxLp_FIbqW8NHLTddxyEHCM5obASm8VsyrT1bqFDuTZ7GI4MoIOqDwfTw4NZUtracHpOwbpWe_LZIOXJRsOOdeVReic9VD1cWhJqdE_gONOaxDOSF3Lv77O4ytjB3L8hKkISTHI_8/s400/blogger-image--229711109.jpg) |
It begins... |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qmQYGfNfXfVfQKDRjTgBC9aLvl_huuql48FeoOxLENVSp-0jNE_HQDv2bECLBQVBFaYD5k8_9EWnSbNuLoO11wqtPyF4Topx3ADXSRXsD4P98f7JlR70VaVb_5oFoxFPNHjvz1BeMEJ_/s400/blogger-image--1567287273.jpg) |
This is the current count. I have 25 blocks done and now I need to decide if I'm done and can start sashing (in Kona White) or if I want to make 5 more. |
I hope this "tutorial" (I'm using the term loosely) was somewhat helpful. If nothing else it will help me remember the process I went through to get this result. In addition, I really need to edit the photos before I upload them so you don't have to see my legs. :)