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Mixing and Matching Blocks to Create Unique Quilts

If I’m honest, I have to admit I’m a bit of a rebel.  When I was younger my rebellious streak got me into trouble.  And when I became a parent and received the mother’s curse of children like me.  That was really hard!  I have now learned how to rebel in good ways.  Let me explain.  In my quilting I like mixing and matching blocks, styles and methods.

So rather than follow all the rules of quilting.  I look at them more like guidelines.  This gives me the freedom to try new things.  With that freedom I’ve learned to embrace the wonk.  I’m okay if things are not perfect.  In fact, my first quilt pattern came about because I got my math wrong and had to figure out a way to fix my quilt.  While you do need some basics to make things fit.  Straight lines and pointy points are nice but not necessary for a beautiful quilt.

 

As a rebel I don’t like to be told what to do.  That means even when I have a pattern I don’t follow it perfectly.  I like to add a bit or more of me to it.  Really that is why I make my own patterns.  But if I’m honest I love when someone takes what I’ve created and adds a bit of them to it.  Making it uniquely their quilt.  In fact, that has become my focus in Aunt Em’s Sew Along Adventure.  I’ve designed the blocks so that they are easy to mix and match.

Jenn’s Color My World

 

So if you don’t like a block or a method it’s easy to mix and match to make your own unique quilt.  In Jenn’s Color My World quilt she added the butterflies and dragon flies from Fairy Garden and the stars and firecrackers from Summer Nights.

Alice’s Fairy Garden

Alice decided to for go the fairies in her quilt and added more flowers and butterflies.

And Beth took blocks from September Sun to create her own design.

If mixing and matching blocks sounds fun to you.  You may want to join us in the sew along.  There are over 200 blocks with more coming as I share Sew Abundant, my next sew along quilt.   Get your creative juices flowing. I can’t wait to see what you create!

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