Mother’s Day Mini Challenge

Today, we are kicking off the Mother’s Day Mini Challenge!

We challenge you to get this mini quilt done in time for Mother’s Day – it can be for your favorite Mom, or for yourself. I made the sample block here on the blog in solids and tone-on-tones, but you can use whatever you have in your scrap bag!

We emailed the center block pattern to our newsletter subscribers.

Can you get the pattern? Yes! If you subscribe to the Poorhouse Post in the month of April (2021), you will get a pattern on the Monday following the date that you subscribed. (Note - if you are reading this after April 2021, the pattern is no longer available).

Let’s take a look at the center block.

Let’s break this down even further: there is one center unit (square in a square); 4 side units and 4 corner units. Let’s get sewing!

We are starting with the center unit. I used the full-size square method for the corners. In other words, I used the finished size for the center and then 4 smaller squares. How to figure that out? Take the finished unit size (with seam allowances), divide in half and add ¼” – that will be the size of the 4 smaller squares.

I marked diagonal lines on the smaller squares and then pinned to the opposite corners of the center square.

Next, I stitched along the marked lines. I love my open toe foot so I can see where I am sewing.

Now, trim away the excess as shown.

Press open and repeat on the opposite corners and you have your square in a square block.

Moving on to the corner units, we will need 4 corner units, so 8 half square triangles. I had enough fabric to use the 8 at a time method; pair up 2 oversize squares:

How to figure the size of the squares you will need? Take the finished half square triangle size that you need (with seam allowances), multiply by 2 and add 1” – that will be the size of the oversize squares.

Mark diagonal lines:

Stitch ¼” from either side of both of the marked lines. Then cut in half horizontally and vertically from the centers of each side.

I did not take a picture of the next step, but you will need to cut apart along the drawn diagonal lines. This yields 8 HSTs! These will need to be trimmed to the required size.

Now we can stitch our corner unit - I can see butterflies! This is the layout:

Lastly for the side units – we need more HSTs, but I did not have large enough pieces for the 8 at a time method, so I chose the 2 at a time method. Like before, we are marking a diagonal line, corner to corner, then sewing ¼” from the drawn line and cutting apart along the drawn line. Then trim to the size needed. As the name implies, this method yields 2 HSTs at a time.

To figure the size of the squares you will need for the 2 at a time method, take the finished half square triangle size that you need (with seam allowances), add ½” – that will be the size of the squares you will use.

Flying geese for those of us that love HSTs! Sew together the HSTs as shown:

Resulting side unit:

Here is my finished block:

Simple and scrappy! Add a border next week, and you can get a gift done early for Mother’s Day!

To spice it up a bit, we are going having a fun giveaway. If you are a Poorhouse Post subscriber, you are already entered. We have a set of Riley Bake Designs Jane Austen Greeting Cards and Journal. I will be picking 2 winners, and will announce on the blog next week. Our giveaway is limited to US residents only.

You can increase your chances of winning by posting a pic of your block and tagging Poorhouse Quilt Designs on either Facebook or Instagram!

Our email subscribers received the pattern for the center block of the quilt shown above in their inbox today. We will be sending out the border info next week. It’s not too late to get the pattern, just subscribe to our email during April 2021! To subscribe, enter your info in the box at the right ------>!

If you subscribe, we will email you a pattern on the Monday following the date that you subscribed. (Note - if you are reading this after April 2021, the pattern is no longer available).

Thanks so much for reading and I hope you have a great week!

-Kris