500 Quilt Blocks: A peek inside

Self promotion does not always sit easy with me, but forgive me, I am a more than a little excited as is Lynne.  Advance copies of our book, 500 Quilt Blocks arrived today.

There are three formats, an aqua green hardback for UK(and maybe elsewhere?), an aqua green UK soft back  (not as vivid as the Amazon pic, much softer colour) and the blue hardback which is for the USA market.  The contents are the same, it's just the covers and the jackets which vary.

The book is a small format, just 6" x 6" and 1" thick and it is packed with blocks, instructions and pics .  There are 100 core blocks ranging from the simplest 4-patch to curves and paper piecing of more advanced blocks.  Each core block has 4 variation and there are 20 projects, each using a different block.  Lynne and I will have copies to sell imminently and book plate stickers too, these were just the advance copies, the publishers are waiting for the next bulk shipment.  So meanwhile, here are a few of my favourite blocks and projects.  This is 'Mother's Dream'.

Lynne and I decided on the blocks we were doing and were aiming to include all our favourites, represent our different design styles with new blocks, modern blocks and classic blocks.  I did a series of five animal blocks called 'Pets' based on cats and dogs.  This is dog block is for my cavalier Lottie and like her, it always makes me laugh when I see it.  The black cat with the white nose and chin reminds me of Bob, our late much loved moggy.  These are rotary cut blocks.

I love spool blocks and thinking of all the times I have seen wonderful online quilters and friends make great quilts and projects with the friendship butterfly/spool block, I knew that this block had to be in our book.  I chose it for a project bag.  There is a full size paper piecing template in the book for this.

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you will know well my love of kitchenalia so there are a set of five blocks called 'Pots and Pans', all rotary cut and include a kettle, teapot, casserole dishes, and a milk pan.  All are rotary cut and any would be suitable for the obligatory potholder project.

Lynne did the lion's share of the quilts in this book- we each know our strengths.  I made one quilt, 'Baby Love', a baby sized square quilt which uses number, letter and giant heart blocks.  I used Oakshot elements for the solids so there is a bit of shimmer in there too and it is beautifully soft and cuddly.

It was a huge amount of work all packed into a little book.  Three months from start to finish, which is a very fast turn around.  I had the best co- author, a wonderful friend and support through some hard times that just happened to crop up during the writing so a shout out and lots of love to Lynne xxx We brought the best out in each other design wise and also kept each other going when we were exhausted and near the last of the 250 blocks we were each churning out last February.  Today has been very special, seeing it all in print.