I'm excited to announce that the Refrigerator Magnets Quilt Blocks pattern will be in my shop on Thursday!
The pattern includes instructions and templates for making pieced quilt blocks featuring letters, numbers, and simple punctuation. The blocks are formatted so they can be combined to create words and phrases that you can arrange in your quilt projects just like one might arrange plastic letter magnets on a refrigerator. You can check out the pattern listing for more details.
I love making templates with freezer paper because the glossy coating on the back makes it possible to temporarily iron the templates onto the fabric, making it super-easy to cut accurately.
The template patterns for the refrigerator magnets blocks can be printed directly onto sheets of printable freezer paper, a product available at many quilt shops and fabric stores. They can also be traced onto regular old freezer paper from a roll.
The pattern describes my piecing method in more detail, but the basic strategy is to sew on a piece of fabric, iron on the corresponding piece of the freezer paper pattern, and then trim the block to match it. With this method, you can both use up odd scraps and avoid doing any math or measuring beyond the 1/4" seam allowance that gets added to each piece.
Unlike conventional paper piecing, the templates aren't destroyed during the sewing process, making it possible to reuse them. (Freezer paper templates won't last forever, but they're usually good for several uses before too much lint builds up in the glossy coating on the back.) I also love the fact that the seams can be pressed open. With blocks this small and detailed, I think it really helps to keep them looking flat and pretty!
So, would you like to make some of these blocks? I have two fabulous Refrigerator Magnets starter kits including a copy of the pattern, a Kona Silent Film (assorted gray solids) charm pack, a Pezzy Print charm pack, and a package of of printable freezer paper.
A special thank you to my publisher, C&T Publishing, for providing the freezer paper packs for the giveaway!
If you would like to win, please leave a comment on this post. Comments will be open until Wednesday evening. Good luck!
