Welcome to the Tour of Blocks!

Wooo Hooo!  So glad to see you on this Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Blog Tour!  What an honor to be included among such a talented group of designers.

When I started designing my block for Volume 6, I wanted to make a block that could read, “fall” but that could also be kept up year ‘round.  I went through a few ideas and came up with Acorns Away.  This is a really simple applique block, it only has five pieces so you can make it up in a jiffy.

As I started my designing process I began to sketch out a few ideas….

Once I settled on the final design it was a matter of choosing the right fabrics to make it sing. As a designer, I find this to be the hardest part because I am dealing with a line drawing and no pattern cover for guidance.  I pulled lots of fabrics, browns, golds, greens, but couldn’t really “see” it yet until I unearthed a couple of pieces with some gold accents added in.  In my opinion, more is more and I always love a little extra something to catch your eye when designing my patterns.

Next began the process of deciding on a background color and, after auditioning a few choices, I decided to go with black to give it a little drama.

I also love to add a little extra accent detail with a flange of a contrasting color. I often add a flange to my quilts instead of an inner border. This little strip of fabric not only adds that extra pop of color but it also allows me to begin my free-motion quilting by lifting it up and beginning and ending my stitching underneath it.  This little trick makes it more difficult for anyone to find where I begin and end my stitches.

What fun you can have making these simple blocks into a small three block wallhanging for a skinny wall in your home which needs just the right decorative touch.

Or make five blocks of the acorn and four blocks of the leaf design to make a bigger wallhanging.

You could make the blocks all the same, or kick it up a little by changing the colors of the leaves.

I hope you will give this block a try, don’t be afraid of the “a” word, you can applique this with any method, by machine using fusible web and a blanket or satin stitch, by hand, or even raw edge applique.

To win a copy of  Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks, Volume 6 or one of my patterns, simply go to my website, http://www.HissyfitzDesigns.com, check out my patterns, and then come back here and leave a comment as to which of my patterns you would like to win. Two winners  will be chosen at random. If you have a Facebook account, I’d really appreciate it if you would “Like” me.

Continue to enjoy the rest of the Blog Tour by going to the Quiltmaker’s Blog Quilty Pleasures each day of the tour, November 5-9. You’ll have such fun trying to decide which project you want to try next!

Enjoy!