Designed and made by LYNNE EDWARDS MBE
The Creative Curves QuiltBLOCK OF THE MONTH NO.6
Master a new technique!
The curved element in this block uses a new technique, which gives a Drunkard’s Path effect without the tightly pieced curve. Once more, it’s a rolled-back curve, but not from corner to corner of the underlying square. Instead, the curve is roughly one third of the square, giving an Art Deco-vintage look to the overall design. The block is based on 2in finished squares – six (6) rows, each made of six (6) squares. There are twelve (12) layered squares that give the Drunkard’s Path curve shown in Fig 1, plus twelve (12) squares that are pieced in various combinations of squares and rectangles. The eight (8) simple 2in finished squares are made from a second background fabric and used in the outer corners of the block, together with a pieced corner square, making thirty-six (36) squares in total.
Choosing the fabrics:
The block uses two (2) different fabrics to make strips that weave across each other, each ending in a loop created by the Drunkard’s Path curved squares. Weaving through these is a square-shaped strip of a darker fabric that also has its corners softened into curves.
This block has echoes of the third block in this BOM series – both using strips that weave through each other. Here, the two (2) woven strips combine two (2) fabrics (A and B) from the green/blue range (Janet Clare’s Collage collection Sky 16957 15 and 16950 14) that work well together – with neither of them being too dominant over the other. The curved frame is placed over the woven strips using a dark fabric (fabric C), adding some contrast to the strips (Ink 16950 16). In addition, Lynne used a similar dark fabric from the Ink range (16954 20) for the four (4) tiny squares in the corners of the block (fabric D).
Lynne used a plainer background fabric for most of the design, with a second background fabric in the corners of the block. One (1) background fabric could be used throughout, of course.
If you are using fabrics from Janet Clare’s Collage collection, you can follow Lynne’s choices for the block, or just audition your personal collection to see what pleases you most. It is helpful to have the earlier completed blocks alongside you while you choose.
Cutting out
1 From sky fabric A, used for the main woven strips, cut four (4) 2½in squares, four (4) 1¼in x 1¾in pieces and four (4) 1¾in x 2½in pieces.
2 From sky fabric B, used for th
