My friend, Candace, of The Double Nickel Quilt Challenge  got me started on something to use my precuts and scraps – Great Granny Squares!  She found the information on the Bee In My Bonnet blog.  Here’s the link to the post with the tutorial.

Candace and I got together to make a couple blocks.  Here’s her block below before trimming.

You may notice that we decided to do the method that Jolene has a tutorial here on Blue Elephant Stitches.  This method uses 2 1/2″ white squares all around and then you trim the block to within 1/4″ of the first round of focus blocks.  Our thinking was that if we’re going to sash the blocks anyway, this used less fabric with similar result.

Here’s a couple of my blocks trimmed and with some white sashing fabric on the design wall.

Here’s a before and after layout, too.

Now, after doing all that, I think I’m going to do the method that Lori explained in the Bee In My Bonnet post.  In her method, she uses larger background rectangles (white) for the outside.  The block can be trimmed to 12 1/2″.  When I trimmed my blocks to make them square, I had to get a little too close to a couple of intersections.

I did not sign up for the Great Granny Along but you can here!  I  plan to keep making blocks, because I’m looking at all the fabric I cut into 2 1/2″, 5″ and 10″ squares with a purpose now!

This is all you need to make the block!  A 2 1/2″ for the center and 1, 2 and 3 – 5″ squares!  Add your background fabric for the outside.

Thanks for looking!  Check out Judy at Patchwork Times for other Design Wall Monday projects!

🙂 Linda