Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop - Day 2 (and Giveaway)

Welcome!  Today is my day to host the Fabri-Quilt New Quilt Block Blog Hop!  This hop is an extension of the New Quilt Bloggers Hop and is being generously sponsored by Fabri-Quilt.  Over 4 days, 60+ bloggers are be presenting tutorials for new 12.5" unfinished (12" finished) blocks.  

Here are the bloggers that are presenting tutorials today:

Josi @Avocado Quilts
Stephanie @Quilt’n Party
Cristy @Love You Sew
Sarah @Sarah Goer Quilts
Shelly @The Carpenter’s Daughter Who Quilts
Jayne @Twiggy & Opal
Sharla @Thistle Thicket Studio
Adrian @Making It – Family Food Quilts Crafts
Julie @Pink Doxies
Sarah @123 Quilt
Jane @Jolly and Delilah Quilts
Carrie @The Zen Quilter

You will be able to find all of the bloggers' blocks on the four hosts pages:

Monday, August 31st
Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl

Tuesday, September 1st

Host – Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs (me)

Wednesday, September 2nd

Host – Stephane @Late Night Quilter

Thursday, September 3rd
Host – Terri Ann @Childlike Fascination

Fabri-Quilt is also generously sponsoring half yard fabric bundle giveaways, so don’t miss out on two different ways to enter to win (details at the bottom of the post).  And now onto my tutorial:

Mini Rail Fence Block

The rail fence block is such a fun and versatile quilt pattern. I last used the rail fence pattern for my Nordic Playlist quilt. I thought that it would be fun to shrink down the pattern to make a Mini Rail Fence Block. This block is great for beginners and works well with yardage or scraps (I have included both versions here).

Mini Rail Fence Block - Scrappy Version

Pressing instructions: for small piecing like in this block, I recommend pressing all seams open to reduce the bulk of the seams.

1. Start with 8 squares (3.5" x 3.5") and 24 rectangles (1.5" x 3.5").

2. Sew 3 rectangles along their long edges into a sub-block (3.5" x 3.5"). Repeat to form a total of 8 sub-blocks.

3. Lay out the 8 squares (3.5" x 3.5") and the 8 sub-blocks (3.5" x 3.5") as shown in the picture below.

4. Sew the pieces into rows, then sew the rows together to form the mini rail fence block (12.5" x 12.5"). In a quilt, the block will finish at 12" x 12".

Mini Rail Fence Block - Striped Version
Pressing instructions: for small piecing like in this block, I recommend pressing all seams open to reduce the bulk of the seams.

1. Start with 8 squares (3.5" x 3.5") and 6 strips (1.5" x about 21")

2. Sew 3 strips along their long edges into a pieced strip (3.5" x about 21"). Repeat to form a total of 2 pieced strips. Cut the pieced strips into sub-blocks (3.5" x 3.5").

3. Lay out the 8 squares (3.5" x 3.5") and 8 sub-blocks (3.5" x 3.5") as shown in the picture below.

4. Sew the pieces into rows, then sew the rows together to form the mini rail fence block (12.5" x 12.5"). In a quilt, the block will finish at 12" x 12".

Here are the two versions rendered as full quilts...

I hope that you enjoyed the tutorial :)

Now for the Giveaway!!

Watermelon Summer Colorway

Chartreuse, Turquoise, Coral, Aqua, Lapis Blue, White

For a chance to win a half yard bundle of the Watermelon Summer palette, please follow the Inspired by Fabric blog (either by email or blog reader) and let me know how you are following in one comment below. 

The giveaway is open to everyone (international entries welcome) through Saturday, September 5th at 11:59pm (EST).  I will use a random number generator to select a winner from the comments. Good luck! 

Inspired by Fabric (Fabri-Quilt) is also hosting additional and totally separate giveaway today, so don’t forget to visit and enter to win there as well for another chance to win!

** Giveaway now closed, thanks for entering! **

Congrats to the winner: