Yeah, 30 Quilt Blocks in 30 Days Blog Hop!

Here is my "Yeah, Eights" quilt top!

I am calling this quilt "April Flowers" 

I have really enjoyed sewing this pattern.

I sewed this quilt for the

30 Quilt Blocks in 30 Days Blog Hop

For instructions on how to make this block,

go to Carla's original tutorial ... 

Block 18 - Yeah, Eights

This is the layout I used, four blocks by six blocks.

Strip piecing this block pattern made it very easy to quick sew
the 24 blocks needed for this quilt.

This made a 46" by 66" quilt,
a good toddler or lap size quilt.

I used these Riley Blake fabrics from my stash to make the basic top.

First I cut

TWO 3" by WOF strips  of each of four colors.

EIGHT 3" by WOF strips of background fabric

I cut 3" strips and used an easy strip pieced method,
pairing the eight bright strips with the background strips.

Then I pressed to nest and paired the strip sets.

Then Maestro, who was very helpful while the making of this quilt,
and I cut 3" strip pieced units.

I chain pieced these units to make the center of the blocks.

Then I cut TWELVE 3" background strips and
cut them into 48 rectangles 10.5" x 3"
and sewed them on either side of the center units.

Then I laid out my blocks,
four blocks across and six blocks down.

Although I liked the color play,
 the top was a little more low-volume
than I expected ...

what to do ???

I was seeing "April Showers" on gray pavement
and my grand-darling splashing in the puddles in this top ...

... so my mind went to "May Flowers"

so ...

I pulled out my Orange Peel Template Set and some Heat n Bond
and selected the 5" template to make petals and leaves.

Machine Appliqued

I really like how the flowers made the background colors pop!

When it came time to quilt, the girls were very helpful.

We chose a puffy batting, outlined the flowers
and stitched in the ditch along the square lines.
This gave it a "puff quilt" effect.

I decided on a girly forest animal print for the backing fabric
and added a pink ruffle binding.

For photos and info on my method for this type of ruffled binding,
here is a link to a previous post ...
Ruffle Binding - Read More Here

I also added ribbon tabs to hang small toys for little fingers.

This quilt will make a fun floor quilt for a baby
or a bed quilt for a toddler.

That is ... if Maestro will give it up.

I really like this quick to sew pattern and think it is very versatile.

Note:  Sewing this layout with pre-cut 2.5" strips:
Using jelly rolls would make this pattern even easier.
2.5" strips would make the blocks 8.25" unfinished, using a scant 1/4" seam
and would make a 39" by 55" quilt.

Visit

Carla @ Creatin' in the Sticks

for more quilts and chances to win.

Thank you, Carla, for this pattern and including me in this fun blog hop.

Happy blog hopping!