Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop: Blue Island Tribal Block Tutorial

Hi, Today I am honored to share my entry into the Fabri-Quilt’s New Block Blog Hop. This week there is a group of 60 different quilt bloggers participating and sharing a quilt block and tutorial that they have designed. Fabri-Quilt fabric company generously provided each of us quilters with a bundle of 6 fat eighths from which we needed to use at least 3 of the colors in a  12.5 inch quilt block design. We only could use the fabrics provided. Our fabric bundle was called Watermelon Summer. I managed to use all six colors in my block design.

I would like to present my block design called Blue Island Tribal. The name of my block is a take off of a friend’s former music band’s name, Blue Island Tribe. Blue Island Tribe played reggae/rock music, which was always an odd concept for me for a band that started out in Iowa but it worked for them and they developed a good following. They even went on a USO Christmas tour and played for the troops in Japan a couple years back. The band has since disbanded but our friend who is the lead singer is working on new music and releasing an EP later this month. I was inspired to use their name as stepping off point for my block because of recent photos our friend shared of his trip to Hawaii.

This is what my completed block looks like. Below you will find the tutorial on how to create it and also another possible coloring option.

This is my concept drawing for my 12.5 inch block. I went the old school route of getting out the graph paper and colored pencils and enlarging to regular paper so the design was easier to read. Someday I would love to have one of the Electric Quilt programs.

I had a fat eighth ( 9 by 21 inches) of white, lapis blue, aqua, turquoise, chartreuse and coral fabrics.

Fabric Cutting Instructions:

From the White fabric:

Cut (8) 2.5 inch squares and (6) 3 inch squares

From the Lapis Blue fabric:

Cut (4) 2.5 inch squares and (4) 3 inch squares

From the Turquoise fabric:

Cut (2) 3 inch squares

From the Chartreuse fabric:

Cut (2) 2.5 inch squares and (2) 3 inch squares

From the Aqua fabric:

Cut (2) 2.5 inch squares and (2) 3 inch squares

From the Coral fabric:

Cut (4) 2.5 inch squares

 

Block Piecing Instructions

We are going to create half square triangles from the 3 inch squares and press them open and trim to the finish size of 2.5 inches.

 

 

We will be creating (8) lapis and white half square triangles, (2) aqua and white hsts, (2) chartreuse and white hsts, (2) chartreuse and turquoise hsts and (2) aqua and turquoise half square triangles.

This is how we will be laying out our newly created half square triangles and the 2.5 inch squares.

We will be combining these squares to make row 1.

We will be combining these blocks to create row 2.

We will combine these blocks to make row 3.

We will combine these blocks to make row 4.

We will combine these blocks to make row 5.

We are combining these blocks to create row 6 which is our final row.

You will assemble the rows in order. I pressed my seams open and it helped matching my points easier. (which they all did for once.)

 

When designing this block, I drew up another color option. One just using the blues in the fabric bundle. I did a test block with fabric from my stash in blues that I had. This is the block that I tested my directions on.

 

Creating my own block was a new concept for me. I have drawn out designs that I could not find an actual pattern for with some success. I have had a lot on my plate this past month, so I struggled to come up with a concept. Once I came up with the name, it was a bit easier for me to draw up a design. I all ready have plans to work up a full quilt with this block. I am thinking sashing the blocks. I drew up a Hibiscus flower applique that I thought of adding to my block. I could not make it work out in my size needed, but I kept my applique pattern and am thinking of designing a special back for the quilt for our friends’ new baby.

I would like to thank the leaders of our New Blogger’s Blog Hop group for putting together this new block creating hop. All of the 62 new blocks from the tutorials created for the Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hope will be sewn into quilts that will be donated to charity. Thank you to Fabri-Quilt for donating the fabric and Inspired by Fabric for help hosting this event.

Please be sure to check out all of today’s tutorials.

Here’s today’s line-up–visit them all for block inspiration!