Instructions for the Guild Block

Now it's really quick and easy to make something for Project Linus! Guild members can use this pattern to whip up the following block in no time using leftover bits of fabric from your projects. It's based on 2 1/2" strips (jelly roll size). Bring the blocks to any guild meeting, and Linus Committee members will assemble them into quilts. Thanks so much!

Unfinished block size: 6-1/2” x 9-1/2”

Cut the following
Outside color:
cut 2 rectangles: 9-1/2” x 2-1/2”
cut 2 squares: 2-1/2” x 2-1/2”

Contrast color:
cut 1 rectangle: 5-1/2” x 2-1/2”

Sew one 2-1/2” square to each end of the small rectangle.
Next sew one large rectangle to the top and one large rectangle to the bottom. You’re finished!

You can also make 4 blocks at once if you prefer. Here are the instructions:

Cut the following
Outside color (A):
Cut 2 2-1/2” strips by width of fabric (WOF)
Cut 1 20” x 2-1/2” strip
Subcut this 20” strip into 2 2-1/2” squares and 3 5”x2-1/2” rectangles
Contrast color (B):
Cut 1 22” x 2-1/2” strip and subcut this into 4 5-1/2” x 2-1/2” rectangles

Assemble into a long strip starting with 2-1/2” A, next alternate 5-1/2”B pieces and 5”A pieces, ending with a 2 1/2” A. See picture below:
Next sew the 2 WOF strips to the top and to the bottom of the long strip you just made.
Subcut into 4 9-1/2” blocks. Be sure to even the ends and check your ruler as you go to keep the blocks squared up to the right measurements.
You're finished! Don't they look great?
A word on fabric choices
We ask that you use bright, kid-friendly fabrics. The kids who receive these quilts need love and cheer. Not everything has to be for little children, however, as teens also receive blankets from Project Linus. We will try to match the tone of blocks we receive to make blankets for different ages. But please, be sure the blocks are cheerful!

Even kids can help!

At our last guild quilt show, Jennifer R. set up a Children's Corner where kids (and even grownups!) could color a block for Project Linus quilts. Here is the first quilt we've put together using those blocks. Thanks so much to Jennifer for doing this, and to Diane D. for piecing the top.
Here are two more quilts put together using our guild block. They are like I Spy quilts for kids. The blocks are simple to put together, and one of our guild members had her 7-yr-old granddaughter helping. Way to go, Debbie L.!

The Hearts for Linus Quilt

We try to make as many quilts as possible for Project Linus. It's a big commitment to make a full quilt from start to finish, so the guild's Linus Committee prepares kits from the large collection of fabric donated by guild members. One guild member may make the entire kit, but often she will just piece the top, then another member will quilt it, and yet another will stitch on the binding. Sometimes we ask guild members to show their creativity and provide just one block, as we did with the Hearts for Linus quilt.


Inspired by the beautiful heart quilts donated to the owners of the Quilt Bus and Hickory Hills Quilts when their home burned, members donated heart blocks for a Linus quilt. The original plan had been to make one quilt, but we collected so many that we'll be able to make three quilts! The first one is done. Members contributed the blocks; the committee cut the background; Marilyn's teenage daughters, Rosemary and Amanda, made the layout; and Connie did the beautiful quilting.

A variety of quilts donated in early July

Look at this gorgeous batik top! Isn't it a stunner? This sophisticated top is a little larger than most we receive, making it ideal for a teenager. Thank you so much to the quilter who donated it!
The Linus committee also completed another string quilt at our worknight. Check for the heartstrings pattern link in the sidebar if you want to make one of these yourself. They are fun to make with your scraps.
The next two quilts are from easy squares kits. Judy G. has been cutting kits for us -- thank you, Judy! Collen J. put this kit together and quilted it, too.
I don't know who assembled this top, but thank you!
This top was pieced by a local quilter and donated to Project Linus to finish.
Here it is (the color is better in this photo) with the red dotted fabric and blue star binding showing.
Here's a photo of one of FOUR (!!!!) completed tops made from our guild block. Each one looks different, as every block uses different fabrics. These are very fun I Spy quilts for little kids.
And many thanks to Joe F., who is learning to use his longarm machine by quilting many of our donated tops.

More quilts donated!

Some months ago we asked guild members to contribute a particular style of block made from their child-friendly scraps, and the response was tremendous! (Click here for the pattern.)
You'll see more blankets made from these blocks as they are finished being quilted and bound. Stitchers who participated in our February Make A Blanket Day pieced 9 or 10 tops using this pattern.

We just completed another heartstrings quilt. Because we piece them on muslin, we back them only with flannel or they get very heavy. This one has some wonderful quilting by Joe -- click on the photo to enlarge it so you can see it better. You could spend a long time checking out all the different fabrics, too.
Marion R. has made another embroidered block quilt. The overall photo didn't come out well, but here's a closeup of one of the blocks. Each block featured a child from another part of the world wearing traditional dress. As always, it's great quilt!
We also received several quilts based on squares (what a wonderful way to use up scraps!). This is an Easy Squares quilt made from one of the kits the Linus committee makes.
Here's another squares quilt.
And this is a rail fence made from donated fabric. It's a very cuddly quilt!
Thank you to all the guild and community members who have helped make these quilts. Often so many people contribute to making a single quilt that I don't know who all was involved and cannot thank them individually -- but know that they are very much appreciated!

Quilt Catch-Up

We have had some wonderful quilts donated by guild members and I've gotten behind in posting them. Here are some from this past fall. Thank you! A few are made from kits, but others were lovingly made from scratch.

Here's a cute panel quilt:
And two fleece quilts:

Some music-loving child will adore this piano-key quilt:
This strip quilt has lots of kid-friendly colors and favorite characters -- quick and easy to make, and very much appreciated!

Our Easy Squares kits use donated fabrics. The variety of prints provides lots of interest -- a child can spend a long time discovering just what all is on his quilt.
This squre baby quilt uses a sophisticated star block -- you might consider looking through your own orphan blocks to see whether you can make a Linus quilt.
Nine-patches alternating with plain squares can make so many different quilts. This one has a unity brought about by similar colors, yet all the scrappy fabrics make it fun to examine each block.
This lovely, scrappy quilt is made from rows of off-set squares in coordinating colors. Just beautiful!

And here are two rail frence quilts -- so different because of fabric choices!


And here's a sweet and simple baby quilt.

Fun quilts!

This attic window quilt looks complicated, but it's very simple to make -- we use a half-square triangle in the corner of the block so there are no Y seams. This cute quilt was put together by a guild member from one of our kits that uses donated fabrics. Every window has an animal print. This quilter also did a great job and the two-tone binding is fun! (Sorry, the following 2 photos are sideways -- for the past couple days I have not been able to load a rotated photo.)
This baseball themed quilt was put together with some already-cut fabrics.
The next two quilts were dropped off at Sew Sassy for Project Linus. Both of them have soft, fuzzy minkee in some of the squares -- what a delight for a child to touch! This one has a puppy dog theme.
This dinosaur quilt is bright and really cute! It's just a panel with squares and an inner border, but it's a fabulous quilt!
Thank you to these anonymous quiltmakers! Your work is very much appreciated.

June quilts!

Here's a wonderful quilt from Elaine G. It's a simple pattern of 6 rectangles arranged 3x2 per block, then set in alternating directions, but the fabrics really give it some punch! The back is a bright yellow. Thanks so much!

Dorothy B made a sampler quilt that is child-friendly and fabulous! Thank you, Dorothy!

I'm so sorry that I don't know who donated this quilt, but it's a wonderful use of scraps! Those strings will provide hours of fun for a child trying to find all the little designs and prints.
Grammabunny made this simple quilt of squares. Many of the blocks feature a variety of adorable dog prints. Cute!
And she also made two whole cloth quilts. This one is for a child who dreams of being an astronaut...
...and here's one for a cowboy! Thanks so much!
Charlene B did a wonderful job making this Linus kit of Easy Squares. Thank you -- it's certain to be well loved!

Remember, you can bring a finished quilt to guild or Sew Sassy at any time, and there are usually kits available for pick up. Thanks for all your donations!

Try a new technique!

Linus quilts provide a wonderful opportunity for you to expand your quilting skills! Try a new technique, work with a different set of colors, make something a little different and see how you like it. Stacking, slicing and rearranging blocks makes for a very fun quilt -- give it a try! This one uses sports fabrics.
If you've always wanted to try bargello or a trip around the world, a Linus quilt is a much-appreciated way to test out the technique.
Want to see how you feel about making wonky log cabins? Pull out your scraps and try! This is a great block to make when working with a group -- if things get a little off, it's ok, and all blocks can be trimmed to the exact same size without ruining the design.
One guild member took a quilting class from Ami Simms and decided to learn the technique using strings of animal fabrics that had been donated to Linus. A fun quilt was the result!