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The #JacobinDay Quilt Block Swap - How will it work?

 Ten intrepid crafters have signed up to participate in the #JDQBS, under the expert organisation of @byekitty who has provided this explanation of how a Quilt Block Swap works...

Sophie has been sent a list of items. They are: parsnip, beetroot, honey, limestone, axe,

hedge mustard, hornbeam, lily of the valley, quail, chamois, lupin and tuberose. 

Sophie hates lily of the valley and she doesn’t know how to represent limestone on a fabric square
so she strikes them from her list.

She embroiders a parsnip on one square, a quail on another, a tuberose on a third.
She prints a photo of a chamois on one square. She uses fabric pens to draw hedge mustard
on one and lupin on another. She makes a beetroot appliqué for one square.
She finds a bee and honey themed fabric and cuts it to the correct size.
She sews a sequinned axe on one square. She makes prints with a hornbeam leaf on another. 
Now she has ten squares with a thing on each and our respect for her creativity and skill.

She puts all of the squares in the post to me.

At the same time, everyone else is doing the same thing with their items, so I end up with ten squares
from everyone.

I randomly reassign the squares so that Sophie now receives hemp from me, madder from S,
heather from A, saltpetre from K, couch grass from H, tuna from B, birch from L, valerian from T,
elderberry from X, lilac from M and chive from G.

An option for beetroot, perhaps?



Once the 10 blocks have been redistributed each participant can then make a quilt from them, or indeed whatever other use they desire - framed artwork, sachets, fabric books...

We have decided to standardise the size and fabric of each square for ease of assembling the final quilt, and will be using pre-washed cotton squares of 10x10cm with a 2cm seam allowance on all sides.

There are many options for decorating the squares, including:
  • embroidery
  • cross-stitch
  • block printing
  • fabric painting
  • applique
  • photograph transfer
  • digital design printed to fabric

We have decided to keep our work-in-progress on the squares a secret so that participants can enjoy a surprise when they receive the final pieces. However, I intend to use techniques that are new to me so I will post about my test/experimental pieces on the #ConfinedCrafting blog.

Watch this space...


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