5 Inch Playtime

I am playing more with the 5" strips.  Windham Fabrics offer 5" strip bundles, as do other companies and shops.  I know I will be adding them to my offerings, cut from my new fabrics.  I love bigger cuts like this--fast, fun and it shows off fabric.

Last night it was the Zoo Babies from Windham.  I have a bundle with 24  5" strips.  It would make too big a quilt if all are used together, so I divided them into boy and girl.  With 2 simple blocks, I set to sewing.  I loved playing with these blocks, but I would do the color layouts differently next time.

Both blocks use the 5" strips very efficiently, which is what I am about.  STASH BUSTING begins with not adding more to the stash--so little or no waste or scraps here!
 
The rail block is 5" squares (made from a quick set of 2 strips) and 5" x 9 1/2" rectangles (our Pam Cake slice!).  I kept the same fabrics grouped together for the blocks, and tried to make a rail fence look.  Nice idea, but the fabrics did not separate out well in color or contrast, so it klunked.  Not sure if I will leave it or rip it and rearrange (the more I look at it, I think I will rip).  I am disinclined to rip--much faster to make a new one.  I can already see other fabric groups that would make this work better.  Or just simply go scrappy and random--I have all of my scraps cut into 5x 9 1/2 and 5 inch squares, anyway.

The frame block is 5" squares and 5"x14".  How easy is that?  A 5" strip nets 2 14" and 2  5" pieces--perfect--all that is needed is a center 5" square.  That center could be a common fabric, or in my case 2 that I liked, or scrappy.  I love the look of the block, and how fast and fun it sewed up.  Layout-wise, again I would do this over.  I think the yellow needs to be in the center, so I will rip.  I guess it is time to find room for a design wall.

My brain in reeling with the possibilities for this frame block.  I am figuring ways to use 5" strips or fat quarters efficiently for quilts with this block.  I also realized I can use 4  5"x 9 1/2" Pam Cake slices for this as well.  It can circle around the center using the partial seam technique.  With this variation, the 4 pieces can be all the same, 4 different, or 2 and 2 (light and dark maybe?).  This will also cut more efficently from fat quarters.  Gotta get my chores done, so I can try this out soon.