Before I get into the quilt (and pattern) for today, one quick announcement. Registration is open for my Paper Piecing with Freezer Paper workshop on June 3rd. If you love the precision of paper piecing, but hate ripping out the paper at the end, you'll love the freezer paper method! With freezer paper, we keep all the best parts of paper piecing, but skip ripping out those bits of paper when we're done. Plus, freezer paper templates are reusable, so we save on all that paper and ink! If you'd like in on this magic, register today for the workshop.
Register for the workshop
When I started thinking about what I could share for this post, I knew I wanted to create a free pattern, but I didn't know what it would be. Then I thought of the many 2 ½" strips I have stashed away. A quilt to use at least some of them sounded like a good idea! You might have a few 2 ½" strips lying around, too, so let me introduce you to Berry Pi.
Download the Berry Pi pattern by filling out this form.
I had every intention of sharing progress pictures from when I made the blocks, but I got so into the groove of making the blocks that I only took one picture. Oops! Here's the picture I did take...
This is what happens when you "know" what you need to cut so you don't check your notes. The result? You cut the strips too narrow, so the halves of the block don't fit together, even though you had done the math correctly and the correct strip width was written right there in your notes. And yes, I had cut all of the strips for the baby quilt. Thankfully I had enough fabric to recut the strips, and I had made just this one block to test before sewing all the others, so I only had to rip out a couple of seams. I'm right there with you, wondering why I didn't make the test block before cutting all of the strips, but obviously I "knew what I was doing" 🙄
My 2 ½" strips are all from Island Batik, left over from my time as an ambassador. I love the variety of prints from the different collections, and how they all still work together nicely.
I had trouble coming up with a name for this one. All I could see was the resemblance to the math symbol pi, but I couldn't turn that into a quilt name I liked. When I asked for suggestions on IG, my friend Laura (from Slice of Pi Quilts 😊) suggested Berry Pi and that was perfect! Normally I try to avoid using names that reference the colours I've used, since you may choose completely different colours for your quilt, but Berry Pi suited the quilt too well not to use it.
There's a little bit of the 2 ½" strips left over after piecing the blocks, plus I have those mis-cut white strips, so I'm using all of that to piece the back. I usually prefer to just use yardage for the back, but I don't want those mis-cut strips to languish in my scrap box, so I'll use them up right away instead. It's serving double-duty: using up those scraps, and it'll be my project for an upcoming blog hop about piecing quilt backs. Win-win! Here's what I have done for the back so far. I've added more 2 ½" strips in similar colours to the ones on the front, to extend the scraps a little farther.
Thanks for having me as a guest blogger, Sarah! It was fun creating a new quick quilt pattern to share!
Don't forget to download your Berry Pi pattern by filling out the form above. I can't wait to see what colours you choose for your Berry Pi quilts.
Fun block!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and easy quilt! Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThat's such a nice design! Simple, yet very effective because of the beautiful colors you used. I'm smiling about 2-1/2" strips though... I don't have any. I've never bought a jelly roll (I don't buy precuts) and the two that I've owned in 40 years of quiltmaking were given to me. Generally, if I need 2-1/2" wide strips, I cut them from yardage. Anyway, you created a fun design that's great for a kid's quilt. Thank you for sharing it!
ReplyDeleteSuch a good use of the leftover strips. Thank you for sharing the pattern.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful colors! The back will be as pretty as the front!
ReplyDeleteI am definitely guilty of not looking at my own pattern or notes, too. I'm glad that you had enough scraps left over to cut again, and it's a great idea to use the others for the backing!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and easy block! Thanks for being a guest blogger for Hands2Help.
ReplyDeleteGreat quilt, Leanne!! And I love the name. Good choice! Thanks so much for being a guest blogger for Hands2Help!
ReplyDeleteGreat block and pattern! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh such a gorgeous colors! They shine! Good quilt to make for H2H!
ReplyDeleteLooks quick and easy! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is really pretty and full of color. I love that block too. Helping H2H is always a good thing that I have also been doing for several years.
ReplyDeleteSuch a terrific idea, and one I might have to drop everything to make! Like you, I have a ton of 2.5" strips left from ambassador days...
ReplyDelete