What is Valentine’s Day without a few hugs and kisses???
There’s no better way to show your Valentine you love them, then by giving them a few hugs and kisses, so we’re going to add a few to our Valentine Love quilt.
These blocks are great because the base of them is the same, it’s just how you put them together creates the final outcome.
Hugs and Kisses Block
When I was deciding what to put on the next round of the quilt, I knew I wanted these cute X’s and O’s. However, I had to figure out how big and how I wanted to plan them out. Here’s a few factors I took into account:
- The Patchwork Hearts were going to come to 8 in unfinished.
- I wanted an odd number of blocks just like the heart row below it.
- I also wanted them partially framed in white, like the heart row below it.
I came across these two pins of X’s and O’s blocks. And I like how the first one separated the blocks with a white sash. That made it look like it had a white frame around it.
I decided that a quarter of the block could be 3 1/2″ square, unfinished, it would allow me a little extra room for the frame, so that’s what I started with. I knew with that size, the unfinished block would be 6 1/2′ square and that I could put 5 along each side, with the Patchwork Hearts in the corners. It seemed perfect.
I found two different ways to do this, so watch each tutorial, then decide how you like it best.
Method 1
- 1- 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ scrappy patterned fabric (this will allow you to make one X and one O)
- 2- 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ background fabric (I used white)
Start with one 3 1/2″ square patterned fabric and two 1 1/2″ square background fabric. Take your two background fabric and draw a line on them diagonally.
Lay the background fabric, right side down, on opposite corners of the patterned fabric. (See below) Stitch along diagonal line.
Trim the corner 1/4″ from the sew line.
Press open and trim to 3 1/2″ square.
Method 2
- 1- 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ scrappy patterned fabric (this will allow you to make one X and one O)
- 1- 2″ x 2″ background fabric (I used white)
Start with one patterned fabric and one background fabric cut on the diagonal to form two triangles.
Line up your patterned fabric on the grid of your cutting mat. Line your ruler in 1 1/2″ from the corner, forming a triangle. Trim off that 1 1/2″ triangle .
Place background triangles, right side down, on each edge that you just cut off and sew 1/4″.
Press open and trim to 3 1/2″ square.
Either method gives you the exact same 3 1/2″ block. Pick you favorite method and make 8 of them. It’s now time to put together our X’s and O’s.
“X” Block
Place 4 of your 3 1/2 blocks together so that the patterned fabric forms an X. The white, background fabric, should be towards the middle on each side of the block, like below.
Sew each top and bottom piece together, making sure you line up the seams. Press open.
Sew each side together, lining up the seams, and nesting the middle seam.
(My seams didn’t line up perfectly, but oh well.) Press open and trim to 6 1/2″ square.
“O” Block
Place 4 of your 3 1/2 blocks together so that the patterned fabric forms an O. The white, background fabric, should be facing in and towards the corners. (See below.)
Sew each row together, lining up the seams. Press open.
Sew the rows together lining up the seams and nesting the middle seam.
Press open and trim to 6 1/2″ square.
And there you have it. Some beautiful hugs and kisses to be added to your quilt or to make a wall hanging out of, or whatever you’d like.
