Union Jack Blocks

I've been looking around for a good way to make some Union Jack blocks. I need them for a top I'm planning to feature in the next DVD in the Line Dancing series. Yesterday, while I was visiting the Selvedge Blog I found the perfect block and a fantastic tutorial too! Those 'asterisks' just needed a little extending go British.  Just what I needed, fast and fun too. These blocks were made by doubling the block/strip in the tutorial and adding another 4 inches to the block length. (12" X 16") They're very 'more-ish'. I can't wait to try them in lots of fabric combinations. Now I'm going to play with a smaller size too.

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End Notes

Did you know that selvage can be spelled two ways? Since I started following Karen Griska's selvage blog I've been saving selvages. When we decided to have a Space themed party to celebrate Pete's 10th Birthday, I wanted to make a table runner. I had some great fabric that would be fun to work with. I also had a pile of selvedges that I'd been saving. I've been wanting to use them but wasn't sure how.

Then I got an idea. Peter was turning 10. I thought that I could use the color dots on the selvedges that went up to 10. And , of course, count downs from 10 went well with the space theme.

While I was counting dots I started finding some fun words and it occurred to me that I could piece them together to make a message. Martha is such an unusual name, I couldn't believe my luck when I came across it on the edge of some Rowan fabric.

Just 4 Fun

This year, just for fun, we decided to have a Space themed party to celebrate Pete's 10th birthday. The space theme left us wide open to include include everything in any space film from the last 30 years; from Luke Skywalker to Mikey from Monsters Inc.

We dressed up and gave out glow in the dark wands.

We decorated monster cupcakes and made kiwi aliens.

The kids had a blast.

For decorations we were able to use some space/time themed quilts that the kids had made years ago for a Festival of Quilts children's competition. And with the left over fabric, stashed away all those years I decided to make a space themed table runner. I'll write more about the table runner tomorrow.