What size squares should I use to match with my other 8"x5" quilting squares?

Question

I'm trying to make a quilt and I bought this fabric which ended up being 8"x5" squares of a design and now I just want to go onto ebay to buy pre-cut squares but i'm not sure what size squares I should buy that would look good with the other squares? P.S. I'm not a quilting queen. :)

Answer 1

4 x 5 is a good idea, but if you want to buy pre-cut, you'll have to go with 5 x 5 and cut them down to 4 1/2 x 5. Or just sew the 5 x 5's together and cut the finished piece down to 8 x 5 (easiest method allowing for the least amount of error). The reasoning is this: if you sew two blocks together, you need to allow for a seam allowance to create the 8 inch high "tower" of two blocks. If you cut them 4 inches high, you'll end up with a final block that's only about 7 1/2 inches high.

Another option is to use sashing between the blocks. You can make a bunch of "towers" as I described above then alternate them with your finished blocks. Sew a sashing, or long rectangle, between each block from side to side, then connect the rows with a long horizontal sashing. Add a border or two and voila! Enjoy but beware: quilting is addictive.

Final word of advice: take a photo and keep a journal of the finished work!

Answer 2

try using squares that measure 4x5,that way you can frame the larger squares if you wish but have an interesting variety of size and pattern