Checkerboard Squares

I have been really keen to make a 16 Patch/ Checkerboard Squares quilt for ages now. It's an old block, simple enough, and there's certainly alot of 16 patch quilts around just now. Inspiring, but sometimes I find it can be very overwhelming as well to see all these different versions of the same lovely quilt out there in blogosphere!! 
See here ...
http://sewwithsass.blogspot.nl/2013/04/quilts-st-louis-16-patch.html

                                                   and here.....http://jaffaquilts.blogspot.co.nz/

and again from sewwithsass blogspot ......

So, caught between "being inspired by" and "copying,"  I have taken some time to decide what to actually do!!  I don't usually take an entire fabric collection & use only those prints in a quilt, 'cos I really prefer to mix n' match between new fabrics, my personal stash & scraps.   But, after making a huge Anna Maria Horner quilt top in her Garden Party range quite some time ago, I did have some fabric leftover, (of course!!!)  and really wanted to use it up.

So, take some leftover fabric.....

I think that one of the things that makes a scrappy quilt interesting is surprises.

.........so  I threw in a few extra solid fabrics to add a bit of variation & hopefully help the other fabrics "pop" ...and then  I added two "new"  fabrics from  her latest range, ones that look like a solid from a distance, to help link everything together a bit better ............

And here's what I have ended up with so far ......

Hey, an added bonus - these blocks are super quick to make!!

Cut 4" strips of 2 co-ordinating fabrics from a fat 1/4 size of fabric, sew strips together, re-cut into 4"squares, then sew all together.  Blocks will be 14" when finished. It turns out each fat 1/4 will give you 2 blocks.  And, I found after making the first one, it really is quicker doing more than a couple at a time when chain piecing! 

A great stash buster indeed!!!

******

Update a few days later ........ I did start out with a plan, but things changed as I made more blocks!!  I have decided that I'm not including any solids after all as they seemed to really stand out.  I am going for more of an overall blended kinda look now ....watch this space!!!

******