What a lot of Flannel

I recently came across a big tub of flannel fabric and decided it was time to sort it out. The only flannel I buy is the vintage pieces from the opshop- can't resist that- but many years ago two customers gifted me all their left-overs. Of course I didn't say no, but I don't really want a flannel stash. If I could just use it all up I know I wouldn't replace it, right? (Except for that vintage stuff.)

So I pulled everything out of the tub and sorted it into pastels for baby quilts and brights for older kids and some reproduction bits that are lovely, but.....flannel. The fact that a lot of it wasn't yardage but scraps from other quilts meant that I was limited to what I could cut, and I didn't want too many seams because...flannel. Same for triangles. Eventually I came up with this block, all cut from 2 1/2"strips and pretty brainless. 

It's like this double ninepatch block that Keryn just recently used but the construction is different. I didn't have enough fabric to cut 4 1/2" squares, and my block uses two fabrics (plus the contrasting squares across the middle) so it can be used like a log cabin in a variety of settings.

It was pretty simple to turn most of the pastels into strips and then sub-cut them ready for piecing. The pink solid was quite a large piece that I chopped into squares and the largest amounts I set aside for borders or a backing. It's great when you finally decide on a plan and steam ahead with it!

From each fabric I cut a 2 1/2" square,  a 4 1/2" rectangle,  and a 6 1/2" rectangle.  To piece the block I started with two colours in a pleasing combination and four pink squares, sewing them into a four patch. Although I don't usually do it I pressed the seams open because...flannel.

Then I added the 4 1/2" pieces to the appropriate sides, sewed the remaining two pink squares to the 6 1/2" strips and added them to the middle section. Easy as!

The block can be pieced in rows too, but I just don't like seams all going one way across a design, I find it a bit distracting, but that's just me.

Twenty blocks later I had this little top, and a piece of vintage flannel made a nice border.

I'm super pleased with how quickly this was put together, and I've made another kit to sew later on. All the off-cuts are in the bin and the pile has diminished a bit. I'll keep chipping away at this tub of fabric and cutting out more kits and one day it will all be under control.