Seriously..I think it needs stitches.: Sunglasses Quilt Block Tutorial

The other day I took a survey on which tutorial to post next and the Harry Potter Viktor Krum block barely got surpassed by the sunglasses National Day block! So the sunglasses it is! (But, I'll post Viktor very soon, too!) National Sunglasses Day was back on June 27th. I'm almost through the June blocks! Finally!

I was so excited to see that there's a National Sunglasses Day, because it meant I got to revisit my Bespectacled quilt pattern...

...that I did in 2014, (I can't believe it's been that long!) and morph it into a teeny little block! Let me pause here and share a really cool Bespectacled quilt that Richla from Got Kwilts made in 2017. I love it! If you want to follow her on Instagram, @gotkwilts is her account.

A few years ago I started writing that pattern into a mini but haven't ever finished it.

Not yet.. So many projects! Fingers crossed for 2022! Until then, here's "Honey I shrunk Bespectacled." haha Am I aging myself with the "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" reference?

This little block is one of my FAVES but is not for the faint because of so many small pieces and so much corner flipping. BUT, the point of this whole project was to use scraps, especially small scraps! So go forth and bust through the tiny scraps. Just be sure to use SCANT quarter inch seams!!

This is how it goes together:

Cut the following for each set of glasses, so cut three sets. (Lots of pieces and lots of seams.)

Fabric A - background

(4) 1" sq. (~)

(2) 1 x 1 1/4" (=)

(2) 1 1/4" sq. (+)

(2) 1 1/2 x 1 3/4"

Fabric B - glass frames

(3) 1" sq. (~)

(2) 1 x 1 1/4" (=)

(2) 1 x 1 3/4" (>>)

(1) 1 x 6 1/2"

(2) 1 1/4 x 1 1/2" (>)

(2) 1 1/2" sq. (*)

Fabric C - lenses

(4) 1" sq. (~)

(2) 1 x 1 3/4" (>>)

(2) 1 x 2 3/4" (>>>)

For block assembly, once your three sets of glasses are done, cut an additional (4) 1 x 8 1/2" rect. of Fabric A - background.

(When stitching, match symbols, +,= etc., in cutting instructions to symbols in assembly diagrams.)

Left Upper Clip & Flip

1. Place square at upper end or left upper corner of rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from right upper to left lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.

--Using above method, 1" sq. of Fabric A, and 1 x 1 1/4" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, make one unit.

--------------------

Right Upper Clip & Flip

Place square at upper end or right upper  corner of rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
Stitch from left upper to right lower corner.
Clip, flip & press.

--Using above method, 1" sq. of Fabric A, and 1 x 1 1/4" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, make one unit.

--------------------

Left Lower/Right Upper Double

1. Place a square at the left end or lower left corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from left upper corner to right lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.
4. Place a square at the right end or upper right corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
5. Stitch from left upper corner to right lower corner.
6. Clip, flip & press.

--Using above method, 1 1/2" sq. of Fabric B, 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric A-left lower corner, and 1" sq. of Fabric C-right upper corner, make one unit.

--Repeat using 1 1/4 x 1 1/2" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, 1" sq. of Fabric A-left lower corner, and 1" sq. of Fabric C-right upper corner.

--------------------

Left Upper/Right Lower Double

1. Place a square at the left end or upper left corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from right upper corner to left lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.
4. Place a square at the right end or lower right corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
5. Stitch from right upper corner to left lower corner.
6. Clip, flip & press.

--Using above method, 1 1/2" sq. of Fabric B, 1" sq. of Fabric C-left upper corner, and 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric A-right lower corner, make one unit.

--Repeat using 1 1/4 x 1 1/2" rect. of Fabric B-short edge at the top, 1" sq. of Fabric C-left upper corner, and 1" sq. of Fabric A-right lower corner.

--------------------

Using SCANT quarter inch seams, assemble first pair of glasses as shown below.

Repeat steps for two more pairs of glasses, then assemble block as shown below.

Your finished block should be 8 1/2" sq. at this point, 8" sq. finished in quilt.

The next National Days quilt block tutorial will be for National Camera Day. But before that one, I'll be posting the next Harry Potter quilt block.

Viktor Krum! :)

See you soon! Until then..

Happy Stitching!

xoxo,

P.S. I love to see blocks and quilts that are made with any of my patterns. If you make any and post on social media, please come find me in any of the places listed below, and tag me so I can see! :) If you're on YouTube, check out the short musical video tutorials of some of these blocks. I'm hoping they might inspire kids, or anyone really, to learn to sew. :) Plus, they're just fun to do.

@kellifanninquilts on IG

FB page

Sew along FB group

YouTube

I'm keeping all of these blocks organized on the National Days quilt blocks page *HERE*, if you're looking for any of the other 90 or so blocks I've posted so far. Getting closer to my goal of 144 blocks! If you know someone who loves Minecraft, Pokemon, and or Harry Potter, check out these free sew alongs, too! :) And if you're looking for any of my print patterns, or other fun quilty gifts, check out my Etsy shop here. Be back soon!