Block #1 for the Blogger’s block of the month came out on the 25th of this month. Check out the tutorial at A Quilting Life if you want to join in.

Now I must confess I’m always looking for shortcuts,  so I didn’t follow the instructions to the letter.  The instructions are plenty good, mind you, and you’ll create a perfectly lovely block if you follow them and you probably should if you are using little bitty square scraps.

But in case you’re curious and/or  looking for process and efficiency improvements while doing an immensely time and efficiency absorbent hobby, here’s what I did:

• I strip pieced two 10″x2-1/2″ pieces and them cut them into sections 2-1/2″ wide and then joined them for the four patches on the corners.
• And I did that thing where you draw a line down the middle of a 2-7/8″ set of squares and sew 1/4″ from either side of the line and cut the drawn line after to make two half square triangles without worrying about stretching on the bias. Here’s a really clear tutorial for what I’m talking about in case this is clear as mud.

And if you do save yourself a minute or two doing the above, go surfing and check out:http://www.flickr.com/groups/bloggersbom/ for the other blocks being made.