Making Quilt Barn Blocks

I was "empty" in ideas for a friend's birthday, but then ... a lightning bolt hit me and I remembered her conversations about tours in her area featuring Quilt Barn Blocks!  Eureka - I can make one for her birthday!  BTW, this is the same friend who yesterday, received the Raffle quilt!  I had started this idea before she won that quilt.  

No, it's not perfect, but  I'm LOVING it!

Months ago, I painted 4 quilt blocks on the garage (Lady of the Lake) and I smile each time I see it, but it's painted on the siding, not on a separate board.  Painting on siding has issues!

The local lumber store cut my exterior grade plywood -- I had to buy a 24 in. square.  I needed a 16 inch square.  First, a little sanding, then primered front and back with regular oil-based house paint (used what I had from deck work).

I wanted a simple design that would have some color at the corners, and eventually decided on a simple Buckeye Beauty or Jewel Box -- this is the beginning.  The periwinkle blue (already had) was left over from my own block on the garage.  Because she is not a quilter, I wanted her to see how putting 4 blocks together made a new design.  These colors are water-based.

There is a lot of taping, letting dry, more taping.  Next time I do this, I'll try another plan but for now, here it is.  The greens and blues needed several coats, but they dried quickly.

 It's looking almost finished ... I used some steel wool to take off the glossy look.

mmm - needs something -- yessss -- it needs quilting stitches!  Yeah - looks better now!  You MUST have stitches!!!  (Sharpie)

DH helped by cutting the framing strips, also sanded, primered and painted.  He was so funny - these guys - at first when I mentioned this idea, he thought I was bonkers.  One step at a time and next thing I knew, he was wanting to help!

I bought some screw eyes and found a wire and voila - DONE!   I signed it in a corner, boxed it up and mailed.  It went from western Nebraska to Chicago area in 2 days.

SHE LOVED IT!  We were on SKYPE when she opened it.  I had told her that SHE had given me the hints, but she never could guess what was coming.  8-)))