Some Random Four Patch--A Charity Quilt Pattern

 A few years ago, when I was still working as a school librarian, there was a kid in one of my classes who seemed to always wear the same shirt on Library Day.  His shirt was brown, with white letters that read "Some Random Dude".
I thought that was funny.  So when I started making these quilts for charity I named them Some Random Four Patch.  I don't really know where this pattern came from.  It's easy and fast to make, especially with bright novelty prints.

All the pieces are pulled from my box of 2.5 in. strips.  I make 3 piles as I cut them:  2.5 in. squares, 2.5 in. x 4.5 in. rectangles, and 2.5 in. x 8.5 in. rectangles.  Then I pile them up next to the sewing machine (this is my Singer RAF upstairs treadle).
I pull squares randomly from the pile on the left to make a four patch.  If two of the squares go together especially well (like the green and the butterflies below) I put them across from each other diagonally.  Just my own little system.  (I did have a few regular four patches from another project that I put into the quilt above.)

Then I add 2.5 x 4.5 in. rectangles to two parallel sides.  I try not to repeat any of the fabrics.

And lastly I add the long strips to the remaining sides.

You can see that these would make up very quickly.  It's all straight seams, with nothing to match.
When the blocks are done I usually set them side by side, alternating their orientation (long strips vertical, then long strips horizontal, etc.) which you can see in the unquilted top below.  Again, nothing to match but the edges of the blocks.

The blocks measure 8.5 in. unfinished, 8 in. finished.  I make 20 blocks for crib-sized quilts, and set them 4 across and 5 down.  I usually add a border made from 2.5 in. wide strips (2 in. finished).  The quilt measures 36 in. wide and 44 in. long before quilting.
Recently I tried out using red sashing strips for the blocks.

It was okay, but I think I like the all over look of the blocks without sashing or cornerstones.  This did increase the size of the quilt, also.
For quilting, I started by doing quilt in the ditch to stabilize everything.  I did a 2 in. grid on the quilt with the blue border, and diagonal lines spaced 2 in. apart on the one with red sashings.  Of course I used my Davis Vertical Feed treadle for the quilting.
The two quilts in this pattern that are already finished will go to Quilts for Kids (http://www.quiltsforkids.org).  They are collecting lots of quilts for the victims of Hurricane Sandy.   The one that isn't quilted yet will go to a local charity through our wonderful Ties That Bind quilt group in Slinger, WI.
If you make one of these, please comment below!