Always Learning

Whirlwind

Arrow Crown

Next-Door Neighbor

This block goes together very easily!  The first thing to do is take all the 2" squares and draw diagonal lines on the back.  On all of them!!  That is the longest part of putting this block together.  :)

1. Using the folded-corners technique, place a 2" main-print square on one end of a 2"x3 1/2" dark rectange. Sew from corner to corner. Trim, and press the seam toward the main print.  Repeat with a 2" background square on the opposite end. Keep the angle the same.  Press the seam toward the background. Make 8 of these units.










2. Repeat step 1 with a strong-accent square on one corner of a light rectangle and a background square on the opposite end.  Keep the angle the same. Make 8.




 3.  Place a main-print square on the corner of a background rectangle. Sew from corner to corner, using the opposite angle from that used in steps 1 and 2. Trim, and press the seams towards the main print. Repeat with a strong-accent square. Make 8 of each combination.




4. On four of the background/main-print units from step 3, place a medium square on the opposite corner. Sew from corner to corner. Trim, and press the seams toward the medium.  Repeat with  4 of the background/strong-accent units from step 3.





5. Make four of each unit as shown.  Press to the right.












6. Sew the units from step 5 together as shown. Make four units. Upper two..press right...bottom two...press left.





7. Assemble the block as shown.  Press.  upper row, press right.  Bottom row, press left.

Martha's Star

1. Place the 3" medium squares right sides together with the 3" background squares. Use the "Layered-Squares Technique" to make the four triangle squares. Press the seams toward the medium. Trim off any dog ears.

2. Place the 2 3/8" strong-accent squares right sides togehter with four of the 2 3/8" background squares to make eight triangle squares. Repeat with the 2 3/8" light and 2 3/8" background squares to make eight of each combination. Press opposite of background fabric.

3. Sew the triangle squares from step 1 together to form the center pinwheel. Press the top row to the right and the bottom row to the left.  After sewing rows together, press down.

4. Sew two 3 7/8" main-print triangles to opposite sides of the center pinwheel. Press.  Repeat with the remaining main-print triangles.  When lining up your triangles make sure the point is right on with the line down the middle of the square.  Press out towards the main print.

5. Using the 2" background squares and the strong-accent triangle squares, assemble four corner units for the block. Press top row to the right, bottom row to the left.  After sewing rows together, press down.

6. Sew two of the 2 3/8" background triangles to the sides of the light triangle squares from step 2. Press the seams in the diretions of the arrows. Make eight.

7. Sew the 3 7/8" dark triangles to the units from step 6. Press towards dark fabric. Make eight.

8. Sew two units from step 7 together as shown. press towards the right. make four.

**I really had trouble getting these lined up.  I hope you do not!  Matching the points of those 2 little triangles proved difficult for me and I had to do 2 of them over...and over....  :)

9. Assemble the block as shown.  Press top row to the outside.  Press middle row to the middle.  press bottom row to the outside.  After sewing rows together press up and down.

Star of Magi

1. Using the folded-corners technique, place a 2" background square on a 2" x 3 1/2" dark rectangle.  Sew along the diagonal. Make four units in one direction and eight units in the opposite direction. Press the seams toward the dark fabric.

2.  On eight units from step 1 (four of one direction and four of the other direction), add a 2" strong-accent square to the other end, making sure that the angles are the same on each piece.  Trim and press the seams toward the strong-accent fabric.

3.  On the remaining four units from step 1, sew the 2" light squares as shown. Press the seams toward the light fabric. Make four.

4. Sew a 2" background square to the corner of a 3 1/2" main-print square. Repeat as shown for the other corner. Press the seams toward the background and trim the excess to 1/4". Make four.

5. Sew one of each of the units from step 2 to each side of the main-print unit from step 4.  Press out. Make four.

6. Place the 2 3/8" medium squares right sides together with two of the 2 3/8" background squares. Use the layered-squareds technique to make triangle squares. Repeat with the 2 3/8" light and 2 3/8" background squares. Press the seams toward the darker fabrics.

7.  Sew the triangle squares together as shown. Press down towards the light triangle. Then sew these units to the units from step 3.  press down towards the diagonal side.

8. Assemble the center section of the block as shown. Top row press right..bottom row press left.  Sew together then press up.

9.  Sew the 2 3/8" background trangles to the sides of the 2" medium squares as shown.  Press toward the triangles.  Sew the 3 7/8" background triangles to the edge of the square-trangle units from made.  Press towards the large triangle.  Make four of these corner units.

10.  Assemble the block as shown.  Top and bottom row, press out.  Middle row, press in.  Then sew rows together and press up and down. 

Diamond Star Block

1. Using the "Folded-Corners Technique," place a 2" strong-accent square on one corner of each 2" x 3 1/2" medium rectangle.  Sew a diagonal seam, trim, and press out. Repeat with the corner other corner, also pressing out, to make four.

2.  Place a 2 3/8" dark and a 2 3/8" light square right sides together.  Using the "Layered-Squares Technique" to sew triangle-square units. Cut the squares apart on the line and press the seams toward the darker fabric.  Make four.

3. Using the folded-corners technique, place a 2" background square on one end of each of the 2" x 3 1/2" dark rectangles and sew a diagonal seam. Trim and make eight units. Press towards dark fabric.

Add a 2" strong-accent square to the opposite corner of four of the units. Add a 2" light square to the opposite corner of the other four units. Keep the angles the same.  Press towards dark fabric.

4.  Repeat with the 2" x 3 1/2" light rectangles and 2" background squares as shown, wth the angles revresed.  Trim and make eight units.  Press towards outer triangle.

Add a strong-accent square to four of the units.  Add a dark square on the opposite corner of the other four units. Keep the angles the same.  Press towards outer triangle.

5. Sew the units from steps 3 and 4 together as shown.  The two left seams get pressed to the right.  The right seam gets pressed towards the left.  Make four.

6.  Assemble the center of the block as shown, using the 3 1/2" main-print square in the center.   In the top and bottom rows, press out.  In the middle row, press in towards the center.  After assembling the 3 rows together, press towards the top and bottom rows.

7. Assemble the block, using hte units from steps 5 and 6 and the 3 1/2" background squares.  Top and bottom rows get pressed IN..middle row presses out.  After assembling rows together press towards the top and bottom rows.

Snow Crystal Square

1. Using the Folded-Corners Technique, place the 2" background squares on the corner of the 2" x 3 1/2" strong-accent rectangles. Sew and trim. Make four in each direction. Press the seams toards the middle.  Repeat with the 2" medium squares on the opposite end, keeping the angles the same.  Press toward the medium fabric.

2. Using the same folded-corners technique, sew 2" background squares on the 2" x 3 1/2"light rectangles. Sew 2" dark squares on the opposite end, keeping the angle the same. Trim and press.  Press first towards the background squares and then towards the dark squares. Make four.

3. Use the same technique to sew the 2" background squares on one end of the 2" x 3 1/2" main print rectangles. Trim and press towards the background squares. Make four.

4. Place the 2 3/8" main-print squares right sides together with two of the 2 3/8" background squares. Use the Layered-Squares Technique to make four triangle-square units. Press the seams toward the main print and trim off any dog-ears. Repeat wit hthe 2 3/8" dark and 2 3/8" background squares to make four.

5. Sew the triangle-square units from step 4 to the 2" background squares. press toward the background squares. Make four of each combination.

6. Sew the units from step 3 to the main-print/background units from step 5, as shown.  Press the seams toward the triangle-square unit.  Make 4.

7. Sew the units from step 2 to the dark/background units from step 5 as shown. Press towards the dark/light/background unit.  Make 4.

8. Assemble the center star as shown.  Press the top row to the right.  Press the bottom row to the left.  After combining rows, press up.

9.  Using the folded-corners technique, place a 2" medium square on one corner of each of four 2" x 3 1/2" background rectangles. Stitch, trim, and press toward the medium triange. Repeat wit hthe opposite corner, stitching the angle in the opposite direction. Make four.

10. Sew the units from step 9 the remaining 2" x 3 1/2" background rectangles. Press towards the background rectangle.  Make 4.

11. Sew the units from step 1 to the sides of the unit from step 10. Press toward the center unit. Make four.

Here I just want to show what it looks like when your points don't quite match up in this step:

What happened is that I started sewing from the beige end....it does pull your fabric a bit if you're not being careful or watching how you're pulling on the fabric.

So I took those apart and re-sewed, starting from the other end.  You'll see in my final block that there are still a few places that didn't quite meet..I did re-do several.  LOL  I don't get too nit-picky but I do want it to look nice! Anyway, this quilt is really working on me, as far as making sure I'm cutting right, sewing right at 1/4"....just being more accurate.  I love it when points match up the first time!  :)

12. Assemble the block as shown.  Top row, press out. Middle row, press in toward the star.  Bottom row, press out.  Then join rows, pressing toward the top and bottom rows.

Aurora

Before I start the instructions for this square I wanted to mention a time-saver, cutting-saver, thread-saver.  :)   When you're sewing a bunch all in a row, you don't need to stop in between pieces...lift up the foot, pull out the piece/thread, cut...then start again.  Instead you just keep feeding your stuff through and cut later.  Here are some pictures that are a sample of me making alllll those triangle squares for Whirlwind.  :)

1. Place the 4 1/4" light and 4 1/4" main-print squares right sides together. Use the Layered-Squared Technique to make four triangle squares. Cut them in half once diagonally.  Press seams towards the main print.  Make 4.

2. Sew two 4 1/4" background triangles to the sides of a 2 5/8" medium square. Press the seams towards the background triangles  Make four.

3. Sew the units from step 1 to the units from step 2, as shown. Press the seams out towards the main/light prints. Make four.

4. Sew two 3" main-print triangles to opposite sides of the 3 1/2" strong-accent square. Press toward the triangles. Sew the remaining main-print triangles to the other two sides. Press out towards the main print.

5.  Sew two 3 7/8" dark triangles to opposite sides of the unit from step 4. Repeat wit hthe remaining dark triangles. Press out towards the dark fabric.

6. Using the 3 1/2" background squares and the units made in the preceding steps, sew the block together as shown.    Top and bottom row, press in.  Middle row, press out.  After sewing the rows together, press uptowards to the top and down towards the bottom.

Union Square

Do you have your fabric ready??

1. Get the six 2 7/8" squares in the background fabric and draw diagonal lines on them. Place the 2 7/8" medium squares right sides together with two of the 2 7/8" background squares. Use the "Layered-Squares Technique" to make four triangle squares.  Press the seams toward the medium fabric.  Repeat with the four 2 7/8" accent fabric and four 2 7/8" background squares. Press the seams towards the accent fabric. Make eight.

2. Using hte 2 1/2" background squares and the triangle squares from step 1, assemble the block corner units. Press the seams as indicated. Make four.

Sew together the two on the left first and iron towards the background square. Then sew together the two on the right ironing towards the medium fabric.  Then sew the two columns together and iron towards the side that has the medium triangle.

3. Place a 5 1/4" dark square right sides together wit hteh 5 1/4" background square (that has a diagonal line drawn on the back). Use the layered-squares technique to make two triangle squares. Press the seams toward the dark fabric. Repeat with the 5 1/4" dark and light squares, drawing the diagonal line on the light fabric.  It makes 2 of each. 

***For some reason I have no picture of doing this...hmm...but here is a shot of one of the finished triangles.  If you're not quite sure what to do here just let me know.  :)

4. Place a dark/background and a dark/light triangle-square unit from step 3 right sides together so the darks are opposite. Draw a line diagonally and sew with a 1/4" seam allowance on both sides of the line. Cut the squares apart on the line and press. Makes four quarter squares.  (in the picture above I am drawing the diagonal line for this step)

Here I am placing my squares right sides together...see how the dark fabrics will NOT be on top of each other.

Then you'll sew the 1/4" on each side of the line...cut on the line...and press open...doesn't matter how you press.  This is what they will look like:

5. Assemble the block as shown, using the 4 1/2" main-print square in the center. Press the seams as indicated.

Sew the top row together first, pressing towards the outer squares.

Then sew the middle row, and press towards the main print in the middle.

Next is the bottom row, pressing toward the outer squares.

Then sew the rows together.  Be sure to use the "feel" method of your seams to get your corners lined up.  Press towards the middle row.

Land of the Midnight Sun

Lay out your pieces and be sure you have everything.

1. Draw diagonal lines on four of the 2 1/2" background squares.  Then place them on the right-angle corner of each of four 4 7/8" dark traingles. Sew from corner to corner and trim the excess fabric to 1/4". Press the seams toward the dark fabric.  Make four.

1 cont. Repeat with the 2 1/2" medium squares ont othe remaining 4 7/8" dark triangles. Press towards the medium fabric.  Make 4.

2. Sew a 4 7/8" background triangle to the edge of each of the four dark/background units from step 1. Press towards the dark fabric.

3. Sew the triangles cut from the 5 1/4" accent and background squares together as shown.  Press toward the accent fabric. Make four.

4. Sew the dark/medium units from step 1 to the accent/background units from step 3. Press the seams toward the step 1 units (the darker fabrics). Make four.

5. Place two 2 1/2" light squares on opposite corners of the 4 1/2" main-print square.  Use the Folded-Corners Technique to sew the squares. Trim, and press the seams toward the light fabric.  Repeat with the remaining 2 1/2" light squares on the other corners.

6. Assemble the block in rows as shown.  Press as indicated.

Lay your blocks down as show above.  Now starting at the top left...you'll stitch the first two together on the top...and then the third.  In the top row you'll iron towards the middle square on both sides.

In the second row you'll iron towards the outer squares.  And in the bottom row you'll iron towards the middle square again.

Some tips.  Make sure your squares line up on the edges.  If one square seems a little shorter than another...just pull gently.  Cotton is very forgiving and you can usually gently pull it into place.

In the top row...the two to the right.  See how the dark pink will meet in the middle...at the lower point?  Here's how to help ensure they meet up.

Place those two squares right sides together.  Now feel with your thumb and forefinger right where the seams are.  One is ironed in one direction and the other goes the other direction.  Pull hte seams on top of one another.  See how you can feel that.  Now gently move the fabric until you can feel that they are right next to one another.  That's how your points will be right on.  You will do this same technique when you are sewing the top row to the middle row and so on.  You want the corners of those squares to meet up just so.  Here are some pictures that try to show you what I'm talking about:

In this first one, see how the seams are going different directions on the lower part of the dark pink fabric:

jHere I am placing the right sides together and feeling for the seams to be sure they're right against each toher.

After sewing the top, middle, and bottoms rows, you'll now sew the rows to each other.  Use the feeling the seams technique to be sure that your blocks are lined up.

When one doesn't get the corners matched up properly this is what it looks like - See how the pink triangles goes just to the right of the middle right square...NOT quite perfect where the 4 squares meet.

Here's a close up of another corner that did meet GREAT!  :) 

And now you've finished your first square!!!

Land of the Midnight Sun

Layered-Squares Technique

This uses two squares sewn together to create the look of two triangles sewn together.

1. Draw a diagonal line on the back of one of the squares.

2. Place the two squares right sides together. 

3. Sew at a 1/4" on both sides of the drawn line.

4. Cut on the drawn line (using the ruler and rotary cutter is easiest). Press the seams toward the darker fabric, or as shown in the instructions.

See in the picture above...how after you press the square open there are little pieces on the sides...  See this picture below..it's more obvious.  At the point where the two triangles meet?   That will happen on a LOT of the squares...as you sew and press.  You can leave them there but for ME, I have found it easier when sewing those squares to others to just clip that off. 

LOL  My mom saves all those little clips.  After several years she has a quart size jar full of them.  IT is pretty.  Here's the above without the little extra:

Folded-Corners Technique

1. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the smaller square that is being used.

2. Place the smaller square on a corner of a larger square or rectangle, right sides together.

3. Sew ON the line.

4. Use a rotary cutter and ruler to trim the seam allowance to 1/4".  This means that you lay your ruler down and the sew line should be right underneath 1/4".  Then you cut.  That will leave you 1/4" of a seam allowance.

5. Then press the seam following the instructions given. After ironing this is what it looks like:

Ironing

You'll be doing a lot of ironing.  It's up and down, up and down, from your machine.  :)

Here are some pictures that explain HOW to iron your pieces depending on what the instructions say:

In this first one, I would say "Iron to the dark piece."  That means that you lay the piece down and you hold up the dark side.  You start on side with the iron and you press "towards" the dark, slowly moving across the fabric, until the whole dark piece is now laying flat.  If you look on the back the seam will be on top of the dark piece.  The lighter fabric's seam will be flat....like it's a "whole" piece.

Again, here I would say, "Iron towards the dark piece."  See how the iron does the job...pushing the seam in the proper direction.

Here I've sewed 3 small squares together into a row.  I would say, "Iron towards the middle square."  So I hold up the one I'm "ironing towards" and let the tip of the iron do the job of pressing in the right direction.  After doing this side, I would turn it around...again lifting up the fabric and ironing towards the middle of the 3.

Remember that it IS important which way you iron.  :)

Sewing at 1/4"

First you want to find where 1/4" is in regards to your needle.  What you do is lower your needle, then put a measuring tape or ruler up to the needle.  Now go to the right 1/4".  Where is that?  Is there a natural line on your machine or foot to show you where that is.  IN this picture you can see that the 1/4" line I have an indented line on my foot.  That's a quilting foot and is SO handy!!

If you don't have a quilting foot and there is NO line at the 1/4" spot, then you need to either draw a line in using a pen or marker or put a piece of masking tape.  You must have something that you can follow....some type of guide to use as you feed your material through the needle.

For Others

For those that just happen to run across this blog.....

I'm doing a quilt with some ladies on a message board and am using this blog for some of the instructions and pictures.  :)

If you want to join us, then join www.cmomb.com and look us up in the Sewing Forum.

Picture of King Size type

Cutting Charts for Blocks

Cutting the Main Print

Get your fabric ready as described in the first lesson. 

Square off the left side.

Now you're going to make cuts of varying sizes.  The first cut is 4 1/2"  See how I have the vertical line of the ruler on 4 1/2" on the left side edge of the fabric.  There is a horizontal line on the bottom.  That keeps the fabric square.

Cut at 4 1/2" one time.  Now lay that strip of fabric on your card that has 4 1/2" on it!

Next cut a strip that is 4 1/4" and put it on the card that says 4 1/4".

Keep doing this for following measurements:

3 7/8"

3 1/2"

3"

2 3/8"

2"  (cut 2 of these)

3 1/2"

Now all your strips should be on their cards.

Go back and get the 4 1/2" one.  You're going to open it up just once.

Square off the left side where the selvage is.  Because you've already cut it straight, you can just use your big ruler and line up one of the horizontal lines with the bottom and a vertical line along hte side of the selvage.  Now cut it off.  I go to about 1/2" or 3/4" or so...making sure that all the selvage cut off.

Now you're going to cut at 4 1/2".  This will give you 2 squares...4 1/2" each.  :)  Place your squares back with the card that says 4 1/2".

Do the same for all the rest...cutting them into squares...

For example, if it's the 3" strip...you'll cut 3" the other way to make a square.

When I say that you need 10 of something...you'll actually cut 5...cuz you're cutting 2 at a time.

Here is the list of what you need:

2 - 4 1/2" squares

2 - 4 1/4" squares

2 - 3 7/8" squares

10 - 3 1/2" squares

2 - 3" squares

4 - 2 3/8" squares

36 - 2" squares

12 - 2" x 3 1/2" rectanges

With the last one, you cut 3 1/2" strips, now you'll cut 2" the other way to give you your rectangle.

When you're done with that, take the 3 7/8" squares and cut them diagonally.  YOu'll place your ruler over the squares..make sure that goes through the tips of the corners just right...now cut with your rotary cutter...and you'll ahve 4 triangles.  :)

Do the same thing with the 3" squares.

As you cut your squares be sure to put them back with their cards!!!

Now that you have everything cut for the main print, you'll get your baggies with the square names on them and put inside each baggie the fabric that goes with it.

Here's the list:

Arrow Crown: 1 - 3 1/2" square

Aurora: 2 - 4 1/4" square, 2 - 3" triangles

Carpenter's Wheel:8 - 2" x 3 1/2" rectangles, 4 - 2" squares, 2 - 2 3/8" squares

Diamond Star: 1 - 3 1/2" square

Land of the Midnight Sun: 1 - 4 1/2" square

Martha's Star: 2 - 3 7/8" triangles

Next-Door Neighbor: 16 - 2" squares

Pieced Stars: 16 - 2" squares

Snow Crystals: 4 - 2"x3 1/2" rectangles, 2 - 2 3/8" squares

Star of Magi: 4 - 3 1/2" squares

Union Square: 1 - 4 1/2" squares

Whirlwind: 4 - 3 1/2" squares

And you have the main print ready to go!!!!  For the rest of the fabrics I won't give such explicit directions.  Just do your cards using the list I'll give you, then cut, and fill the bags.  One fabric at a time.

You will have extra fabric.  This is how you build your stash though.  Or you make more squares.  Usually if you're making a quilt that is the same square throughout the whole quilt you won't have so much "extra" fabric left...because you'l lbe cutting a lot more of the exact same sizes.  But since we're doing a sampler you'll have extras.  HOld onto them!!!  :)

Getting Started

If you're going to pre-wash your fabric, do that now.  Iron all your fabric.  The fabric I got this time was really wrinkled!  So I ironed everything up.

Before you start cutting, you want to make sure that your fold is in the right place.  A lot of times the fabric from the store gets crooked and it get cut crooked.  So you want to line up the selvages:

Here my selvages match at the top, but notice the ripple in the fabric. 

This tells me that I need to move my selvages from right to left until there is no more ripple.  I do NOT rely on where the fabric is cut to know if my fabric is straight.  I rely on matching the selvages and then having no ripple. 

Next you're going to lay your fabric down and fold up once, from the fold up to meet the selvages.

Here is what I'm using for my supplies

My mat, a long ruler (6"x24"), a small square ruler, and my rotary cutter.

NOTE:  If you are left-handed you'll need to reverse these directions. 

Now I lay my small ruler down on the fabric:

And then I bring it down to the bottom of the quilt and I line up the bottom of the ruler with the folded edge of the fabric.  You could also use on the lines on the ruler and put THAT on the edge of the fabric.  Whatever is easier for you to see.  Notice that I have it JUST to the right of the left side of the fabric.  I'm just cutting off that left side to have a nice straight edge to start with.

Then you'll take your long ruler and lay it alongside the small ruler making sure that your small ruler doesn't move:

Now press down hard on the long ruler with fingers spread and remove the small ruler:

Now take your rotary cutter in your right hand, open it, and at the bottom edge of the fabric lay it against the ruler at an angle. 

Then you'll run your rotary cutter UP the ruler along the fabric.

Afterwards, you should have a straight edge to begin with.  Close your cutter after each time you use it!  It is VERY sharp!!!!

Now you're ready for your first cut.   If I give you instructions to a  2" strip, you would then place your ruler on the fabric with the long line at 2" on the left edge of the fabric...and a horizontal line on the ruler on the bottom fold of the fabric.  See picture...I'm ready to cut my first 2" strip.  :)

I tried to think of each step, but I'm sure I forgot something.  Let me know if you have any questions. :)