Block of the Month #7 - Card Tricks

You will need four fabrics and a background fabric for this one.  This is one of my favorite blocks.  It looks really hard, but is so easy.  I think you will like this one.

From each of your four fabrics-
Cut - 1 - 4 1/2" strip.  From each strip, cut 2 HSTs
Cut - 1 - 2 1/2" strip.  From each strip, cut 2 QSTs

From Background fabric-
Cut - 1 - 4 1/2" strip.  From this strip, cut 4 HSTs
Cut - 1 - 2 1/2" strip.  From this strip, cut 4 QSTs

Make four 4 1/2" Half Square Triangle units using the background fabric and the four fabrics.  These are the corner units of your block.  You will have four HSTs like this:

Use the QSTs that you cut from each fabric to make this QST unit.  This is the center block

Lay out your pieces around the center square to get the fabrics in the right place.  (Refer to photo below)

Sew a background and another fabric 2 1/2" QST together forming a half square. 

Sew this unit to a 4 1/2" HST to form the sides/top/bottom units. 

Sew the rows together.  (This is the back view of my block)  Press the seams in the top and bottom rows in one direction and the middle row in the opposite direction.

Sew the block together to look like this:

 Congratulations!  You have made another block! 

Now to get block #8 posted.

Block #6 is the Ohio Star Block.  I like this block.  It is easy, especially when you use the Quarter Square Triangle Ruler to cut your pieces.  You will need 3 fabrics:  Background, Fabric A (I used blue) and Fabric C (I used brown).

You will need to cut the following:

Background Fabric:  Cut 4-4 1/2" Squares

                                Cut 2-2 1/2" Strips, then cut 8 QST (Quarter Square Triangles)

Fabric A:  Cut 1-4 1/2" Square

Fabric C:  Cut 2-2 1/2" Strips, then cut 8 QST

Sew 2 Background QSTs and 2 Fabric C QSTs together to make this unit.

Press the seams as shown below.  Open up the center and press all seams in one direction.

Lay out the units as shown below.  Sew units into rows.  Sew rows into a block.  I don't know why I did not take a picture of the completed block, but I could not find one.  But, you get the idea.

Block of the Month-October

Block of the Month #10 - Homespun

For the third time, I am trying to post the Block of the Month for October.    As they say, third times a charm.  So, I hope this works this time because this will be the third time I have typed this and uploaded pictures.

October's Block is called "Homespun".  You will need three fabrics:  a Background, Fabric A (I used blue), and Fabric C (I used red).  You will need to cut the following:

Background:  Cut 1-4 1/2" Square

                      Cut 3-2 1/2" Strips, then cut 32 HST (Half Square Triangles)

Fabric A:  Cut 1-2 1/2" Strip, then cut 8 QST (Quarter Square Triangles)

Fabric C:  Cut 2-2 1/2" Strips, then cut 16 HST

Sew a Background HST to each side of a Fabric B QST to make Flying Geese Units, as shown below.  Make 8 Flying Geese Units.  Sew two together to make one unit (arrange as in the picture).

Sew a Background HST to a Fabric B HST to make Half Square Triangle Units.  Sew them in pairs as shown in the picture below, then sew two pairs together (arrange as in the picture).

Lay the block out as shown.  Sew the units together to make rows.  Sew the rows together to make the block.

I will be posting more blocks soon.  I have missed several months, but plan to post all of them as soon as I can.



Setting Block

I thought I would post the directions for the setting block for this quilt. You will need 13 of these. The directions are for one. If you vary the colors in the block, you will get a scrappier look.

From the Background Fabric - Cut 4 - 4 1/2" Squares and 8 - 2 1/2" Squares.

From Fabric A - Cut 1 - 4 1/2" Square

From 8 different Medium-Dark Fabrics - Cut 1 - 2 1/2" Square

Make a 4 - 4 Patch units using 2 Background Fabrics and 2 of the Medium-Dark Fabrics. The Background fabrics should be opposite each other.

Piece the Block as a 9 Patch. Place the 4 Patch untis in the corners and Fabric A in the center. I tried to put a different fabric in each of my blocks in the center.

This is what the setting block looks like. I used several light fabrics for my Background Fabrics.

You will also need to make Corner Stones to finish the quilt. You will use 2 - 2 1/2" squares from your Background Fabric and 2 - 2 1/2" squares from you Medium-Dark Fabrics. You need 36 of these. In the phote on the right, these are incorrect. The photo shows these as all Medium-Dark Fabrics. I think it will look better if these are done this way instead.

Sashing pieces are cut from your Background Fabric. They are 4 1/2" x 12 1/2" rectangles. You will need 60 sashing strips.

Quarter Square Triangle Ruler

This post is on how to cut Quarter Square Triangles using strips of fabric and a Quarter Square Triangle Ruler.
You need to determine the height of you Quarter Square Triangle (QST). If you are making an Hourglass Block and the finished size is 4", your QST will be half that size. So, it will finish 2". You need to add 1/2" to the finished size to get the unfinished size. Your unfinished size is 2 1/2". Cut a strip of fabric 2 1/2". Before I cut a QST, I cut off a Half Square Triangle (HST) to get started. You can see that in the picture. I have a 2 1/2" strip that I cut a HST from.

Place your ruler with the point side down and lay on your fabric strip. The point is actually blunt to allow for the seam allowance. Make a cut along the right side of the ruler. That is your first QST.

Turn your ruler around to make your next cut. Continue turning your ruler to make additional cuts until you have the number of QST you need. If you are cutting a lot of QST, you can layer your fabric strips to cut several strips at once.

After I have all my QST cut, I use my HST ruler to cut the tips off, as pictured below. This saves you time later. You will not have "dog ears" to cut off after you have sewn these together.

I cut QSTs from my background fabric to make this block. Cutting these triangles this way keeps your straight of grain on the outside edges. Your bias in in the middle where it should be.

I hope you will try the QST Ruler. It will save you fabric and time. I love doing QST this way. They are much more accurate when piecing.

Have a Quilty Day!

Star of Hope - Block #5

This is the next block, called Star of Hope. It is not very difficult. We are going to introduce a new ruler this month. It is a Quarter Square Triangle Ruler (QST).

For this block, you need to cut:

Fabric A (Dark #1, I used Blue) : 1 - 4 1/2" strip. From this strip, cut 1 - 4 1/2" square and cut 4 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangles

Fabric B (Background) : 1 - 4 1/2" strip. From this strip, cut 4 - 4 1/2" squares
Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip. From this strip, cut 4 Quarter Square Triangle

(see directions for using the Quarter Square Triangle Ruler)

Fabric C (Dark #2, I used Red) : Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip, from this strip, cut 4 Quarter Square Triangles.


Piece Fabric B and Fabric C Quarter Square Triangles together.
You need 4 of these. They will look like the Cream and Red Triangle in the picture.

Piece the QST unit to the Fabric A HST to make this unit. You need 4 of these.

Lay your block out like the one in the picture. It is now like a 9 Patch. Piece the rows together. The first row and last row will have a Fabric B square-QST &HST unit-Fabric B square. The second row will have QST & HST unit-Fabric A square-QST &HST unit. Sew the rows together.

Now, you have finished another block. Congratulations!

Where has the year gone?

Where has the year gone? My last post was in April! I had good intensions to post the Block of the Month here every month, but...what happened? I am going to blame Track. Track season started and then I had no time! If you don't know, I am a High School Track Coach. This year we had 8 kids qualify for the State Track meet. That is more than we have ever had since I have been coaching Track here. So, our season went to the end of May. Then it was summer. It was a busy summer. I say "was", because it is almost over. School starts next week and, so, it is almost over. I am enjoying my last week sewing and quilting. Summer started with having to clean out the basement. We had a water line leak and so I had to go through all the boxes that have been waiting down there for 4 years to be unpacked. After that, we started to put the pool up. We had one problem after another. Finally got it ready to put water in and a storm came through that night and folded it up. End of that pool. We ordered another one and it came the week we were to leave on a mission trip. We got it up though. But, the water they hauled in was dirty. We had to wait until we got back from our trip to get it clean. Finally got it clean and running Sunday. Sunday night and all day Monday it rained, so we haven't had a chance to swim yet! Out Mission Trip was to a very small country in Europe called Moldova. It is close to Russia. In fact, it was part of Russia at one time. We had a Dental Team, a Construction Team, a Medical Team, and a Day Camp Team. I serve on the Day Camp Team. We work with a Baptist Church in Cantemir and we usually go out to a village nearby to do work. The Construction Team helped with a new roof for the church in Cantemir. This year we went to Plopi to do work. We offer free dental and medical services. The Day Camp Team works with children in the village and does like a Vacation Bible School. The Day Camp Team went to two other villages, also. We were in Plopi on Monday, Taraclia on Tuesday, and Hirtop on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday we were in Cantemir. We saw 201 children over the week. Just a side note: If you have ever given to the Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes at Christmas time, they received Shoeboxes last Christmas. Thank you.) The people in the villages have very, very little. Most of their adults are in other countries working. Some of the children live with their Grandparents while their parents are some where else working. So, anyway, we got home Sunday, July 31st. So, that was my summer and that's where the year went. Always very busy, as I'm sure all of you are. too.
Now to get back to posting all the back blocks for the Block of the Month.