Scrap Quilting

I did the craziest thing!  I cut most of my fat quarters into 2", 2 1/2", and 3 1/2" strips.  I decided I may use these fat quarters if I already had them cut into strips.  If you think about it, most of the pieces for our blocks are cut from strips.   You can easily cut half square triangle units and quarter square triangle units using the strips and special rulers.  So, why not cut up those fat quarters and make a quilt or two, or three, or four...
I tried to post pictures last night but could not find out how to post my pictures from my iPad to my blog.  Maybe someone can give me some advice on that.
I found Bonnie Hunter's website:  Quiltville.com. She has some free patterns using scraps and strips.  Beautiful quilts and instructions.  I finished piecing two quilts from her patterns last weekend.  I will try to post pictures later, from my computer (unless someone can tell me how to do it from my iPad).
I still have a plastic drawer full of 2 1/2" strips and another drawer full of 2" and 3 1/2" strips.  I need to start another quilt soon.  Of course, if I don't get started soon, they will last and they will be there when I am ready to do any project using strips.  I was going to work on my scrap box, but just couldn't
wait to get started on a quilt.  That's why I used my fat quarters.  Visit again soon and I will have pictures posted.

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!