Monday, December 28, 2009

A Sampler Blog Button


Linda has made me a button :-) So now you can show on your blog or home-page, that you are following this Sampler Blog.

You can copy the html-code in the side-bar, and paste it into your own blog.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Nearly Insane !


Yes, Nearly Insane, or - as I would have it - Definitely Bonkers :-)

I've gotten Liz Lois' permission to share this block with everyone. She is the lady who wrote the book "Nearly Insane". The block with the most pieces in that truly amazing book, is block # 18.
It has 218 pieces !
And my love of precision battled mightily with my decision to try and machine-piece all the blocks on this blog. The decision won over the love, which is why it is not (nearly) as precise as I could have done it by hand. HOWever, I know that there are machine-piecers out there who can do it precisely with ease.

There are many (MANY) blocks in the "Nearly Insane" book that can be Inklingo'ed. All you have to do is decide whether the unit you want to Inklingo is a QST or a HST. Then measure the size of the unit in the book and pick the same size Inklingo template.

In this case, the majority of units are HST (Half Square Triangles), and they are all 0.5". Your measurement in the book, as well as the size of the Inklingo template, is the finished size.

I recommend you down-load Monkey's Cheat-sheet, and write down the requirements on one, before embarking. It is much easier to follow the printing-directions when written on the cheat-sheet, than it is on what can be written up for a blog, (and I have not yet mastered the art of embedding a pdf-file on a blog)

In the original block, there is no "background-fabric", I have, however, chosen to use the background fabric that I have used throughout the sampler-blocks. For ease of reference (since this is a many-pieces block), I have written the colour of the fabric I have used in the printing-directions too.

The block is made, either with Collection 2 or the new, downloadable HST collection and QST collection.

Fabric-1 (background, white / light)

96 HST, 0.5" - uses the square layout, (which is both on the CD and in the downloadable collection)
6.25 x 11.5" printed Landscape AND
6.25 x 11.5" printed Landscape
4 QST, 0.5"
2 x 4" (use smallest size your printer will accept, for mine it's 3 x 5")
4 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"

Fabric-2 ( Focus 1, pink / medium)
3.25 x 11.5 to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 32 HST-squares
2x 4" to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 4 QST-squares
9 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"

Fabric-3
(Focus 2, brown/ dark)
6.25 x 11.5" to layer with Fabric-1, (do not print), giving a total of 64 HST-squares
4 squares, 0.5", (not printable).
Cut each square 1" for a finished size of 0.5"
2 rectangles, each 0.75 x 1.5", (not printable).
Cut each rectangle 1.25 x 2"
2 rectangles, each 0.75 x 3" (not printable).
Cut each rectangle 1.25 x 3.5"

- - -

Make all the HST and QST units. See Triangle Tips, or in your collection, OR in the Inklingo Handbook for tips and hints on how to do it.
This step will take quite some time, since you will need to trim off all the points. The bits in this block are so small, that everything that can be trimmed, should be trimmed. FORtunately, with Inklingo, you have lines along which to trim, so it isn't hard at all, just somewhat time-consuming.

Take the QST-units, of the Fabric-1 and Fabric-2 bits.
Make a star, exactly the same way you did the Ohio Star. The only difference between the two is the size !
Border the star with the rectangles made with Fabric-3, adding first the two short rectangles to opposite sides, then the two longer to the remaining sides.

Next comes a number of rows of HST. They are not difficult to make, however, to get the block to look as it should according to the book, it is important that you look closely at the pictures, and add them as they are there ...
Another option is to live with it looking different from the original pattern, and rest at ease, since only NI-buffs with a strong leaning towards QuiltPolice will ever notice :-)
Disregarding Inklingo, this block is a bear to frog-stitch and to press. Do not expect it to lay flat with ease.

Make 4 rows, each with 6 HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 3
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-2 square to each side.
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.




Make 4 rows, each with 8 HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 2
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-3 square to each side
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.




Make 4 rows, each with 10, HST-squares of Fabric-1 and 3
To two of these rows, add a Fabric-2 square to each side.
Join the two rows that have no square at the end, to opposite sides of the centre unit.
Join the two remaining rows to the remaining two sides.

Finished !

Monday, December 21, 2009

Free Pattern - Passacaglia


In the year 1973, the British author Lucy Boston made a quilt for her friend, harpsicordist Colin Tilney.
As all of her quilts, it is fairly simple in it's basic construction, yet very intricate in its execution.

In early August of this year (2009), I was given a copy of Diana Boston's book "The Patchworks of Lucy Boston", and saw the picture of the quilt.

The book has no directions, just a few pictures, but since when has that stopped a determined quilter :-) I fell in love. Hard. Really, really hard :-) And started to make blocks to make my own version of this quilt. As of now (December 2009), I have finished 30+ blocks, all of which you can see on my other blog.

Then, a couple of months ago, I wrote Diana Boston, and asked her permission to make a pattern, and she graciously granted that. The quilt is not in her posession, however, but resides in Canada, with Colin Tilney.

When I started to write the pattern, it turned out to be very, very difficult to make lucid AND comprehensive, wherefore some very hard decisions were necessary. This is why the pattern I'm giving away this Christmas, is a pattern for a table-runner, and not a full quilt. Should you want to make a full quilt of your own, however, it should be possible to do with the information in the pattern.

The pattern turned out to be impossible to write it up for the blog, which is why you need to download it at Linda Franz Inklingo home-page. It is written for the Free Collection, so if money are low, but stash is high, you need not go out and buy anything at all.

You can buy Diana Boston's book direct from her, right here, or, if you are in North America, from Linda Franz, right here. Be aware, though, that there are no patterns in the book, just pictures of the quilts Lucy Boston made.

You can download your free Passacaglia pattern here : http://lindafranz.com/product.php?productId=55

Merry Christmas ! And if you don't celebrate that, then Happy New Year :-)

Friday, December 18, 2009

Puss in the Corner

For those of you who do not celebrate the season and/or are feeling somewhat fed up with the whole thing, here's a nice, absolutely non-christmassy block.
... and anyway, with winter being in full swing in the northern hemisphere, a warm corner is where my pussies prefer to be.

... and yes, I do know that there are many blocks called "Puss in the Corner" and that this is probably not the one most frequently associated with the name, but I really like it, and it gives those of us who makes this block the opportunity to practice this kind of corner ... which is much used in quilt-blocks.

Uses either Collection 2 or the new, downloadable "Half Square Triangles 00B" collection.
The squares can be printed from either the Inklingo Lite # 4 (the smaller size of POTC), or Collection 1.


Fabric 1 (background)
1" HST (16 needed)
4.25 x 8.5"
2" square
Cut 2.5" square
3.25" square for Flying Geese

Fabric 2 (focus 1, dark)
2" HST (4 needed)
3.5 x 6.75"
1" squares (4 needed)
3" square, cut apart to make 4 squares, each 1.5"

Fabric 3 (focus 2, medium)
1" HST (8 needed)
4.25 x 5"
3.25" square for Flying Geese


Barbara Brackman # 1669

Make a total of 8 Flying Geese, 4 in each distribution of fabrics. Use the Flying Geese method, found on p. 10-11 of the Triangle Tips.

Join the Geese, two and two, to make a total of 4 squares (2" finished, 2.5" unfinished)


Make the 4 corner-units.
Start by joining a 1" HST to each side of the 1" square.
Join a 2" HST to the unit, to form a square (2" finished, 2.5" unfinished).
Make 4.



Lay out and join block as you would a 9-patch.

Finished

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 10 - Poinsetta


This block is my own design (as far as I know). IF someone out there has information that others have designed the same block previously, please let me know.
In any circumstance, play fair. If you want to share this block with others, refer them to this page, please :-)

This block uses Collection # 3, but if you want it in a different size (4" to the side, 8" from tip to tip), you can use Collection 1, and use the 1" unit as your base.

Fabric 1 (background)
6 diamonds, 0.75" (p. 115)
3 x 5" (printed landscape)
12 triangles, 0.75" (p. 136)
3 x 6.75"

Fabric 2 (leaves)
12 diamonds, 0.75" (p. 115)
4 x 6.5" (printed landscape)

Fabric 3 (flower)
6 starpoints, 0.75" (p. 97)
5 x 6"

Fabric 4 (centre)
1 hexagon, 0.75" (p. 82)
4.25 x 5" (will yield 4, but it is the smallest sensible size)


Make the diamonds that are to be inset between the star-points. Each of these pieced diamonds consists of two triangles and a diamond of background-fabric, and two diamonds of the leaf-fabric.



Make the star-flower, as you made the Texas Star block and inset the sewn diamonds as you did the unsewn background-fabric diamonds on that one.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Mary's Block or Gentleman's Fancy


Take your choice on the name, depending on whether or not you want to make this into a Christmas-block.

Uses Collection 2, or the downloadable HST 00B-AND the QST 00B collection

Fabric 1 (background)
12 QST, 2"
3.5 x 10.5"

Fabric 2 (focus)
8 HST, 2"
6.25 x 6.5"
4 QST, 2"
3.5 x 5" (my printer's minimum size)
1 square, 2"
cut 2.5" or use the POTC collection or Collection 1.



Make the centre economy-patch :

Take the 2" square and add a 2" QST in Background-fabric to each side of the square.

Add a 2" HST in Focus-fabric to each side of the new square.

Make 4 units, each with 3 QST triangles, BUT the long end.

Add a 3-triangle unit to each side of the Economy Patch.


Add a 2" HST in Focus Fabric to each corner.

Finished !

Friday, December 4, 2009

Joseph's Coat or Scrapbag


Pick the name depending on whether or not you celebrate Christmas :-)

Uses Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection. Since there are now two different versions of the same sizes of the bits, I will not note the page on which it is on. Download Monkey's Cheat Sheet, and make your own notes.


Fabric requirements

Fabric 1 (background)
12 HST, 1"
xxx
Two unprinted squares, each 3.25, for Flying Geese

Fabric 2 (focus 1, medium)
4 HST, 1"
xxx
4 HST, 2"
xxx
1 square, 2"
Cut a 2.5" square, or print from POTC or Collection 1.

Fabric 3 (focus 2, dark)
16 HST, 1" (for Flying Geese
xxx

Fabric 4 (focus 3, medium)
4 rectangles (not printed)
Cut each of them 1 x 2.5" for a finished size of 0.5 x 2"

Start by making the corner-units.
Make four 1" squares from Focus Fabric 1 and Background Fabric
Add a Background-fabric HST to each side of the Focus-fabric side of the square, forming a 2" HST.
Join the 2" HST of Focus Fabric 1 to the unit, forming a 2" square.
Do this a total of 4 times.


Make 8 Flying Geese, using the 3.25" squares of Background Fabric and the 1" HST of Focus Fabric 2. Use the method described here .

Cut away 1/4" (the seam-allowance) on the bottom of each of the Geese-units.

Add the rectangle to the side where the seam-allowance has been cut off.

Join a Flying Geese unit to the other side of the rectangle, forming a 2" square.


Lay out block as a 9-patch.

Join as you would a 9-patch.

Finished.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 9


Star of the East
Barbara Brackman # 241.1 / 3716

Uses Collection 3

Fabric 1 (background)
6 diamonds, 1.5" (p. 122)
5.5 x 6.25"

Fabric 2 (focus A, dark)
6 half-diamonds, 1.5" (p. 125)
4.5 x 6"

Fabric 3 (focus B, medium)
6 half-diamonds, 1.5" (p. 125)
4.5 x 6"


Join the half-diamonds from the two focus-fabrics, to form a total of 6 diamonds.

Join them as you would a normal 6-pointed star. Make sure that you alternate the colours on the two focus-fabrics.

Add the backing-fabric. If you hand-piece, this can be done with one continuous stitch.

Finished.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Washington Star

Could be State of, could be George, could be DC. You choose.

QST for this one ! and some Flying Geese :-)

Uses Collection 2

Since this block deals with quite small units, it makes the most sense to me to make not two flying geese in each colourway, but 4, and discard the two surplus. Likewise, it makes most sense to make 6 QST-squares, and discard one.
This is therefore, what the directions are made for.

Fabric 1 (background)
4 squares, each 1.5" (cut 2")
8 rectangles, each 0.75 x 1.5" (cut 1.25 x 2")
10 QST, 1.5" (p. 102)
3.5 x 9.25" (prints 12)
20 HST, 0.75" (p. 60)
5.75 x 7.5" (prints 24)

Fabric 2 (focus A)
10 QST, 1.5" (p. 102)
3.5 x 9.25" (do not print, but layer with the printed background-fabric)
1 square, 2.75" for 2 flying geese units (makes 4, but 2 are discarded)
Fabric 3 (focus B)
1 square, 2.75" for 2 flying geese units (makes 4, but 2 are discarded)
4 HST, 0.75" (p. 60)
2 x 3.5" (do not print, but layer with the printed background-fabric)

Make a total of 5 QST in Fabrics 1 and 2

see Linda's Triangle Tips on Flying Geese
Make the Flying Geese units with Fabrics 1 and 2
Make the Flying Geese units with Fabrics 1 and 3

Lay out the block as shown in picture on the right.
(click on picture if you have trouble seeing the individual units)

Join to form 5 rows, as shown in picture on the left.

Join rows

Finished !

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Bonus-block - Spools


This month the square bonus-block is not made with the free collection or the LeMoyne star collection, but with Inklingo Lite # 4, the one you use if you are making your own version of Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses.

The block finishes smaller than 6", (actually, it finishes at the weird size of 4.82") but you can log-cabin it, and make it fit with the other 6" blocks.

Also, if you print the 1" squares for this block, you will waste some. You can get around that, by cutting squares, each 1.5". They will then finish at the 1" you need for this block.

As you can see, I have used scraps for centres, and have not coordinated the centre ("thread") part of the spools with the end of them. This is perfectly good with this pattern ... after all, spool-ends and colour of thread are rarely identical :-)


Fabric 1 (background)
8 Long half-hexagons (p. 48)
5.25 x 6"

2 strips, each 1.25 x 5.5" (for log-cabining the block, to make it 6")
2 strips, each 1.25 x 6.5" (for log-cabining the block, to make it 6")

Fabric 2 (Focus A)
4 Long half-hexagons (p. 48)
3 x 6"
4 squares, 1" (p. 28)
3.5 x 5"

Fabric 3 (Focus B)
4 Long half-hexagons (p. 48)
3 x 6"
4 squares, 1" (p. 28)
3.5 x 5"

Join a long half-hexagon of the same fabric to opposite sides of each square.

Inset a background-fabric half-hexagon to each of the remaining sides

Make a total of 4 spools

Arrange as a 4-patch

Join the squares as you would a 4-patch.

Log-cabining it : The shorter strips are longer than the block is. Just sew one on each side of the block, and then cut off the (small) excess.
Add the two longer strips to the remaining two sides.
Trim it down to 6.5". This is the unfinished size. It will finish at 6" when it goes into the quilt.

This is a great way to use your smallish scraps, and if you - like me - are slightly addicted to old quilts and pictures thereof, you can probably find at least one picture of an antique quilt, made from scraps.

Friday, November 20, 2009

Balkan Puzzle / Whirlpool


After all those HRT, time to sink into the (relative) comfort of a block made solely with HST.

Block finishes at 6"

Uses Collection 2

Fabric 1 (background)
16 HST, 1.5" (p. 66)
5.5 x 10.5"

Fabric 2 (focus A)
8 HST, 1.5" (p. 66)
Cut a piece 5.5" square to layer with the printed Fabric 1 (machine-piecing)
OR print a sheet the same size (hand-piecing).

Fabric 3 (focus B)
8 HST, 1.5" (p. 66)
Cut a piece 5.5" square to layer with the printed Fabric 1(machine-piecing)
OR print a sheet the same size (hand-piecing).

Cut Fabric 1 (background-fabric) into two halves

With Fabric 1 and 2 : make 8 squares. Press 4 of those towards the background-fabric, and 4 towards the focus-fabric. Yes. This is really necessary if you want to have a fighting-chance to make this block lie flat in the end. If you hand-piece, it isn't an issue, but if you machine-piece, it is.

With Fabric 2 and 3 : make another 8 squares. Again, press 4 of those towards the background-fabric, and 4 towards the focus-fabric.

Arrange as shown in picture (left).

Make 4 identical 3" squares (OR join rows)

Join the 4 squares (OR join the 4 rows).

Finished

Monday, November 16, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 9


"Diamond Cube"
Finished size : 3" to the side.
Uses Collection 1

Fabric 1 (background / outside pieces)
6 diamonds, 1" (p. 55)
3.5 x 6" (printed landscape
Fabric 2 (light)
7 diamonds, 1" (p. 55)
3.5 x 7.5"

Fabric 3 (medium)
7 diamonds, 1" (p. 55)
3.5 x 7.5"
Fabric 4 (dark)
7 diamonds, 1" (p. 55)
3.5 x 7.5"


Even though it doesn't much look like it, this block is really a Hexagon-flower with an Attitude.
There are basically two ways to make it.

Make 7 hexagon-shaped blocks, each from one light, one medium and one dark diamond. Make sure the values are placed the same way in each of the blocks.

After having done this, you can make it as you would a Hexagon-Flower block (Cathi's Tutorial is right here)

The other option is to do it in strips, laying out your pieces like shown on the picture.
I would then machine-piece the dark-and-medium-(and-background)-fabric) "strips", and hand-piece in the light fabric diamonds afterwards


Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" #240

Friday, November 13, 2009

President Carter

Another HRT-block, this one a presidential one.

Uses Collection 2

Fabric 1 (background)

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2"
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2", printed mirror image (!!)
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape)

2 QST (p. 106), 2" finished
(the only smart thing here, is to print 4 and hope there will be a use for the remaining 2, somewhere along the line)
4" square


Fabric 2 (focus a)
4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2"
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2", printed mirror image (!!)
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape)

2 QST (p. 106), 2" finished
(the only smart thing here, is to print 4 and hope there will be a use for the remaining 2, somewhere along the line)
4" square

Fabric 3 (focus b)
4 squares, 2" (p. 59 of collection 1)
OR cut 4 squares, each 2.5"

Make the centre QST square. (see Linda's Triangle Tips)

Make star-point units as you did the previous blocks BUT, join them differently, ensuring that light goes together with dark.

Lay out, and join as a 9-patch

Finished


Brackmann # 1721

Friday, November 6, 2009

54-40 or Fight



Another 8-pointed star block, but this one with an attitude, viz the 4-patches tucked into the medley.








Fabric 1 (background)
4 HRT, 1 x 2" (Collection 2, p. 132)
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape)

4 HRT, 1 x 2" (Collection 2, p. 132, print mirror-image !)
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape)

10 squares, 1" (Collection 1, p. 58 OR the POTC p. 28)
3.75 x 8.5
Or cut 10 squares, each 1.5"

Fabric 2 (focus 1)
4 HRT, 1 x 2" (Collection 2, p. 132)
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape)

4 HRT, 1 x 2" (Collection 2, p. 132, print mirror-image !)
2.5 x 6" (portrait) OR
3.25 x 4.5 (landscape)

Fabric 3 (focus 2)
10 squares, 1" (Collection 1, p. 58 OR the POTC p. 28)
3.75 x 8.5
Or cut 10 squares, each 1.5"

Make the five 4-patches first:

You can strip-piece the 4-patches (picture on the left), or cut apart all the squares, and then join them.

Make sure that all your 4-patches twirl in the same direction. This is important for when you join the star (see picture below)
You can ensure this, by pressing to the dark the first time, and then, when joining the 2-square units to each other, make sure that they turn the same way as you put them through the machine (e.g. light through the machine first)
Make and set aside.

Star-points :
Make the star-points as you did the previous block.

Joining it all.

I rarely show pictures of the back, but here it is sort-of important. Make certain that the central seam on the star-point units turn "the other way" compared to the seams on the 4-patch. You will want that to be the case, because you can then twirl the seams where an awful lot of bits meet, rather than have big lumps of material that is impossible to iron flat.
See picture on the right.

Lay out and join as you would a 9-patch.

Press and you're finished !

Brackmann # 1624

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 8

Spiderweb ... well ... it is Halloween tomorrow :-)

Uses Collection # 1

Finished size is 3" to the side

Fabric 1
3 half elongated hexagons (p. 45), 4.75 x 5"
3 half hexagons, 1" (p. 26), 3.5 x 4.5" (printed landscape
3 triangles, 1" (p. 52), 4 x 5" (yields 6 triangles)

Fabric 2
3 half elongated hexagons (p. 45), 4.75 x 5"
3 half hexagons, 1" (p. 26), 3.5 x 4.5" (printed landscape
3 triangles, 1" (p. 52), 4 x 5" (yields 6 triangles)


This is one of the few hexagon-blocks that is easy to machine-piece, so hand- or machine is the same. Whatever feels the more comfortable to you.

Print and cut apart shapes.

Start by making 3 triangle-units in each of the two colourways, as shown on picture to the left, making each triangle striped.
Press to the dark

Join the triangles, alternating light and dark, into two half-hexagons, each with 3 triangles, like the picture on the right.
Press, so the seams all lie open.

Join the two half-hexagons to finish the spider-web.
Now, this final pressing involves you having to turn some of the seams on the centre triangles. There is no way one can make triangles press beautifully and perfectly, so there will have to be some turned seams in there.

Friday, October 30, 2009

Eight-pointed Star

This block uses Collection # 2
Finished size of block is 6"
More HRT, this time, with reverse printing. For tips and tricks on how to print shapes in the reverse, see here (link to Linda's blog)

Fabric 1 (background)
4 squares, (p. 59 of collection 1 or p. 52 of the POTC collection), 2" (or cut 2.5")
5.75" square

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2"
2.5 x 6" (printed portrait)
OR 3.25 x 4.5", (printed landscape)

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2", printed reverse (!)
2.5 x 6" (printed portrait)
OR 3.25 x 4.5", (printed landscape)

Fabric 2 (focus)
1 square, (p. 59 of collection 1 or p. 52 of the POTC collection), 2" (or cut 2.5")

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2"
2.5 x 6" (printed portrait)
OR 3.25 x 4.5", (printed landscape)

4 HRT (p. 132), 1 x 2", printed reverse (!)
2.5 x 6" (printed portrait)
OR 3.25 x 4.5", (printed landscape)

Print your HRT both the reverse and the "straight" version, and your squares (if you are not just cutting them).

Keep the reversed and the straight HRTriangles separate for now.
Cut apart.
Trim the long end of each HRTriangle on the line provided.
Make 4 sets of Rectangles, using one focus- and one background-fabric HRTriangle for each.
Make 4 sets of reversed Rectangles, using one focus- and one background-fabric HRTriangle for each.

Make 4 squares, each being made up of one reversed and one straight rectangle

Lay out your block.

Join as you would a 9-patch.

Finished.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Halloween Coasters - The Bat


Here's a fun, fast and cute little non-square block to make into Halloween coasters.

Uses Collection 2 and (if you want to print squares and rectangles as well) the POTC-collection or collection 1.

Finished size of coaster : 5 x 6"

Barbara Brackmann # 217.5

Focus (bat)
One 6.25" square
Two 1" squares (cut 1.5")


Background
7.25 x 7.5" (for printing), Collection 2, p. 74
4 rectangles, each 1 x 2" (cut 1.5 x 2.5") OR print from the Lucy Boston / POTC collection, p. 68
3.5 x 5.75"

Batting
Two scraps, each 5.5 x 6"

Backing
Two scraps, each 6 x 6.5"

Make two units of rectangle-square-rectangle (picture)
Make 4 Flying Geese, using the method described in Collection 2, p. 34-35, or in the Triangle Tips p. 10-11

Join the units as shown in the picture

Repeat.

Cut the two scraps you have picked for backing, down the middle, making each into two rectancles, 3 x 6.5".

Using the basting-stitch on your sewing-machine, piece them back together again.

Press to one side.

Layer your bits as shown on the picture : Backing and Block with right sides together. The batting on top of the pieced square. Yes. This is important. You need to have the seam on the backing accessible, because next step is :

Unpick the basting-stitch you used to join the two halves of your backing.

Turn.

Hand-stitch closed ... and that is fairly easy, because you pressed the seams on the backing, so they have a nice crease on one side.

Quilt if / as desired.

Repeat for the other one.

Finished !

Friday, October 23, 2009

Rectangle Pinwheel

Are you ready to break into Rectangles and HRT (Half Rectangle Triangles) ?
This is a very simple block, shown on p. 52 of Collection 2, but I've been unable to find it anywhere in Brackman's Encyclopedia, so ... let's just call it "Rectangle Pinwheel.
Uses Collection # 2.

Fabric 1 (background)
4 rectangles, 1.5 x 3" (cut 2 x 3.5")
8 x 3.5" or 4 x 7"

4 HRT, (p. 134), 1.5 x 3"
3.25 x 8.5"

Fabric 2 (focus)
4 HRT, (p. 134), 1.5 x 3"
3.25 x 8.5"

Print and cut apart the HRT.
Cut away the points along the printed lines.
Layer one focus-fabric and one background-fabric HRT
Join on the long, diagonal seam.
Do this a total of 4 times.
Press.

Join a background-fabric rectangle to each HRT-rectangle, on the focus-fabric side.

Lay out as a 4-patch, and join as a 4-patch.

Finished

Friday, October 16, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 7

Triangles Galore
Size of block : 3" finished side

Uses Collection # 3

Fabric 1 (background)
12 triangles, 1.5" (p. 143)
5.75" square

Fabric 2 (focus)
12 triangles, 1.5" (p. 143)
5.75" square

Print and cut apart

Make 3 triangles of each colourway.

Join the triangles, alternating the colourways.

Finish.