Friday, September 25, 2009

Double T

Uses Collection # 2.

This block is one that I had to make. My first name starts with a T as does that of my DH. Very important block :-)

Martha's block on top, Elly's block below.



Use the Flying Geese method, found on p. 10-11 of the Triangle Tips.


Fabric 1 (background)
Two 3.25" squares for the Geese
3.5 x 6.75 for printing 2" HST
One 2.5" square

Fabric 2 (focus)
4.5 x 8.5" for printing 1" HST
3.5 x 6.75 for layering with the BF 2" HST


From p. 62 of Collection # 2, pick the ink-colour that will work best with your fabric.
Cut a 4.5 x 8.5" piece of fabric and same size of freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to the front / right side of the fabric.
Print 16 HST with a finished (square) side at 1"

From page 70 of Collection # 2, pick the ink-colour that will work best with your fabric.
Cut a 3.5 x 6.75" piece of fabric and same size of freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to the front / right side of the fabric.
Print 4 HST with a finished (square) side at 2"
Press those towards the background-fabric.


Layer the two fabrics that are each 3.5 x 6.75", right sides together.
Sew on the diagonal (dotted) lines.
Cut on all the straight (whole) lines.

Iron your HST to the light / background-fabric.

Make 8 Flying Geese, usingLinda's directions in the the Triangle Tips file, p.10-11. You will use the two 3.25" squares of Background fabric and the 16 1" HST for this.

Join the Geese in pairs, so they fly the same way.
Lay out the (now) 9 bits, to form the block
Join as you would a 9-patch.

OR, you could go to town, and make the T's in two different colours. There's a bit more printing involved here, but Linda's method of making Flying Geese actually works well for this one.

Two-colour version.

Fabric 1 (background)
Two 3.25" squares for the Geese
3.5 x 6.75 for printing 2" HST
One 2.5" square

Fabric 2 (focus A)
4.5" square for printing 1" HST
3.5" square for layering with the BF 2" HST

Fabric 3 (focus B)
4.5" square for printing 1" HST
3.5" square for layering with the BF 2" HST

Start making the flying geese exactly as directed, using the same fabric HST to make the first part.
When they are cut apart, and have been pressed, use HSTs from the other focus-fabric to make the second round.

This will give you Geese with two different colours of corners, and they will be mirror image. This is as it should be.

Lay out Geese, that have same focus-fabric to the same side, and join them in pairs, making sure the Geese turn the same way.

Lay out your block.
Join as you would a 9-patch.

Press.
Finished !

If you know of patterns or books that uses this block in this size, please let me know, and I'll make links to each of the ones I'm aware of. miz_pal (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" # 1662a

And here's an interesting story about the Double-T block, that Dorothy shared (and thank you for that, Dorothy) :

You may know that before women had the vote in the US, many expressed their political beliefs through their quilts. Blocks like Tippecanoe, Whig Rose, 54-40 or Fight, etc. all expressed the quilter's views on issues of the day. The T-block has the same significance.
In the mid 19th century, a huge reaction to the ubiquity of liquor in American life arose. The Temperance movement grew, and the T in this block stands for Temperance.
Eventually women in the US won the right to vote, and shortly after that, Prohibition (the Constitutional amendment outlawing the sale of liquor) became law.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Bonus block - Rolling Star

Uses either the free collection or the 6" LeMoyne star collection.

This too is an "outside of the normal order of things" block, because this - like Dove at the Window - ends up completely wrong size compared to the majority of the blocks in this Sampler project.
It ends up same size as Dove at the Window, though. If you use the Free Collection, it will be 6.125", if you use the 6" LeMoyne collection, it will be 8.5"

The Free Collection

Fabric 1 (background)
4.25 x 8" (p. 16, 8 squares, 1.32")
3.5 x 6" (p. 22, 4 HST, 1.86")

Fabric 2 (focus A)
6.25 x 7.5" (p. 8, 12 diamonds, for centre star and the outside round)

Fabric 3 (focus B)
3.5 x 5.5" (p. 8, 4 diamonds, for the centre star)


The 6" LeMoyne Star Collection

Fabric 1 (background)
5 x 9.5" (p. 26, 8 squares, 1.75")
4 x 7.5 (p. 28, 4 HST, 2.5")

Fabric 2 (focus A)
7.5 x 9.25" (p. 18, 12 diamonds, for centre star and the outside round

Fabric 3 (focus B)
4 x 6.5" (p. 18, 4 diamonds, for the centre star)

Start by printing all your shapes. The pages on which you find the shape catalogued, is in the parenthesis behind the measurements you need.
Cut fabric and freezer-paper the same size.
Press fabric to freezer-paper
Print.

When you have cut it all apart, make the LeMoyne star the way you prefer. I usually make them by machine.

Add the squares, one in each corner of the star. I prefer hand-piecing here, because I am (still) not particularly good freinds with my sewing-machine.
If you hand-piece, all the squares can be added with one, continuous thread. You can find this technique described in the Inklingo Handbook, p. 53

Add the outside row of diamonds. Again, if you hand-piece, they can be added with one, continuous thread.

Finally, add the corners. Hand-, or machine-piecing, as you prefer.
Press
Finished.

If you hand-piece, throughout, the pressing can be left until last. If you machine-piece, though, I would recommend that you press after each step.

If you know of patterns or books that uses this block in this size, please let me know, and I'll make links to each of the ones I'm aware of. miz_pal (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" # 3805

Friday, September 18, 2009

Evening star

This one uses Collection # 2.

Finished size : 6"

Since the star-points are made using Flying Geese, you might want to check p. 34 in Collection 2, or the Inklingo Handbook, p. 55-57, or the Triangle Tips file, p.10-11, for the nifty, no-waste way of making Flying Geese with Inklingo.

For this block, the back of your focus-fabric needs to be light enough for you to see at least one of the Inklingo ink-colours

Martha's block on top

Elly's block below

More versions of this block right here.




Fabric 1 (background)
One 4.25" square (unprinted)
4 squares cut 2" each

Fabric 2 (focus)
One 5.25" square (for printing 8 HST)
One 3.5" square (unprinted)

From p. 66 of collection 2, pick the ink-colour that works best with your focus-fabric.
Iron the 5.25" square of focus-fabric to a piece of freezer-paper the same size.
Cut the printed bit, into 4 sets of HST, each of the 4 sets being a square.

Follow Linda's directions in the the Triangle Tips file, p.10-11, making 4 Geese.

Lay out your block, so it forms a star.

Join as you would a 9-patch.

Variation : Use a 3" (finished) 9-patch as centre, rather than a solid (see the 3" 9-patch post, and Elly's rendition of the block above).


If you've dreamt about making the Sarah Johnson quilt, you might consider the Inklingo method of making Flying Geese, both for the border, and for the 172 stars that form the bulk of this quilt. The Flying geese you need to make the 4" star blocks, will be 1 x 2" finished, so you will need the 1" HST from Collection 2 for those.

If you know of patterns or books that uses this block in this size, please let me know, and I'll make links to each of the ones I'm aware of. miz_pal (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" # 2138a

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 5

Hexagon Pinwheel
Uses Collection # 3
Finished size (of side) : 3"

Fabric 1 (background-fabric)
4.5 x 5.5" (for triangles)

Fabric 2 (focus-fabric)
4.25 x 10.25" (for half-hexagons)
OR
6 x 7.25

From p. 143 in collection 3, pick
the ink-colour that works best
with your fabrics.
Cut a 4.5 x 4.5" piece of
background-fabric and same size
freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to front (right side) of fabric.
Print.

From p. 107 in collection 3, pick the ink-colour that works best with your fabrics.
Cut a 4.25 x 10.25" piece of background-fabric and same size freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to front (right side) of fabric.
Print.

Start by joining the triangles to the half-hexagons, forming new triangles with a finished size of 3". Make 6.


Lay out the 6 triangles, so they form the pinwheel.

Join them in two sets of three.

Join the two sets.

Finished

Friday, September 11, 2009

Dutchman's Puzzle

Uses Collection # 2.
Block finishes at 6".

Martha's block on top left, Elly's block bottom left.

More interpretations of this block is found here.

We are now moving into Flying Geese.

Check the directions on how to make them in the Triangle Tips p. 10-11

This one uses 8 Flying Geese, each 1.5 x 3"
To make a set of 4 Flying Geese you need :


Fabric 1 (background-fabric)
5.5 x 10.5" (sixteen 1.5" HST)

Fabric 2 (focus-fabric)
Two squares, each 4.25"

From p. 66 in Collection 2, pick the ink-colour that works best with your fabrics.
Cut a 5.5 x 10.5" piece of background-fabric and same size freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to front (right side) of fabric.
Print.

Make 8 Flying Geese, following the directions in the Triangle Tips.
Join the Geese in pairs, both pointing the same way.
Lay out the pairs of Geese, so the centre triangles form a pinwheel.
Join as you would a 4-patch.


Variation
This variation is a bit tricky, but it looks neat, and even though it is tricky, it isn't all that hard. It "just" requires you to breathe slowly and take it easy, and not rush through the motions :-)

Fabric 1 (background-fabric)
5.5 x 8" (twelve 1.5" HST)

Fabric 2 (focus-fabric A)
Two squares, each 4.25"

Fabric 3 (focus-fabric B)
3.5 x 5.75" (four 1.5" HST)

From p. 66 in Collection 2, pick the ink-colour that works best with your fabrics.
Cut a 5.5 x 8" piece of background-fabric and same size freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to front (right side) of fabric.
Print.

Cut a 3.5 x 5.75" piece of focus-fabric B and same size freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to front (right side) of fabric.
Print.

Make one set of Flying Geese, exactly as above, the other set, is made slightly differently. (I have made this set in batiks, so the colours will show clearly, the ones I used for the "real" block, were not illustrative at all).

Cut apart the remaining HST from Focus-fabrics A and B
Lay the HST on the 4.25" square, very carefully, making certain they align perfectly with both each other and the outside of the larger square. (See picture for distribution of colours)

Sew on the diagonal seam-lines as if you had not cut the HST apart.
Cut on the diagonal straight line.
Press.


Lay the next set of HST on your focus-fabric A bits. (See picture for distribution of colours)
Sew on diagonal seam-lines.
Cut on diagonal straight line.
Press.

Join a two-colour goose to a one-colour goose, and make all 4 sets identical.

Join the sets, two and two.

Join the double-sets (make sure they are all aligned the right way with each other).

Press
Finished.

If you know of patterns or books that uses this block in this size, please let me know, and I'll make links to each of the ones I'm aware of. miz_pal (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" # 1339a

Friday, September 4, 2009

Cake Stand



This block uses collection # 2.

You can see other versions of the block right here.

This one is very similar to the previous block, Cactus Basket, and is made in much the same way. However, since it is made with a 5 x 5 grid, it is not possible to make it a 6" block with Inklingo. Therefore, this block finishes at 5"
And the challenge of it is - naturally - to move into a smaller size of HST.

It is, however, very easy to make a 5" block into a 6" block
Cut
2 strips, each 5.5 x 1"
2 strips, each 6.5 x 1"
Add the shorter strips to each side of the block.

Press.

Add the longer strips to the two other sides of the block.

Press.

If you - like me - are not particularly good freinds with your rotary-cutter and your sewing-machine, you might want to cut :
2 strips, each 5.5 x 1.25
2 strips, each 7 x 1.25"
and trim to the correct size after putting them on.

You will want to print on the Focus-fabric for this one, because you need two more of the smaller HST in focus-fabric, than you do in background-fabric.

Fabric 1 (background-fabric)
2 rectangles, 1 x3" (cut 1.5 x 3.5")
One 2" HST
One 3" HST
One 1" square (cut 1.5" square)

Fabric 2 (focus-fabric)
two 5" charms for printing


Make six HST-squares, 1" finished size.
Make one HST-square, 3" finished size.

Lay out your block, so you can see how to join the bits

Join the 1" HST-squares, in rows of 3.
Join the 1" (1.5" cut) square to the (correct) end of one of them.

Join the shorter of the strips to one side of the 3" HST-square
Join the longer (the one with the background-fabric square at the end), to the other side.
Add the rectangles to each of the remaining two sides of the basket.
Add the 2" HST to the bottom of the block.
Finished.

If you know of patterns or books that uses this block in this size, please let me know, and I'll make links to each of the ones I'm aware of. miz_pal (at) hotmail (dot) com.

Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns" # 707

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Hexagon bonus block # 4

This one uses Collection # 3, and - again - Linda has helped out and made a block in a different colour-way to mine.

Finished size is 3" to the side.

Fabric 1 (background)
5.5 x 6.25"

Fabric 2 (focus A)
3.75 x 5"

Fabric 3 (focus B)
4.5 x 5.5"


From page 122 of Collection # 3, pick the ink-colour that will work best with your fabric.
Cut a
5.5 x 6.25" piece of fabric and same size of freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to the front / right side of the fabric.
Print 6 diamonds with a 1.5" side.

From page 99 of Collection # 3, pick the ink-colour that will work best with your fabric.
Cut a
3.75 x 5" piece of fabric and same size of freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to the front / right side of the fabric.
Print one hexagon with a 1.5" side

From page 143 of Collection # 3, pick the ink-colour that will work best with your fabric.
Cut a
4.5 x 5.5" piece of fabric and same size of freezer-paper.
Iron freezer-paper to the front / right side of the fabric.
Print 6 triangles with a 1.5" side.

Lay your bits out, so you can see that they are all there.

Join the triangles to the side of the hexagon, using one, continuous thread (green arrows on picture to the right)

Join the diamonds to the star, in another, continuous thread (red arrows on picture to the right).