Brackman Sampler : Corrections 1

I am - almost - on summer-break here, which means that I have time to actually stitch some of the Brackman blocks. As I progress, I find errors, or realize that sizes and shapes that were not available when the printing-table was made originally, have become available since the block was first published.
If either are the case, I revise the printing-tables, finish my block, and upload a picture and an updated printing-table

So far, there are updated printing-tables on the following posts.

Week 4, Texas Tears
Week 5, Kansas Trouble
Week 6, Richmond
Week 7, Log Cabin (collection came out after the block was published)

The Letter A - Hexagon

We start, as all good alphabets, with the Letter A.

I have made my letters into rectangles, because that way, you can just make the letters of whatever text you want, and join them, flat side to flat side.
That is why each letter takes quite a lot of half-hexagons, both house-half and other half.


Printing-table here.

Tilde's 15 Minute Challenge for Inklingo

This is a "guest post" by Linda & Monkey, who normally write on the All About Inklingo blog.

Tilde approached me last week with an idea, and I think it is brilliant.



It is "Tilde's 15 Minute Challenge." It is designed to help you print your very first shapes on fabric with Inklingo! You can download 2 pages and get started right now.

Whether you are new to Inklingo or very experienced, we urge you to just do it! It's a great idea, and you could win! There will be a draw on Monday 30 May from all of the comments here and on the All About Inklingo blog (combined) for two winners of $25.00 Inklingo Gift Certificates.

When you have done the Challenge and reported your results, I think you will want Tilde's Tiny Tote pattern too—and its free!

Tilde has been a dear freind (that's how Jane Austen spelled it) for over ten years, and she was one of the first three quilters to use Inklingo in 2006. With credentials like that, how can you resist her challenge?

Thank you, Tilde! I am lucky to call you a freind.
Linda & Monkey

Underground Railroad

Week 21 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Underground Railroad.
... well, that's the 'modern' name for the block. I always thought it was called 'Jacob's Ladder', but I just checked it out in Brackman's own 'Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns' where it is # 1312, and it is - according to this magnum opus - called : Hour Glass; Railroad Crossing; World's Fair; Jacob's Ladder; Double Four Patch; Railroad; Going to Chicago; New Four Patch; Gay Scrap Quilt; OR, Buckeye Beauty.
In Denmark (my country) we have a saying that : beloved child has many names.
Must be a seriously popular block.

The block is fully inklingoable in both sizes, tho' you need more than one collection to make it. The 3" HST (for the 6" size) and 4" HST (for the 8" size) this block calls for, are both found in the sold-out CD # 1 collection, but both sizes are available for download; in two different collections, but still :-)

Brackman's post here.
Printing-table here.

Hexagon Alphabet

I'm starting a new round of (hopefully) interesting blocks. All of them letters of the alphabet, all of them made with hexagons, all of them fully Inklingoable.

The picture here shows my first mock-up on the designwall, with all 26 letters of the (English) alphabet.

For the next 26 weeks, you'll get a new letter each week, until you have the full (English) alphabet, and can write anything you want ... provided you want to write anything at all.

In the 27th week, I will post directions on filler blocks, for the bottom row, and in the 28th week, I'll show and tell you how to make your alphabet-blocks into an alphabet sampler quilt-top.

The Hexagon alphabet is based on two quilts from the Red and White exhibition (and iPad app) that was in New York for one week in March 2011. Two of those quilts used letters made with hexagons. Not all letters were present in those two quilts, so the remainder has been invented by me, and some letters have been emended by me.

I have chosen to make each letter into a rectangle. This is because not all letters are the same width, and some have quarter-hexagons in two corners, some in all four, and if you want to write an actual sentence (or name) with these letters, they need to have about the same space between them to be legible. The way I've made the letters, there is one half-hexagon (other half) of space from the letter itself to the edge of the (individual letter) block, which equals one full hexagon between letters. To make this work for words, add a futher two hexagon-width between words.

Please note, that there are no fabric-requirements given on any of these blocks. That is because they can be made with any size hexagon ! Do consider size, though. The difference in size, depending on which size hexagon you use, is huge :

Height of blocks, if using
0.25" hexagons : 2.25"
0.5" hexagons : 4.5"
0.75" hexagons : 6.75"
1" hexagons : 9"
1.25" hexagons : 11.25"
1.5" hexagons : 13.5"
2" hexagons : 18"
3" hexagons : 27"

The 0.75" and 1.5" hexagons are both in collection #3 (CD and book, seriously good value for your money), the rest are available in individual, downloadable collections. Check out the Inklingo Hexagon Page.

I've made a 'general printing table' for you to print out, and fill in with the size hexagon you want to make (link below). The amounts printed of each shape, will give you a complete, 26-letters, English Alphabet, and two filler-blocks for the bottom row.
When you have done your calculations as to how much fabric you need to print all the shapes involved in the right numbers, please add enough background-fabric to enable you to straighten out the individual rows (making them all same length), and enough of both background and letter-fabric to make one or more borders, and a binding.
Your guess as to how much is as good as mine here, and all depends on what size hexagon you choose to use. I have worked my letters in the 0.5" hexagon size, and started out with about 2.5 yards of each fabric. So far, there is still loads to spare.

General Printing Table here.

New England Block

Week 2o of the Brackman Civil War Sampler Quilt.

... and isn't it fortuitous, that Linda is now out with a collection of HST in 'odd' sizes ? Last week, she had a post on square-in-a-square on the All About Inklingo blog.
Now she has issued a collection of 'odd size' triangles (pieces or fractions of eight) that are needed, just as they are needed.

I think it is nifty, because having the 'of eight' increments in HST, means that this block is fully Inklingoable in both sizes.

Please note, that in both sizes, you print some rectangles from a Log Cabin collection. They need to be cut down to size after printing, but you can use the printed squares in the block as a 'ruler' to get the correct length.

Also, if you are making the 6" version, using the 0.5" Log Cabin collection, remember that the seam-allowance on these are NOT 0.25" but are slimmer.

Brackman's post.
Printing Table

Missouri Star

Week 19 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Missouri Star

Now, isn't it fortunate, that this week, with the square in a square for the centre, of the block, that Linda has just made a post on her 'All About Inklingo' blog, which deals with how you get from a known size HST to an unknown size square (or vice versa). Go check out the Measurements of Half Square Triangles post.

This week's block is fully Inklingoable in the 6" format, and almost fully Inklingoable in the 8" format (fully Inklingoable only if you've got the sold-out Collection 2 on CD).

And please note : When you make the star-points, do not make 8 identical ones. If you do, you'll get different coloured tips. Make two mirror-image set of each 4 star-points.

Brackman's Post.
Printing Table.

Union Square

Week 18 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Union Square

The block is fully Inklingoable in the 6" size, and partly in the 8" size.
You always get some weird measurements with squares on point, and this one is no change from that pattern. Fortunately, there are some weird measurements in some of the Inklingo-collections too, so that's ok.

Brackman's post.
Printing Table.

Comfort Quilt

Week 17 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler uses the Free Collection ! at least for the 6" block.
But both sizes are Inklingoable.

The greatest problem with the 6" size, is the weird size rectangle you need for the outsides of the block, but they too are easy to make ... using Inklingo :-)

Read on, and click on the picture if you have trouble seeing the lines on the print-out.

The rectangle for the sides of the block needs to finish at 1.32 x 3.39"
The size is seriously weird, but here's what you do :
Print the 5 x 8" piece of fabric with squares. You'll have four partial squares on one side of the fabric, and that is as it should be !
To get the weird length, you need two complete squares, WITH seam-allowance, PLUS one extra seam-allowance. Look at the picture.
Red line (which is originally a cutting-line), is your new stitching-line.
Green line (which is originally a stitching-line), is your new cutting-line.
Cut into 4 strips, each with 2-squares plus 1 seam-allowance.

The trick is basically the same for the 8" block, only, you add 0.5" to the 'two-square' unit, not just 0.25", so you need to get out your ruler for that.

Check piecing-directions on Brackman's post
Printing-table.


P.S. For the inquiring mind, that wonders how I came up with this one, here's the math :
1.32 + 0.5 + 1.32 + 0.5 + 0.25 = 3.89 (cutting lenght)
3.89" minus seam-allowances (3.89 - 0.5") = 3.39" ... the weird length you need.

and for the 8" block :
1.75 + 0.5 + 1.75 + 0.5 + 0.5 = 5" (cutting length)

White House

Week 16 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is called White House.

In the printing-table, I'm giving you two different versions of the 6" block; one using striped fabrics, one where you piece the stripes, using the 0.5" Log Cabin collection.

If you choose the latter option, here's what you do :
With the Log Cabin rectangles, piece a total of 4 rectangles, each 1.5 x 3” finished size (that'll mean 2 x 3.5” unfinished).
Add the fabric 3 (or 4) HST to one (the same) side of each of these rectangles, to make the unit that in BB's directions are a combination of one unit each of A and B. Use the method shown in Linda's pdf on how to make Inklingo Snowballs. See her page of Triangle Tips and then scroll down a bit to find the pdf with 'Inklingo Snowballs'.

Brackman's directions.
Printing table

Fort Sumter

Completely re-written ! on June 3, 2011

This weeks block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilt Sampler is not really inklingoable in the 8" format, however, with the advent of the 0.75" Log Cabin collection, the 6" size is fairly easy to do, and without all the tweaking the original posting necessitated.

Only one thing to tweak : The new directions require you to print logs that are 0.75 x 3" (finished size). You only need logs that are 2.75" long (finished size), so this is what you do.
Print the logs, then cut away one seam-allowance on the long side, and you have the perfect lenght.
And that's it ! And no, you don't need the stitching-line, you can follow the stitching-line on the 0.75" square that you will be joining to it.

There is no printing-table for the 8" block, since only one of the shapes is genuinely inklingoable, and that's the 1" square she uses for cornerstones on the centre square, but there is a brand new printing-table for the 6" version.

Brackman's post.
Printing table (6" block only), also re-written on June 3, 2011

Fox and Geese

Week 14 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler quilt is the Fox and Geese block.

The block is eminently Inklingoable in both sizes.
You may want to consider not to print on the darker of the two fabrics for both the small and the large HST used in the block. If you're machine-piecing, printing on both is not really necessary, but ... check Linda's Triangle Tips. Scroll down the page and locate the (FREE) pdf. file called 'Inklingo Sawtooth', read and learn :-)

Brackman's post here.
Printing-table here.

Sunflowers

Two new collections and a FREE design-book of Sunflowers.
This is a block / quilt I've been wanting to make for years, so I got it immediately. And to help the rest of you, I've made printing-tables for both the 6" and the 12" size.

There are two printing tables for each. Cutting out the 6" size I found that Layout 1 for both the inner and outer triangles of the Sunflower were surprisingly fiddly to cut out, so I've made two printing-tables for each size : one with Layout 1 for both inner and outer triangles, and one for Layout 2 for both inner and outer triangles.

Printing-table for one 6" Sunflower.
Printing-table for one 12" Sunflower.

If you want to make the Double Sunflower shown in the design-book, you need both collections, and you need to print most of both Sunflowers; the bits you do not print are : Background for the 6" Sunflower and Centre Circle for the 12" Sunflower.

And then pictures of back and front of just the flower part.

One of the advantages of hand-piecing (at least to me) is, that I don't press as I go. I more-or-less stitch one block all the way to the finish before I press. However, with the Sunflower, I would recommend that you press before adding the background (which transforms the round flower into a square block).
Press all the outer seams in one direction, and all the inner ones in a different one. You can then twirl the many seams that meet at the middle of the diamonds, and it will help you to keep the block flat.

(if you have trouble seeing what I mean, try clicking on the picture, it will take you to a larger version where my point might be easier to see.)

Little Blue Basket

The block for week 13 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler is called Little Blue Basket.

I'm sure you can make it in any colour you want :-) But the story about 'Little Blue' on her blog is very interesting.

Unfortunately, the block - as shown by Brackman - is on a 5x5 grid (is based on a 25-patch, if you will) and that grid does not translate well into a 6 or an 8" block. It does translate quite well into a 5" and a 7.5" block, so that's what I give printing-directions for. And for the log-cabin strips you need to add all the way round to make the block into the correct size.

When I finally got around to actually sewing the block, I saw my way to make it a true 6" block ... and I added a handle too. There are printing-tables now, both for Brackman's and for my version of the block.

Rather than the 3" strip used in the original, this version uses a 4" strip, which is trimmed after joining it to the basket proper of the block.

Brackman's post, with piecing directions.
Printing-table 1. (for the 5" version that is visually like Brackman's)
Printing-table 2 (for the emended, 6" version shown in the pictures of this post.)


P.S. If you're doing the 8" blocks, you can make the smaller triangles (that 'should' finish at 1.6", with the 1.59" HST found in the Storm At Sea, 6.75" collection and in the Feathered Star 30" collection. OR you could use the 1.625" HST found in the (relatively) new HST 00A-collection.
You're on your own (or rather : with Brackman) on the rest of the bits then.

Louisiana

The block for week 12 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler, is called Louisiana.

This block is eminently Inklingoable, both in the 6" and the 8" format.

You need to make some Flying Geese, so, go check out Linda's fast and easy way to do it with Inklingo. Go to the Inklingo Triangle Tips page, and then scroll down a bit and download the FREE pdf on how to do it.

Printing table here.
Brackman's post here.

Octagon Star

Another 'out of order' block.
Julie asked a question on the Inklingo Yahoo-group (come and join us, we're a friendly and helpful bunch for all things Inklingo). She asked whether this quilt was inklingoable. (the quilt is shown on Bonnie Hunter's blog, in this posting)
It is and it isn't.
It is inklingoable in as much as you can use Inklingo-shapes to make it, it isn't, in as much as you need to manipulate some of the shapes to make it work.

The block (without setting) uses the Free Collection.

To avoid bias on the outside of each block, I would recommend printing from Layout D, even if it is the least economical of the four layouts in the FREE collection. Each block will finish at 4.88” from straight side to straight side, and each side of the octagon is 2.02".

Printing :
Print 12 diamonds in each of two colours. I have chosen Layout D, because that one gives me no bias on the outside edges of the Octagon Star block.

Printing table here.

Manipulate 8 diamonds from each colour (click on picture to get a larger view, if you have trouble seeing the lines):
Draw a new stitching-line from corner-point to corner-point on each of the 8 diamonds (red line on picture)
Draw a new cutting-line, o.25" from this line (green on picture).
Cut at the new cutting-line.
Discard the smaller bits

Please note, that since I have printed my diamonds in two interlacing rows, I am able to cut-off 8 diamonds for manipulating, draw the new stitching-line on all 8 and just cut across (look at the picture !)


Add a cut-off diamond to each side of each complete diamond. Use Colour 1 triangles with Colour 2 diamonds and vice versa.
If you're machine-piecing, press between all seams.
Make sure you press all seams on the triangle-diamond-triangle unit to the same side ! If you do that, all the outside seams will twirl in one direction, whereas all the centre-seams will twirl in the other direction, thus minimizing bulk.


Make a total of 8 units, 4 in each colourway.

Join the units two and two. Again, press after each seam, and make sure you join them the 'same way', that all four sets are identical when opened.

Join units two and two.

Join the two halves.

Finished !

So, yes Julie, the Octagon Star is inklingoable :-)

Interlacing Block - Log Cabin collection

Linda has made a new collection. The Log Cabin-collection, which is basically lots of rectangles, all 1" wide (finished size) and all in increments of the same 1" width. Perfect for making Log Cabin-blocks.

There are other blocks that one can make with this collection, though. One is the True Lover's Knot (which is also called Interlacing Block, and I've also seen it referred to as Carpenter's Square).

I haven't actually pieced the block shown on the right side. It is the same block Linda shows on p. 5 of the Log Cabin / Rectangle collection, and it is a variation on the 'True Lover's Knot' version that Barbara Brackman has in her Encyclopedia. As you can see, this variation 'weaves' the red (dark) fabric ... a feature that could look seriously cool in a striped or otherwise directional fabric. It doesn't make for very comfortable machine-sewing in my book, though, since this version will require loads of partial seams.

HOWever, I've written up printing directions for it. I'm sure there's someone adventurous out there who's very good freinds with her sewing-machine and can whip it up in no time flat :-) I can't.
The printing table is for two blocks, since most printers have a policy about not printing anything slimmer than 3".

Printing Table.

London Square

The block for week 11 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Sampler Quilt is called London Square.
It is mostly Inklingoable in both the 6" and the 8" format.

The larger triangles are not Inklingoable. For the 6" format, and if you have CD 2, you can Inklingo them, but really, HST that size are not all that difficult to make the old-fashioned way :-)

Follow Brackman's directions for sewing the block.

Printing table. Updated June 1st, 2011

Lincoln's Platform

The block for week 10 is identical to the Churn Dash block shown on this blog back in august 2009.

If you want to make the 8" format, it isn't inklingoable. To divide an 8" block into 3 equal parts (which is what is required with this block), you end up getting some seriously weird measurements, and these sizes do not exist in Inklingo. However, as a 6" block it is eminently inklingoable.

Brackman's directions here.
Printing-table here - updated May 28 - 2011

Birds in the Air

Week 9 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts Sampler is Birds in the Air

I've given printing directions for slightly more shapes than you need. Makes it easier to machine-piece that way.
Do not print the Focus 1 fabric, but layer it with your printed background-fabric and stitch from the BF-side.
If you hand-piece, print all (possible) fabrics.

The block isn't really Inklingoable in the 8" format, so you're on your own there, but it is eminently Inklingoable in the 6" format.

added on March 20
Took my own advice from another post (duh!), and went to Linda's wonderful page of Triangle Tips on inklingo.com.
Open the Triangle-tips page.
Scroll down.
Find a version of Birds in the Air that is eminently Inklingoable and how to make it.
To make things even better : Linda's version makes the 8" block inklingoable :-)
end of addition.


Do not print the Focus 1 HST. The size of fabric given in the printing-table is for layering with half of the printed Background Fabric HST

Machine-piecing : Make a total of 4 squares from background- and Focus 1 fabric. Discard one.
Join them as shown by Brackman.
Add the large, Focus 2 fabric HST.

Finished.

Link to Brackman's post and her directions.
Link to the printing table.

Cotton Boll

Week 8 of Barbara Brackmann's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Cotton Boll.
She works with a rectangle and HST (Half Square Triangles), but the rectangle isn't Inklingoable.
What is Inklingo'able is to print squares, and then put Inklingo-printed corners on them exactly as described in the Bow Tie block and the Garden of Eden block on this blog.

So, print 4 squares, put corners on them on two opposite sides (as with the Exquisite block), trim away the surplus material below the HSTriangles, join the squares, and ... finished :-)

Link to Brackman's post.

Link to the printing-table.

Log Cabin

Week 7 of Barbara Brackmann's Civil War Sampler quilt is a Log Cabin.

Correction to first post :

Eminently Inklingoable in the 6" format, with the new 1" Log Cabin collection. However, since this collection doesn't print less than 2 strips well, the printing table is for the making of two (!) blocks. I'm sure the other one can easily be transformed into a nice coaster :-)

For the 8" block, just follow Brackmann's directions to the letter :-) or use the 1" Log Cabin collection and make more logs than the ones Brackman does. That's what the printing table does. Shows you how to make an 8" Log Cabin block with logs that finish 1" wide.


Brackmann's directions here.
Printing Table here.

Richmond

Week 6 of Barbara Brackmann's Civil War Sampler quilt is called Richmond.

It's a lovely block and mostly Inklingoable in both the 6" and the 8" format (since the HST 00A collection came out)

In the 6" format, the only size that isn't perfectly there, are the small squares that make up the 4-patches between the star-points. For a 6" finished block, those squares should be 0.7". Inklingo has an 0.75" square in both the Octagon / KISS 103 collection and the Storm At Sea collection in the 4.5" size.
Use that.
My suggestion is, that most of the 0.05" difference will be eaten up if you stitch just inside the Inklingo stitching-line, rather than on it or just outside it. If that is too much, use the HST you border it with to give you the right size, using the same technique shown with the Bow Tie block and the Garden of Eden block shown on this blog.

Link to Brackmann's post.
Printing-table. Updated on May 23, 2011.

Kansas Trouble

Week 5 of Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler quilt is Kansas Trouble
Please note that you only make a total of 16 squares out of the 0.75" (for the 6" block) or 1" HST (for the 8" block) The remaining 8 small HST are placed at the end of the unit/s.


Check how to make the Block at Barbara Brackman's 'Civil War Quilts' blog.


Direct link to the block.
Printing-table. Updated on May 23/2011

Texas Tears

This week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler is called Texas Tears.

The 6" format is inklingoable, but the larger sizes might need the sold out Collection 2 on CD. You can get far with the HST 00B collection, though.

The 8" format is mostly Inklingoable, IF you have the sold-out Collection 2 on CD. That one has HST and QST up to 4.5", and you need the big sizes for this one.
If you 'only' have the HST 00B collection, however, the 8" block is not really feasible to do with Inklingo.

Printing Table here. Updated on May 23, 2011
Piece the block as shown by Brackman on her blog.

Seven Sisters - Seven Stars

This week's block on Barbara Brackman's Civil War sampler is an applique 7-sisters.
I don't do star applique, end of story :-)

I do, however, do hexagons and 60-degree diamonds, so ... I've taken the other option, and am doing a hexagon-transformed-into-a square version.

There will be borders all the way round, because 6" (or, indeed 8") square for this block calls for some weird size in hexagons, and I'm not going there :-)

If you want to keep it a hexagon, it will have a 3" finished side.
Another option is to use only the 0.5" diamond collection, follow Linda's directions in that collection for making a Seven Sisters block, and then log-cabin it until it has the right size :-)

(I've edited this following paragraph, because there is no need for anyone to mess around if they don't want to)
If you want to have a block closer to the 8" square in size that Brackman uses on her blog, you can use 0.75" shapes (Collection 3), and then head over her, to Cathi's blog, where she has a lovely, and very easy to follow tutorial on how to make the 'other version' of the Seven Sisters block.

Cathi's blog here.

If you want it square : Add corners (as shown in this post, and in the 0.5" diamond collection), and then ... log-cabin it until it has the right size. Remember that an 6" (finished) block, is actually 6.5" unfinished.

There are two (main) variants on the Seven Sister's block, the one I'm showing you here is also called Seven Stars. Brackmann doesn't show it in her Encyclopedia, but it is found with Jinny Beyer # 395-1

Printing-table here.

Background
0.5 x 1" half elongated hexagons, 12
0.5" hexagon, 12

Focus-fabric
0.5" diamond, 42


Making the block :

Make 7 stars (see how to make a 6-pointed star, here).

Take one star, and add 6 hexagons to it between the points. If you are hand-piecing, this can be done with one, continuous thread. (Continuous stitching)

Add the 6 stars around the circle of hexagons; again, you can use one, continuous thread to do that.

Add another set of hexagons between the circle of stars (you can't do continuous stitching any more here)

Join the half, elongated hexagons two and two on the short sides so they form a (fairly) open angle.
Add them between the star-points, over the hexagons.

Finished !

North, or Evening Star (again)

Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts sampler, block two is up.
That's easy :-) We've already done that here on the sampler-blog, but it was called Evening Star.
You can go there and check it out. The directions for making it as a 6" block are the same.

BUT, here are the printing tables. As for last week, the one for the 6" block is fully written up, the one for the 8" block, you need to calculate size of paper on your own.
Download printing-table here.

Remember the Inklingo Index of Shapes for checking what collection/s (if any) has the shape you seek, in what size/s.

Catch me if you can

A week late, but - hopefully - not a dollar short :-)
Barbara Brackman has a Civil War, block of the week, sampler-blog up. I am behind with everything ! so I hadn't noticed. Never-the-less, I would like to follow it, and - when possible - give the directions for Inklingo.
Ms. Brackmann makes 8" blocks, but I will - when possible - stick with the 6" format that has been the norm on this blog.

No pictures today, as I haven't (yet) have the time to actually make the block. I will. Eventually.
Brackman's first block is 'Catch me if you can'.

Find the printing-directions here.

For the 6" block you need :

Background fabric
12 HST, each 1.5"

Focus-fabric 1 (medium)
12 HST, each 1.5

Focus-fabric 2 (dark)
8 HST, each 1.5"

Making the block
Make the HST into squares
Background and focus-fabric 1 : 4 squares
Background and focus-fabric 2 : 8 squares
Focus-fabric 1 and 2 :4 squares

Lay the squares out to match the picture.
Join row-by-row.
Join the rows.
Press.
Finished !

To make an 8" block (like ms Brackman), us 2" units rather than 1.5" units.

Kaffe Fassett projects

I have (finally) gotten around to look at Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior-Lucy's new book 'Simple Shapes, Spectacular Quilts' with Inklingo in mind, and here are the results :


Perfect :

Clay Tiles and Indigo Points : 2" HST template.

Target Log Cabin : The setting Windmill blocks can be made with 1.5" HST template.

Damask Quarters : Drunkard's Path collection.

Bow Tie Circles : The pattern calls for 2 and 3" squares (check them out in the index, quite a few collections have these sizes), but you can get the same effect with 3" squares and 2" HST (you can see the general technique here).

Floral Snowball : Using the same technique as above on the BowTie Circles, and, again, the 2" HST for the corners.

Bounce : For the border use 3" squares (again, check the index), and 0.75" HST.


Good approximations :

Circle of Stars : The original uses templates that seems to have 2 5/16" size basic measurement. Use the 2.25" template from Collection 3 and get a very slightly smaller quilt.

St. Marks : Same as the above. Same basic side for the templates. Do the same trick :-)


Not at all, but still ....

Belts and Braces : 2" square (several collections, see the index), 2" HST and 2" QST (but the bias will be all over the place if you do it)

Striped Donuts : Not even close to the size given in the book, but you can use the POTC-hexagon and triangle to get the same effect in your own quilt.

Haze Kilim : The block itself is not difficult to make, but (again) the measurements are not easily compatible with Inklingo. The 'small' triangle seems to be 4.25" QST, which means the sold-out collection 2. If you're willing to work with a different size block, the general pattern is very easy to Inklingo :-)

Not-so-Lone-Star : Not even close in size, but the general pattern can be made with either the Free Collection (and you have a finished quilt approximately 40" square, or use the 6" Le Moyne star collection and get a finished quilt that is approximately 54" square.

And an Old Maid's giveaway !

OK. Just to get this thing back on schedule, here's an incentive to get you (back to) stitching some of these sampler-blocks.

I'm giving away a charm-pack of Robyn Pandolph's "Beach House"-collection.
To qualify for a chance of winning it, you need to do ALL of the following (you have two options on # 2 and need to choose one of them)

1. Make one of the Old Maid's Puzzle blocks that have been posted since the beginning of April.

2. EITHER post a picture on your own blog, with a link to the Inklingo Sampler blog
OR send me a picture of your block. You can mail me at miz_pal /at/ hotmail / dot/ com.

3. Leave a comment on THIS post :-) With contact-information on it

You have a week !
Drawing of the prize will take place on the 29th of May, when I get up in the morning, which is close enough to midnight on the East-coast of the US to be fair :-)

Old Maid's Puzzle 5

This is probably the most horribly wonky block I have presented on this blog ! and I apologize. I am still not good enough freinds with my sewing-machine to be able to sew miniatures.

The block is BB 1317, which - when you join 4 of them - turns into BB # 1149. Both called Old Maid's Puzzle.

6" block :

Background Fabric
0.75" HST : 40
0.75" Square : 16

Focus Fabric
0.75" HST : 24
1.5" HST : 8

I used two different focus-fabrics, one for the smaller HST and one for the larger, but you can easily make it with just one Focus Fabric
The Printing Plan has printing-directions for both a 6" and a 12" block.

Start by making 24 HST-squares

Press the seam-allowance to the background-fabric !!! (yes, I know, but it makes for an easier journey further down the road)

Add a HSTriangle to each side of 8 of the HST-squares forming a larger, composite, HSTriangle
Add the larger, composite, HST to each of the 8 larger printed HST


Make 4-patches from the remaining HST-squares and the un-pieced squares

Join the squares to form a block

What you have now, is BB # 1317

Make four of these (and that's what the printing-plan aims at), and join them to make BB # 1149

And this is where you can see how seriously wonky the block is. No matter :-) It will go into my finished Inklingo Sampler quilt, and will work well there, giving joy to me as part of the pattern, and joy to any quilt-police-person who will have her/his day brightened considerably by dint of enabling her / him to point out the un-pointy points, the um-mathing seams and the sheer ... wonkiness of it :-) S/He will have a field day :-)

Magazines !

This week there is no single block, but a reference to one of the Magazines to which I subscribe. I have just received the most recent issue of Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting and there are several great quilts that are eminently Inklingoable ! I am only going to give the sizes of shapes that you need. If you want the pattern, buy the magazine :-)

IF you want to make any of the quilts, I can recommend that you download Monkey's Cheat Sheet and use it to note down all the sizes and shapes that you are going to need, AND fill it out with the relevant shape and size of Inklingo template.

... and PLEASE note that this magazine usually makes HST by using full squares ! This is not necessary with Inklingo. You can see pictures of most of them at the Fons and Porter home-page, because they have kits for most of these quilts


Watermelon & ShooFly (p. 18 ff)
Make the ShooFly blocks with 2" HST in Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection, and 2" squares found in MANY collections. Check the Index of Shapes on the Inklingo page.

Cottage in May (p. 43 ff).
Instead of cutting 2.5" squares for quick corners, print 2" HST with Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection.
Instead of cutting 3.5" squares for quick corners, print 3" HST with Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection.

Kinkame (p. 52 ff)
This quilt can ALL be made with the shapes in Collection 3. The triangles used are 0.75", 1.5" and 2.25". All found in Collection 3. Remember that the Inklingo-size is the finished size of the shape.

Cambridge Stars (p.72 ff)
The basic unit is 2.25". So print 2.25", and 4.5" HST and cut (free-hand), 2.25" (finished size) squares. The smaller HST is in the downloadable collection, both sizes are in Collection 2.

Elizabeth's Garden (p. 80 ff)
The following can be printed :
3" HST (triangle A), 1" squares (for the centre 9-patches) Again the downloadable HST 00B collection, and MANY other collections. Check the Index of Shapes at the Inklingo home-page

Variable Star (p. 86 ff)
Is made with 6" (finished size) Variable Star blocks. These blocks have already been shown on this blog, under the name of Evening Star.

Meadow Brook (p. 92 ff)
Uses 3" HST from either Collection 2 or the downloadable HST 00B collection, and 3" squares from either the Drunkard's Path collection or the 9" Storm At Sea collection

Grandmother's Daisy Garden (p. 100 ff)
I think this one is meant to be simple, using Paper-Piecing and the cutting of 60-degree angles. I think I would rather just make the hexagon flowers using the 1.5" hexagons in Collection 3, and "rectangle" them up.

Old Maid's Puzzle 4

This block is 10.5" square. Much larger than the 6" that is the most common format on this blog, and it uses both the Drunkard's Path collection and Collection 2.
If you do not have Collection 2, most of the triangles can be made with the HST 00B collection, but you will need to make the large HST by hand.

Barbara Brackman : ”Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns” #2225
Jinny Beyer : ”The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns” p. 329-12 (sort-of)

Download Printing-table here.

Background fabric
28 HST, 1"
4 (unprinted) rectangles, each 1 x 2.25" finished size (cut size : 1.5 x 2.75")

Focus fabric 1 (dark)
4 HST, 4.25"
28 HST, 1"
1 Drunkard's Path centre-unit (shape C, from the Drunkard's Path collection)

Focus fabric 2 (medium)
4 quarter-circles (from the Drunkard's Path collection)

Making the block

Start by making the centre-square, joining the 4 quarter-circles to each side of the DP centre-shape.

Add the 4.25" HST to the sides.
IF you have printed the 4.25" HST from Collection 2, make sure that the centre matchpoints ... match.
Join a triangle to two opposite sides.
Press
Add a triangle to the remaining two sides.
Press
If you have printed the 4.25" HST (rather than hand-prepare them), your square will now be slightly larger than the block requires, so trim down your centre to 8.25".

Make the HST squares. If you are uncertain on how to, check out Linda Franz's Triangle tips.

Lay out the block, with the 1" HST around the centre.
Join the 1" HST into 4 strips of 3 units, and 4 strips of 4 units.

Make sure they are placed right in relation to each other and to the centre of the block. This is facilitated by your laying out the block as it should look in the end.

Join a 3-unit set to each side of two of the 1 x 2.5" rectangles
Join a 4-unit set to each side of the two remaining 1 x 2.5" rectangles

Join the two shorter strips to the centre.

Add the remaining, longer, strips to the centre.

Finished !

Old Maid's Puzzle 3

BB # 1913

Block finishes at 5.25"

Download printing-table here.

Background Fabric
24 HST, 0.75"

Focus Fabric 1 (medium-light)
4 rectangles, each 0.75 x 2.25" finished size

Focus Fabric 2 (dark-medium)
12 HST, 0.75"
1 square, 0.75"
4 HST, 2.25"


Making the block

Make 12 HST-squares, using BF and FF2

Add a Background-fabric HST to 8 of the squares (see picture, left). Take care to add it to the right side of the HST-squares.

Make 4 units, where you add another background-fabric HST to the other side of the square-with-triangle unit.

Make 4 units, where you add a HST-square to the top of a square-with-triangle unit.

Join the two units to make a new triangle, composed of a total of 6 background-fabric triangles and 3 focus-fabric triangles.

Join each of the pieced triangles to one of the focus-fabric, 2.25" HST, making 4 squares, each 2.25"

Lay out your block, with the rectangles and the centre square.

Add a pieced square to each side of two of the rectangles, and add a rectangle to each side of the small square of focus-fabric, making 3 "strips".

Join the strips.

Finished !

This block finishes at 5.25" square. If you want it to go with the 6" blocks, log-cabin it.
Cut 2 strips that are 1 x 5.75", and join them to two opposite sides of the block. (if you are a marvel at precision-piecing, the strips need only be 0.825" or 7/8" wide, but .... I'm not that confident, so I cut it bigger, and chop off what is not needed in the end)
Then cut two strips that are 1 x 6.75" and join to the remaining two sides.
Trim down to 6".

Old Maid's Puzzle 2

Barbara Brackmann # 1314a
Jinny Beyer # 73-10











Download printing-table here.

Background-fabric
4 squares, each 1.5"
4 HST, each 1.5"
2 HST, each 3"

Focus-fabric
4 HST, each 1.5"
2 HST, each 3"

Making the block :


Make 4 HST-squares, each 1.5"

Make 2 HST, each 3"

Make two identical 4-patches, using the 1.5" HST-squares and two 1.5" squares

Lay out the block as a 4-patch

Join the 4-patch, and you are finished !

Old Maid's Puzzle 1

There are many blocks with the name "Old Maid's Puzzle", and the next few blocks will be some of the blocks thus named.
This block is BB # 3220 and JB 75-12. It can be made with Inklingo, exactly as it is shown in both collections, however, for ease of making it, I have added a few seam-lines.

Print-table in pdf.format here.

Background-fabric
1 square (unprinted) 4.25"
2 QST, each 3"
4 HST, each 1.5"

Focus-fabric
12 HST, each 1.5"
2 QST, each 3"


Make 4 HST-squares, each 1.5"
Make the centre 3" QST square
Make 4 Flying Geese units, using the fast, no-waste method from Linda Franz's Inklingo homepage (here)

Lay out the block. It is a basic 9-patch once the units are joined, but make sure they turn the right way in relation to each other.

Make two units, each with a Flying Goose, and a 1.5" HST-square on either side of it.
Make one unit of the 3" QST-square, with a Flying Goose on each side of it.
Join the 3 strips
Finished