Block 2a for U3A group

Completed block, a bit crumpled from having been folded

Block 2a introduces the quarter square triangle where a square is divided into quarters diagonally. This time the straight grain is on the long side of the triangle. If you draw the shapes onto graph paper you can easily see this. This block is called a variable star and you can colour it any number of ways from 2 fabrics upward.

Square divided into 4 quarter square triangles (QST's)

Again when drafting we start by drawing the whole block square then the ninepatch grid lines and finally mark the shapes in the individual squares, here drawing diagonal lines corner to corner in the side squares.
As before cut out the quarter square shape roughly, glue onto the shiny side of card and cut out exactly on the line. You can either use your wheel to draw round it the seam allowance directly onto fabric or use the wheel to make a second card template.
If you prefer to hand piece, draw the sewing line too and put dots at the corners.

It helps to lay your pieces out on a padded
board by your sewing machine

Now start to assemble the pieced squares

WRONG!!!
If you feed the QST's though
the machine like this they won't
match up.

RIGHT! Align and feed your pairs of QST's through the machine the
SAME way and they will match up correctly.

Once the squares are pieced join the squares into rows
then the rows into a block.

The plain squares have been rotary cut. For 4" finished squares, cut a 4.5" strip and subcut it into 4.5" squares.

Another completed block