Catch Up

Set with hand dyed quarter square triangles

Today I have been finishing sewing my yellow paisley stack and whack squares but I'm also posting a picture of the quilt that's been on my bed for the last two weeks.

It was started in a Twisted Sister class with Ami Simms.

This quilt has had a price on it at a couple of quilt shows but I've now decided I like it so it's for keeps.
It's the U3A class again tomorrow and here are student  blocks from the first two weeks, very pretty, and also Gina's Trip Around the World quilt top.

Stack and Whackery squares

Mary's fabric

Marion's fabric

Mary's blocks

I have been making sets of four identical squares since attending a wonderful workshop with Judy Johnson in Oregon. Today the Crab & Winkles got together to have a go. It was fascinating seeing the different effects from different fabrics. I learnt something too - that the dots on selvages are not necessarily an indication of repeat size. The repeat on the yellow paisley was a lot less than the 24" I had thought.

Maggie's fabric

Maggie and Marion's blocks

More of Maggie's blocks

Melaie's fabric

A couple of Melanie's blocks

My fabric

Bag Ladies



Bonny Quilters met up today to continue assembling our bags. We plan to finish them before we meet up  next time when we'll start another bag. Our main project is a medallion quilt but we are holding fire on that until our fourth member returns from the winter sun as we want to keep in step.
Meanwhile at home I've finished my "A river runs through it" stack and whackery squares quilt top in preparation for our mini Crab & Winkle workshop tomorrow. It will stay a top for some time as I want to hand quilt it in a fishnet pattern but must finish the Quay Sampler quilt first. I'm not usually a fan of the border setting where the inner border runs off to the edge but this quilt asked for it!

The inner top

Joining the quilt in offset sections - only one
edge to edge seam to sew
 



Now with borders 57.5x75.5 inches

3b Sewing the Block

Four fabric version under construction

Three fabric version under construction

When we draft blocks we start with the main grid and then subdivide the squares into units. When sewing we start with piecing the smaller units and then combine them to form larger units or rows and then into the block. A degree of care is needed when combining the quarter square triangles; they need to be joined all the same way so that the background fabrics lands on the outside edge of the block.

The basic units

Beginning blocks 3b

Crow's Nest variation

Since block 1a we have been rotary cutting squares and oblongs whether singly or from strips or from sewn strip sets. Now we are rotary cutting half square triangles (HST's) where a square is cut in half diagonally to yield two triangles with the straight grain on the shorter right angled sides. We have learned that to cater for the extra seam allowance we need to add 7/8" to the finished square measurement. We are making a 12"  nine patch block so the finished squares measure 4".

Preparing to cut 4" + 7/8" squares in half to yield 2 HST's

Two HST's from one square

To make a square from two HST's  we need to cut 4 & 7/8" squares; we get two HST's from each square and for this block we need four so we cut two 4 7/8" squares and cut them once diagonally across.

Quarter square triangles (QST's) where the square is cut twice across diagonally have the straight of grain on the long side which lies on the outer edge of the square. One square yields four QST's. To cut these we have to add 1.25" as there are more seams to accommodate. Here there are four of one colour and four of another so we cut a 5.25" square of each and cut twice diagonally across. I try to keep the square stable when doing this so I don't lose the diagonal line for the second cut.

Cutting the 5.25" square

The second cut, easy because the fabric hasn't shifted.

Four QST's

Beginning blocks 3a

3a templates with and without seam allowances; the curved corners formed by using the wheel make the units easier to join.

Diagram, a nine patch



Pieces laid out ready to sew  just  using two fabrics.. Below the pieces from a three fabric block are being sewn together.



Doreen Speckman called the isosceles triangle units here "Peaky and Spike". Peaky is the large triangle and the Spikes are the pointy units which make up the square. These are very effective in overall designs and when combined with other shapes can give the illusion of curves.



A completed block

2b variation

Four blue 2.5" sqs. with drawn diagonal lines

Squares laid out on corners ready to sew along the drawn lines.

3 squares flipped over and pressed to form triangle corners. One more to do.

As a 12" (finished) Rail Fence is rather plain I thought I would introduce a variant using a technique that will crop up later in the sequence.
I made the the strip squares using 2.5" strips sewn together and subcut into 6.5" (unfinished) squares. I also cut four 2.5"  blue squares and drew a diagonal line across and laid them on the  centre corners of the strip squares and sewed along the drawn line. Then I flipped the flap over to form a triangle corner. Although this technique is wasteful of fabric it appears in many patterns and is quick and easy to explain.

Beginning blocks 2b

Rail Fence

The strips

Strip squares joined into rows

Completed block

2b , the Rail Fence block, is the easiest of all the blocks we are doing and is very familiar to the group as they did a lot of strip piecing last term. The members were quite pleased to encounter this item though. It's important to use three fabrics and take care with placement else a swastika might materialise.

2a and more

The completed block

 

I always make two of each block, one completed and one in-construction sample and then complete the second one after the class.


Variable Star diagram

I led a Trip Around the World workshop last term and two more U3A members brought in completed quilts.



I like the Secret Garden block in the centre







Beginning blocks 2a

2a Variable Star with three fabrics

Because of  the snow the U3A class missed a session so we are only up to 2a and 2b this week. 1a and 1b were covered in my posts for 8th and 10th January respectively. This week we drafted quarter square triangles for the first time. Four quarter square triangles form a square and to draft them you draw a diagonal line from corner to corner of the square twice. The straight of grain is on the long side of the triangle and forms the sides of the square. The block is Variable Star and can be made in several fabric combinations. Here I use three.
We drafted the 4" square without and with seams for Block 1a but this time we rotary cut a 4.5" wide strip and subcut the 4 corner squares and rotary cut the centre square individually, gradually adding to the "tool box"; however, the drawing and drafting really helps with understanding block construction and the nature of the shapes which in turn helps us to calculate our rotary cutting strategy.

Templates with and without seams
for the shapes in the block.

Pairs of QST's ready to be joined into the
 star units.
It's important to join the QST's in the
right placement consistently.
These two units will NOT fit together.

Block laid out ready to sew.

QST pairs ready to combine into star units.

Rows sewn and ready to join.
Press towards the squares.