Arkansas Crossroads - My First Modern Quilt (an update)

First part of this quilt and tutorial.

This is where I'm at with this quilt.  After making ten more of each of the two blocks and adding two more rows to the length, it now measures 47.5" x 66.5" (unfinished).  By adding a 5" border on all sides, it should make a comfortable lap quilt that will finish at approximately 60" x 80".

It was a square 47.5" before the two rows were added. This used 48 black and white 5" squares from one charm pack of 50 squares. The order for a second pack of charm squares took forever to get here. Lesson learned: always purchase more than you need!

This is going to be gifted to my eldest son and since it will get a lot of rough use, I've decided to back it with a no-pill, durable fleece. Now the dilemma is whether to piece the whole top together, back it with fleece and then quilt the whole quilt at once or cut the fleece the width and length of one strip, and QAYG (quilt as you go) the quilt in sections.

I'll leave that decision for another day!  For right now, I'm going to sew each of the 5 columns together in preparation for the next step.

Cheers, everyone!

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Arkansas Crossroads - My First Modern Quilt

Finished quilt with borders will measure 60" by 80"

The inspiration for this quilt came from the December challenge by the Desi Quilters group:

1.Make any quilted item of any size

2.Use ONLY Black, White and ONE other colour. Fabric may be solid or prints.

The Arkansas Crossroads pattern first caught my attention on the Craftsy website (the block design seemed really simple) and I promised myself to make it one day. Well, here comes that day and I've decided to make a lap-sized quilt for my son, Siddhartha. I ordered a black & white charm pack from Keepsake Quilting which didn't arrive until last week which means I won't get the quilt done in time for the challenge deadline on December 31st, but I know Siddhartha will appreciate his quilt.
I picked out the white and gold fabrics and set to work.

Initially, the idea was to cut each 5" charm into four 2-1/2" squares to create the 16-patch square, but I quickly came to my senses and decided to use them as is and create 4-patch squares instead.

5" strips were cut from the white fabric and each strip was cut into 5" squares. And then another brainwave hit me. The alternate block in this pattern requires four white squares with half square triangles to be sewn to two opposite corners of each of the four squares. Instead, I decided to sandwich a 4-1/2" x 2-1/2" rectangle folded in half to create one-seam flying geese unit in each of the four seams on the block. So much less cutting and sewing!

All I had to do was to cut 4-1/2" strips from the gold fabric and cut again into 4-1/2" by 2-1/2" rectangles.

Each rectangle was folded in half and sandwiched between 2 white squares and pressed open to create a flying geese unit at the base. The seam on the back was pressed open. 

To create the 4 patch, a gold rectangle was folded in half, pinned between the top and bottom seams and sewn. The last seam on the 4-patch block was then pressed open.

The charm pack came with 50 black and white squares so I used all 50 squares + 2 black squares to make 13 black and white 4-patch units

and 12 white and gold crossroads units.

Since I've missed the deadline for the DQ December challenge anyway, I've ordered another package of black and white charms and plan to add two more rows to the length of the quilt.
Once the borders are attached, the finished quilt should measure approximately 60" x 80". I will present the finished quilt in a future blog.

Progress update.

Until then,
Cheers, everyone, and have a very happy New Year!

QAL #2 - Cathedral Windows

1 Seam Flying Geese Method

For the second method in this series for constructing Cathedral Windows, we will be making a 20” cushion or table topper comprising 16 blocks arranged 4 blocks across by 4 blocks down.

Cushion Cover

Without the cushion insert

The components of a Cathedral Window block are the foundation/ background fabric, the frame and the windowpane.  It is really simple to make this block using two Flying Geese blocks, each made with just 1 seam.

Cathedral Windows block constructed with 

2 Flying Geese blocks, each made with 1 seam

Table for Cutting Instructions

Note:  

1. The cutting instructions will make 1 Flying Geese unit. 2 units are required for each Cathedral Window block.
2. The numbers in parentheses in the column descriptions represent the number of units required for each FG unit.  
3. The window pane should be cut ¼” smaller than the finished size of the frame.  Measure for and cut the window panes after the first block is constructed.

Block Size	Foundation (2)	Frame (1)	Window Pane (1) approx.
4”	2½”	2½” x 4½”	2”
5”	2¾”	2¾” x 5”	2½”
6”	3½”	3½” x 6½”	3”
8	4½”	4½” x 8½”	4”
10”	5½”	5½” x 10½”	5”
12”	6½”	6½” x 12½”	6”

In the picture below, the patterned squares will form the foundations, the white rectangles the frames and a variety of printed squares (not shown) will form the window panes.  For 16 Cathedral Window blocks that will each finish at 5” square, cut

64 patterned squares 2-3/4" (foundations)

32 white rectangles 2-3/4" x 5" (frames)

16 patterned squares 2-3/4" (window panes – not shown)

Fabrics for Cathedral Windows block are cut and ready to piece

Form two sandwiches as follows:

1. Place 1 patterned square, facing up, on the work surface.
2. Fold 1 white rectangle in half, wrong sides together, aligned at the raw edges with the top of the patterned square.
3. Place 1 patterned square, face down, on top of the white, folded rectangle.

Sandwich - make 2

Begin sewing from the raw edges all the way down the right side only.  Make sure that the folded edge of the rectangle is closest to you and notice it is 1/4" shorter than the two squares.

Sew right sides only

Open up the center rectangle, aligning the raw edges with the bottom edge of the unit, making sure the points on the base meet the left and right edges of the unit.  Also make sure that the tip of the Flying Geese is 1/4" from the top edge.  Pin at the base, opening the seam on the back.

 

 Pin the base and press seam open on back

Press the seam open and sew the base of two Flying Geese units together.

2 Flying Geese units sewn at base

Press the seam open.

Press all seams open to reduce bulk

Place a window pane square in the center of the frame and pin the bias/dimensional sides of the frame over the window pane.

Frame is folded over pane and pinned

Sew the frame in place and a Cathedral Window block is complete.

One block is complete

Here's an arrangement of four blocks.

An arrangement of 4 blocks

Make 16 Cathedral Window blocks, arrange 4 across by 4 down.

Preview arrangement

Sew the blocks together, making sure that the points on each block match points on adjacent blocks,  and the top is complete.

Follow instructions for How to Assemble a Cushion Cover, using an 18" cushion insert.

To make a table topper, cut a square of material the same size as the top, place the two pieces right sides together, sew all the way around the four sides leaving a space for turning, turn it inside out, sew the opening, press the seams and it’s done!

I hope you have as much fun as I did making these Cathedral Windows!


Cheers!

Block 3 of Cathedral Windows Sampler Quilt Using Colours of IMQG Logo

Here is the 3rd of 12 blocks in a sampler quilt of Cathedral Windows variations using the colours of the IMQG logo.

Block 3 of Cathedral Windows Sampler Quilt

This block was constructed with 2 Flying Geese units using the 1 seam method.  The Flying geese units were placed tip to tip and the dimensional sides of the two triangles were folded over and sewn down.

Block 1 and Block 2 were completed a couple of days ago.  

Here is a picture of the three blocks which comprise the first row of four total rows.

Row 1 - Placed horizontally

Row 1 - Placed vertically

Okay, so that's 3 down with 9 more blocks to go!!

Cheers, everyone!

A Shorter Cut to Cathedral Windows

The components of a Cathedral Window block are the foundation or background fabric, the frame and the window pane.  Yesterday, I posted what I thought was a very nifty Shortcut to Cathedral Windows.  As I was falling asleep last night, it suddenly occurred to me that it would be even simpler to make this block if I used two Flying Geese blocks, using the 1-seam method, for the foundation and frame components.

It worked!  Here's the finished block.

Cathedral Windows block constructed with
2 Flying Geese blocks, each made with 1 seam.

Compare it to my previous block.

A Shortcut to Cathedral Windows block.

There's no difference between the two blocks except for the placement of the different fabrics and that the first block is much easier to construct.  Let me show you how.

To make a 12" finished block, make two Flying Geese blocks that each finish at 12" x 6".  Here are the fabrics.

Fabrics for Cathedral Windows block are cut and ready to piece

The rust and white squares will form the foundation, the grey rectangles the frame and the blue square will form the window pane.  The measurements for these pieces are:

2 rust squares 6-1/2" x 6-1/2"

2 white squares 6-1/2" x 6-1/2"

2 grey rectangles 6-1/2" x 12-1/2"

1 blue square 8" x 8"

Form two sandwiches as follows:

1. Place 1 white square, facing up, on the work surface.
2. Fold 1 grey rectangle in half, wrong sides together, and align the raw edges with the top of the white square.
3. Place 1 rust square, face down, on top of the grey, folded rectangle.

Sandwich - make 2

Begin sewing from the raw edges all the way down the right side only.  Notice that the  folded edge of the rectangle is closest to you and is 1/4" shorter than the two squares.

Because of how the Flying Geese units will be placed,
the two sandwiches are sewn the same way.

Press both units flat.

Press both units.

Open up the center rectangle, aligning the raw edges with the bottom edge of the unit, making sure the points on the base meet the left and right edges of the unit.  Also make sure that the tip of the Flying Geese is 1/4" from the top edge. Place the base of the two Flying Geese units together and place the center pane in place to preview the block.

Preview the block.  Oops! the blue pane was too small.

Sew the base of the two Flying Geese blocks together and place the center pane over the window.

Place pane on the frame.
The pane should be 1/4-1/2"smaller than the frame.

Pin the bias or dimensional sides of the frame down over the window pane and pin.

Window is folded over pane and pinned.

Sew the frame in place and the Cathedral Windows block is complete.

The block is complete.

I'm so proud of myself to have succeeded in simplifying this block!

Cheers, everyone!

VAANI Flying Geese Block for April

The VAANI block of the month for April is the Flying Geese (FG) block. While browsing through the internet, I came across a very interesting technique for making these units which requires sewing just 1 seam per FG unit.  This technique produces a dimensional unit that is so easy to create.

I decided to make this 12-1/2" block.  To tie this block to last month's block, I used the same fabrics in the center of the block.

Flying Geese Block

The first thing I had to do was pick out fabrics from my stash.

For this block I need to make 8 FG units.  Each of the 8 units requires 2 background squares that are 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" and 1 rectangle that is 3-1/2" x 6-1/2", for a total of 16 squares and 8 rectangles.

16 squares and 8 rectangles

Form a sandwich as follows:

1. Place 1 square, facing up, on the work surface.
2. Fold 1 rectangle in half, wrong sides together, and align the raw edges with the top of the square.
3. Place a 2nd square, face down, on top of the rectangle.

Assemble the sandwich

Begin sewing from the raw edges all the way down the right side only.  Notice that the  folded edge of the rectangle is closest to you and is 1/4" shorter than the two squares.

Sew the sandwich along the right side only

Chain sew all 8 sandwiches in this way.  Clip sewn units apart.

Chain sew all 8 sandwiches

Place sewn sandwich on the pressing table with the folded edge on top and open the top square along the sewn seam.

Open top flap

Press flat.

Press 

Open up the center rectangle, aligning the raw edges with the bottom edge of the unit, making sure the points on the base meet the left and right edges of the unit.  Also make sure that the tip of the FG is 1/4" from the top edge.

Open the center flap to form the Flying Geese unit

Press flat.

Completed Flying Geese unit

Do this to all 8 FG units and arrange as required.

Arrange units to form block

Sew units together and the block is complete!

Completed block

A nifty characteristic of this particular technique is that it is dimensional along the two sides of the triangle of the Flying Geese which can be folded down cathedral-window style during the quilting phase.  The other option is to sew down the two sides or just leave them as is!