D’oh! I wish I had know you were going to resize digitally. LOL I have been making 12" blocks for all my BOM’s, but this one was set for 8", and I didn’t feel like tryign to figure out how to resize without Photoshop anymore. For everyone who plans to try this block, note: the block designer’s images aren’t PDF’s, just jpgs. So they both print at various sizes that don’t match one another. (One prints close to size, about 1/16" over, but the other prints about 1/4" oversize.)
I ended up using 2 prints of the same template, to get all 4 flying geese like elements the same, and I’m just going to cut squares for the corners to fit those. I just made the block whatever size the paper printed at, and am going to turn it into a mug rug/candle mat for the coffee table.
TBH, I’m not sure why this block was paper priced. It didn’t make sense to me. It was all squares and triangles that could be cut as squares, in classic quilt block components and shapes. She wrote the pattern so you would make multiple blocks to do a quilt or tree skirt, not as an individual block. If I had been writing it that way, I would have had people strip piece to make ALL the center 4 patches at the same time, cut all the triangles (or squares where you cut away the excess), make all the flying geese, etc. Paper piecing just seemed like an unnecessary step. Though admittedly, this is my first ever paper pieced block. It seemed a fine one to learn on. Multiple steps, but nothing too insane as a first timer.
I mainly resized just to get the measurements. I’m still debating on paper piecing or not. Paper pricing makes my dyslexic head hurt. and yes, regular piecing is just fine. maybe it was paper pieced because of the small size.
I did find it fun how many blocks and block components were in this BOM. Some of which we’ve done as previous BOM’s. Four-Patch as the center; turning that 4-Patch into an Economy Block; the sides are Flying Geese that contain Half Square Triangles; and the overall block is really just a fancier Sawtooth Star.
It’s from a free pattern from Jordan Fabrics, but I decided to use 2.5" squares for it, instead of the 2" it calls for, because I could use some of the scraps I already have cut. Now I just need to cut some more cream squares to fill in.
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Lynx
(In a world where you can be anything, be kind.)
2050
Very inspiring to see everyone’s hard work here! And especially the BOM blocks. I only completed January, but I do really want to finish the rest of the year over the Christmas holidays. We aren’t going anywhere this year due to Covid so plenty of time for sewing.
Time to quilt this beauty. I started it last winter but, masks and then spring/summer got in the way. Temperatures are dropping, so time to finish my lap robe.
Laid out at last. Part of my delay was figuring out how to lengthen it…creatively. I had run out of most the fabrics. Finally just added the dark to the ends.
There’s been so much good stuff posted lately! @MistressJennie, I really like you Christmas colored blocks! I’m looking forward to seeing your placemats! @edel, I love that cushion cover! @marionberries, your quilt is beautiful! I’d name it ‘Autumnal Splendor.’ I really like the use of the darker fabrics. It gives the quilt a luxurious look that makes me want to snuggle near a fireplace with a mug of hot chocolate!
Spent the morning cutting these to size. The blocks on the left are for a baby quilt, the blocks on the right are cut-offs from the large blocks in the Dinoroar kids quilt that I made a while back that I finally got around to iron and square up. A few blocks turned out too small but I’ll find another way to use them.
I’m using a 12,5" ruler which is not super convenient. Does anyone have a recommendation for a ruler to square up smaller blocks, preferably with the diagonal marked on the ruler? These are 4,5" and I work with that size of block quite often.
I don’t usually like single-purpose rulers, and generally just use my 24"x5". But when I had a big pile of HST’s to square up earlier this year, I decided to test out the Bloc Loc Rulers. They are AMAZING. A little pricey, but if you have a big stack to square up, they really do help save your sanity. I bought the 3.5" one because that was what was needed for the project I was working on, but I also just re-used it while making 2.5" HSTs. They have markings every 1/2", so I squared off a sliver along the top and right edges, then spun it (on my rotating cutting mat, but you could also just move to the side of your table), and lined up the freshly cut edges with the 1" marks, and trimmed the bottom and left edges. Perfect 2.5" HST’s, without buying a new ruler.
I had a regular 3.5" square ruler in my stash from somewhere/someone, and had tried it with the HSTs, but I found it terribly frustrating. The ruler was completely flat, and it wanted to wiggle when placed on the HST’s. Kind of like the board across a see-saw. The Bloc Loc rulers are intended for trimming HST’s, and have a grove running down the center, where your seam allowance nestles, meaning the ruler lays nice and flat on the block as you trim. I can easily see myself buying more of these rulers in other sizes, as I come across projects using bigger HST’s.
(P.S. Sorry, I know you’re not in the States, and I linked to the ruler on Amazon’s US site. I just wanted you to at least be able to see what I was talking about.)
Thanks! I’ll look them up! I’m usually not a fan of one-trick tools either but I end up doing 4,5" HST a lot, so this is one thing that might be worth it. Right now I use a 12,5" square ruler with a diagonal line, and while it works, it’s a hassle, and indeed, sometimes the block don’t want to lie completely flat because of the seam allowance.
My local quilt shops barely stock any type of rules so I’ll have to google where to buy them here, but in the worst case, I can always order from the US. I usually do one bulk order of craft supplies from the US every year.
I agree that the Bloc Loc ruler is pretty great. I also like that you can trim all sizes of HSTs up to the ruler size you have. I think I have the 6.5” ruler, which has come in handy for a few projects!
Oh that’s good to know!! I’ve found an online shop in my country that sells several sizes together as a set (for €120 ) but it’s good to know that the larger size works for smaller blocks too. No need to get a 2,5" , a 4,5" and a 6,5" if the bigger one works for all of those sizes. I hope we’ll ever get out of lockdown so I can go to a quilt show again and try a few rulers IRL.
) Although they look great
) but it’s good to know that the larger size works for smaller blocks too. No need to get a 2,5" , a 4,5" and a 6,5" if the bigger one works for all of those sizes. I hope we’ll ever get out of lockdown so I can go to a quilt show again and try a few rulers IRL.