03/20/2021
Grand Country Quilters Winter 2021 Mystery Stitch-Along
Week #8 – Blocks and Borders – Oh Boy!
This week we will put a “Block” together and make two of the Border strips – I have divided the instructions into two parts to make it easier. And don’t worry if you still have “parts” leftover – we will be using them later. Be sure to visit our website to get the instruction with all of the "how-to" photos.
Let’s start with the Block first.
We will sew some of the Flying Geese blocks from Week #5 to some of the Square in a Square block we made in Week #2.
We need to make those center strips first – then we can add a Single Chevron to each side to form our Block.
First – collect the following “labeled” – “1A” & “1B”
“1A – 30 – Square in a square – Cream/Light Blue
“1B” - 60 – Flying Geese – Light Grey and Dark Grey
60 – Single Chevrons from Week #7 – Light Grey and Dark Grey
Making the Center strip
Each “Center” strip will use two Flying Geese and one Square in a square. I suggest that you make one first, check your ¼” seam allowance and adjust so that the finished size is 4 ½” x 8 ½”.
· Refer to the photo and lay out your Flying Geese and Square
in a square to form the Center strip.
· Pin Flying Geese to secure its placement.
· Sew the Flying Geese in place.
· Press to the Flying Geese block.
· Sew the remaining Flying Geese in place.
· Press to the Flying Geese block.
· Measures 4 ½” x 8 ½”.
· Make 30.
Putting the Block together
· Refer to the photo and lay out your Center strip and two
Single Chevrons to form the Block
· Nesting your seams together – sew the Single Chevrons to
Center.
· Both seams will be pressed to the Center strip.
TIP – to help your seams stay flat and straight
o Spray with Starch.
o Press seam flat.
o While it’s still warm – open and finger press the bulky sections
flat.
o Press again with hot iron in up and down motion – never side to
side!
· Repeating the steps – sew on the remaining Single Chevron.
· Measures 8 ½” x 8 ½”.
· Make 30.
Making two Borders
Now don’t let this scare you…just read through the instructions first and you will see how easy it really is. Unfortunately, the Dark Grey and Dark Blue, and the Golds are so close in color that it’s hard to photograph them to pick up a sharp contrast – so you will need to check each of your “parts” before you sew it in place.
What you will need-
Week #3 – Half Square Triangles – 2 Dull Gold/Dark Blue and
2 Bright Gold/Dark Grey (labeled “10”)
Week #5 – Flying Geese – 4 Dull Gold/Dark Blue (labeled “6”),
4 Bright Gold/Dark Grey (labeled “5”)
Week #7 – Single Chevrons -5 with Dark Blue on the right hand
side and 5 w/ Dark Grey on the right hand side.
Each border has the same number of “parts” – but you will start off each strip differently. One with the Dull Gold/Dark Blue Half Square Triangle and one with the Bright Gold/ Dark Grey Half Square Triangle. Put a Safety pin in this first Half Square Triangle – this help me to find the beginning block.
Notice how all the “Gold” triangles are on one side and all the “Blue” triangles are on the other? Look for the chevron pattern to zig-zag through the border.
Also – as you lay your parts out – remember that Dark Grey will be next to Dark Grey and Dark Blue will be next to Medium Blue.
Lay out the borders first before you sew them together - refer to photo and place in this order….
SC = Single Chevron, FG = Flying Geese, HST = Half Square Triangle
1st Border (Bright HST, Single Chevron, Dull FG, SC, Bright FG, SC,
Dull FG, SC, Bright FG, SC, Dull HST)
2nd Border (Dull HST, Single Chevron, Bright FG, SC, Dull FG, SC,
Bright FG, SC, Dull FG, SC, Bright HST)
Sew the parts together.
Press the seams away from the “Single Chevrons”.
Make 2.
Measures 2 ½” x 60 ½”
That's all for this Week #8 unless you are working on the Extra Credit Mystery… Instructions are below.
Please stay safe and healthy and we’ll see you next Saturday. I think that we will have 3 more sessions…just to make it easier on ourselves.
*EXTRA CREDIT * Step 4 * Finishing *
*Aqua Gold Thread Catcher * 21” x 21” *
Putting the Quilt together – I made a small quilt…but this would also be a great pillow!
You will need…
40 @ 3” x 3” blocks you made Week #6 (see photo),
Gold – 4 @ 3” x 16 (I cut 2 from Dull Gold and 2 from Bright Gold)
Blue binding – 5 @ 2 ¼” x width of Fat Quarter (21”) wait to cut your binding until you cut for the other Extra Credit Mystery as it uses some of the Medium Blues.
· Sew 4 of the 3” x 3” block together (with the Gold triangles
towards the center of the square) to make 9 blocks.
Measures 5 ½” x 5 ½”
· Lay out in 3 rows of 3 and sew Center together – measures
16” x 16”.
TIP – if you are going to Hand Quilt your top – press these seams open! Any time you feel the need to press a seam open – do it! You’re the boss.
· Sew a Gold border to top and bottom sides.
· Press to the border.
· Sew the remaining 4 blocks to the other two Gold border
strips – pay attention to the placement of the Gold triangle –
you want them all to face towards the Center.
· Press to Gold.
· Sew the last two borders on.
· Press to the Border.
· Quilt as desired.
Enjoy! Karen Wittmeyer
Grand Country Quilters
www.grandcountryquilters.com
[email protected]
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