Quilter's Thread
December  2001
Block of the Month Pattern
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All seams are scant 1/4" unless otherwise specified. 
Please read through the instructions prior to starting any pattern.
*RST = RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER
Right sides refers to the better print side of the fabric.  Gingham is the only cotton fabric that has
TWO right sides that are identical.  HomeSpun has two-right sides with sides that have reverse colors.
Block with Two Fabrics
Cut:
       2   3 1/2" Sq. of dark fabric for pieces "C"
       4   4 3/8" Sq. of light fabric for HSTs ("A")
       4   4 3/8" Sq. of dark fabric for HSTs ("A")
       6   3 1/2" Sq. of light fabric  for pieces "B"





Block with Three Fabrics
Cut:
       1  3 1/2" Sq. of medium fabric
       1  3 1/2" Sq. of  dark fabric
       2  4 3/8" Sq. of medium fabric
       2  4 3/8" Sq. of light fabric
       2  4 3/8" Sq. of dark fabric
       2  4 3/8" Sq. of light fabric


Please overlook the color scheme in the tri-colored block........and the light is supposed to be all one color for background.

     


BLOCK:  Cake Stand
12 1/2" unfinished
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
B
B
B
B
C
C
IN REVIEW: 
           With RST and drawing on the lighter fabric, mark your HST diagonal line from corner to corner and stitch one each side of drawn line.  Cut on drawn line to separate your HSTs.  Press seams toward the darker fabric.
         
START YOUR ENGINES!

    In the block of three colors, use light squares with medium and lights with darks.  The light fabric will always be the background to the cake stand.


Once you have your HSTs made - trim them (if room allows and your seams are not stealing size) to 3 1/2" sq.  Seams not SCANT 1/4" will cause your HSTs to be smaller than needed.

Place the 3 1/2" sqs of fabric and the 3 1/2" HSTs into formation as shown in above diagrams.

Stitch one row of squares together and press all seams toward one side.

Stitch the next row of squares together and press all seams to the opposite side as first row.

Continue this manner for the next two rows including alternating the pressing direction.

FINAL ASSEMBLY:
   
    Hold first and second rows together RST and match the first seam by the joining squares. 

HINT:  While placing the two seams together,  pinch the edges between your thumb and index finger, you can "feel" the two seam allowances "lock" together as they face opposite directions from your ironing.  This will help match those seams for stitching accuracy.  If the seam allowances go the same direction on the top row and the bottom row while being feed into the machine, you run a strong risk of having your machine feed the fabric unevenly, the needle slipping over the lump of seam allowance and causing a mismatched corner.

Stitch all four rows together with this "locking" technique and you will have a better time of matching those corners in every match you try to make!


Give yourself a hand!  You have completed another year of patterns............I am very excited for the ultimate beginners that have joined our club and taken advantage of the simple ideas I try to offer in these BOM patterns.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you get "stuck" (not with a needle...lol)  and I will try to help you.  The art of Quilting is very important to me and I feel it is well worth preserving!
*HST = Half Square Triangle
When two differnt color squares are RST, marked, Sewn and Cut in half forming two two-toned squares
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