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Out On A String!
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Precious little pieces find their way into string pieced diamonds! Asymetrical sashings give these save-all blocks a fun setting!
Block size: 10 1/4". Quilt size approx 52"
http://www.quiltville.com
(Click here for printer friendly version)
Precious little pieces find their way into string pieced diamonds! Asymetrical sashings give these save-all blocks a fun setting!
Block size: 10 1/4". Quilt size approx 52"
Do you love string piecing? Do you
have a bin of random sized small scraps that you just can't bear to
part with? These little pieced diamonds may be just the ticket for
you! I foundation pieced these little gems onto diamond shapes
cut from recycled phone book pages. I also used the old fashioned
tried and true method of using inset Y seams to sew this block
together. I know there are "easier" methods out there, but I just
didn't want additional seams in my block corners or in the side
triangles. Sometimes a bit of extra effort is worth it! These block
instructions will teach YOU to sew those Y seams too! Again...I
know there are loads of instructions out there, and every one has their
own way of doing them. This is what works for me.
First thing you will need are a few "specialty" rulers. I love these rulers so much that I can't imagine my ruler collection without them!
The Easy Angle Ruler is used to cut the 4 corners of the star blocks since we are making them out of half square triangle squares. The Companion Angle ruler is used to cut the side triangles because we need to have that straight of grain on the outside edge of the block.
You will also need foundation piecing paper of whatever type you want. I mentioned that I use phone book pages. I also like deli paper, or the paper that lines the exam tables at the doctor's office!
On the Easy Eight ruler are markings depending on what size diamond you want to cut. I chose the 3" per side diamond which is the second dark line up from the bottom of the ruler. You can read the measurements there on the right side of the ruler..the unangled side. Cut some strips of paper this width using the top edge of the ruler as a guide.
First thing you will need are a few "specialty" rulers. I love these rulers so much that I can't imagine my ruler collection without them!
This is the Easy Eight
ruler. I use this to cut the diamond shapes from the phone book
pages, and then after piecing, use it again to true up the edges of the
pieced diamonds.
These are the Easy Angle ruler,
and the Companion Angle Ruler. All three of these rulers are by E-Z
international and can be found just about anywhere, or ordered
online.
The Easy Angle Ruler is used to cut the 4 corners of the star blocks since we are making them out of half square triangle squares. The Companion Angle ruler is used to cut the side triangles because we need to have that straight of grain on the outside edge of the block.
You will also need foundation piecing paper of whatever type you want. I mentioned that I use phone book pages. I also like deli paper, or the paper that lines the exam tables at the doctor's office!
On the Easy Eight ruler are markings depending on what size diamond you want to cut. I chose the 3" per side diamond which is the second dark line up from the bottom of the ruler. You can read the measurements there on the right side of the ruler..the unangled side. Cut some strips of paper this width using the top edge of the ruler as a guide.
Turn the ruler over so the point
lies in the bottom right corner of your stack of papers. Make the
first trim with your rotory along the edge of the ruler.
Carefully turn the stack. Lie the ruler on top of the stack and trim
diamonds following the 3" guide lines on the ruler. You need 8
paper foundations per star.
Place a scrap of fabric down the
center of the paper diamond, and then with right sides together, place
another scrap on top of the first, matching raw edges. Set your
seam at a very small stitch (I like about 1.5 to 1.75 on my bernina) to
help perferate the paper close enough to make paper removal easy. I
find it also helps to sew with a larger needle...try a denim size....it
makes bigger holes and helps the paper come off easy too! Sew the
two pieces together through the paper diamond. You can even chain piece
these as shown in the second pic above! I find it easy to just
work on two diamonds at a time, using each one as a leader/ender for
the other.
Press the piece open and continue to
add scraps to the diamond
foundation until it is full. Cover all 8 diamonds with scraps in this
way!
Use the Easy 8 ruler again to trim
up the diamonds true to "ruler size". You might find the paper has even
shrunk a bit during the piecing/pressing process, so don't pay as much
attention to the edge of the paper as the markings on the ruler, get
it? This is important so that the center of your star doesn't poof up
like a bra cup or a volcano! Remove the papers now. We don't want them
to get in the way! I don't like papers in my seam allowances :c)
Now our easy angle comes into
play! When using the easy angle to cut squares or triangles for
the corners, take the finished size of the diamond (3") and add 1/2"
for the seam allowance. This is how I came up with the 3.5"
measurement for the strip needed above. Cut the 3.5" strip with
your regular rotory ruler. And then with the easy angle ruler, cut 4
light and 4 red triangles using the 3.5" marking on the ruler (3.5" is
the UNFINISHED 1/2 square triangle size, remember?) Pair up the light
triangles to the darks and stitch with a 1/4" seam. Because one end of
the triangle is notched, they will fit together beautifully. This
makes it easy to chain feed them through too! Trim the remaining
dog ear on each pair and press the seams towards the dark.
Here is a pic of Tonya's Howler on top of the pieces as we were laying them out! :c)
If you make this quilt, I would love to share a pic of it here!
For the side triangles, you are
going to go back to using the Easy Eight ruler. I took the
remainder of the 3.5" strip that I used for the 1/2 square triangles
that go in the block corners...and using the 3" line on the ruler,
trimmed the strip down to size. Next, take the Companion Angle
and align the blunt tip of the ruler at the top of the strip. The
bottom edge of the strip will hang a bit below the line on the ruler.
This is okay. A very odd sized strip is used this way, but it willbe
exactly the right size to fit between the diamonds in the block. Cut 4
of these triangles per block.
The trick to Y seams is knowing when to start and end the
stitching. You need the seam allowances free in some instances so
that you can use the space to set the inset piece! You might find
it helpful to use a pencil to mark the 1/4" seam lines just where the
lines cross at the corners of the diamonds. It's hard to see on that
yellow piece in the left picture, but there is a pencil dot where my
stitching is to start and stop. And it is better to be one stitch
too short, than a stitch too long :c) On these I do sew all the way to
the point that forms the center of the star. I know some people don't,
but I do. Sew 4 pairs of diamonds this way, being sure to leave
the seam allowance free where the corners will be inset. When you end
your stitching. Stitch a couple of back tack stitches to secure the
seam. Do this each time you end within a seam allowance.
Finger press as shown, towards the far right diamond. On the 1/2 square triangle corner, you are going to want to mark 1/4" seam markings in all 4 corners. Run a pin through the 1/4" marking on the pieced diamond, right where the stitching ends. Have the same pin point also go through the corresponding 1/4" marking in the corner of the 1/2 square triangle corner square. The tip of the pieced diamond should extend 1/4" past the top edge of the square. This is okay...this is needed as your seam allowance there! Very carefully sew from the edge of the square....just to right before where the seams intersect. This is the second seam of your Y!
Finger press as shown, towards the far right diamond. On the 1/2 square triangle corner, you are going to want to mark 1/4" seam markings in all 4 corners. Run a pin through the 1/4" marking on the pieced diamond, right where the stitching ends. Have the same pin point also go through the corresponding 1/4" marking in the corner of the 1/2 square triangle corner square. The tip of the pieced diamond should extend 1/4" past the top edge of the square. This is okay...this is needed as your seam allowance there! Very carefully sew from the edge of the square....just to right before where the seams intersect. This is the second seam of your Y!
Turn the unit over and check to
see that your stitching didn't extend into the seam allowance.
Nope! It ended right where it should! Refold the unit so that you
can put the remaining diamond right sides together with the corner
square. Very carefully sew this seam so that you don't go past
the bottom seam allowance. Remember it is better to stop a stitch short
than have it go one too long....or you might get a pucker!
All four corners are set in just right! Lay them out in star format and place the four side triangles where they belong. Stitch a triangle to the right side of each unit. With this seam, you can sew edge to edge, you don't need to worry about not sewing into the seam.
All four corners are set in just right! Lay them out in star format and place the four side triangles where they belong. Stitch a triangle to the right side of each unit. With this seam, you can sew edge to edge, you don't need to worry about not sewing into the seam.
The next step is "almost" a repeat
of the first thing you did. You are going to match two sets
together, joining string pieced diamonds right sides together. This
time you will use the seam allowance you just sewed when adding the
side triangles as a guide as when to start and stop your stitching when
joining the diamonds. You want the stitching to stop at or just before
you reach the side diamond seam. Finger press the seam allowance out of
the way and also use that previous seam as a guide while stitching the
remaining side triangle seam to join the units into a block half.
Repeat the proceedure for the remaining pieces, so you now have two
block halves!
At this point I like to stitch across the center of the star block, matching points in the center. I can go all the way across the middle of the star. Then it is just a matter of finishing the two remaining seams on the side triangles! There! YOU DID IT!! This quilt uses 9 blocks, but you can make as many as you want.
I know it is more work to do 8 pointed stars in this way, but the effect is well worth the time it takes to do it. Remember, practice makes perfect! (And it's a good thing these stars look great even wonky..it hides lots of mistakes!)
Sashings!
Each block is sashed on two sides with a cornerstone four patch in the corner!
At this point I like to stitch across the center of the star block, matching points in the center. I can go all the way across the middle of the star. Then it is just a matter of finishing the two remaining seams on the side triangles! There! YOU DID IT!! This quilt uses 9 blocks, but you can make as many as you want.
I know it is more work to do 8 pointed stars in this way, but the effect is well worth the time it takes to do it. Remember, practice makes perfect! (And it's a good thing these stars look great even wonky..it hides lots of mistakes!)
Sashings!
Each block is sashed on two sides with a cornerstone four patch in the corner!
Seam enough 2.5" wide lengths of
two contrasting fabrics together to be able to cut 18 10 3/4"
sashings from the strip sets! Depending on the length of your strips,
you could get 3 or 4 from each strip set. You also
need 18 four patch cornerstones sewn from 2.5" strips (the easy way) or
individually pieced from 2.5" squares. These plaid cornerstones were
actually the leftovers from my last star struck quilt!
Sew sashings on the right side and bottom edge of every block as shown, placing a 4 patch block in the corner!
Sew sashings on the right side and bottom edge of every block as shown, placing a 4 patch block in the corner!
I arranged the blocks as shown
above, though you can arrange them differently if you wish! I
added a 1.5" cut (1"
finished) red inner border sewn from random lengths of 1.5" strips! The pieced triangles were left over panels that my friend Stephanie had given to me at quilt camp! She had pieced extra string blocks, and I cut them into 3.5" strips..and then used the easy angle ruler to cut them into triangles using the 4.5" markings on the ruler. The background triangles were also cut from 4.5" strips with the easy angle ruler! (Can you tell I love this ruler?!) I had to figure out with math just what size to cut the remaining 4.5" wide pieces of blue border. I'll leave that up to you since all our measurements are going to be different depending on the finished size of your quilt center :c)
finished) red inner border sewn from random lengths of 1.5" strips! The pieced triangles were left over panels that my friend Stephanie had given to me at quilt camp! She had pieced extra string blocks, and I cut them into 3.5" strips..and then used the easy angle ruler to cut them into triangles using the 4.5" markings on the ruler. The background triangles were also cut from 4.5" strips with the easy angle ruler! (Can you tell I love this ruler?!) I had to figure out with math just what size to cut the remaining 4.5" wide pieces of blue border. I'll leave that up to you since all our measurements are going to be different depending on the finished size of your quilt center :c)
I quilted this quilt with all over
consecutive baptist fans! I love stringy quilts that are pieced
this way, and it seemed to be the perfect effect for this quilt!
Still got more little scraps?
How about something like THIS!?
The premise of making this quilt
is much the same as the one above! I pieced many many diamonds on top
of paper foundations. Many diamonds sewn together make BIG
diamonds! Big Diamonds make a BIG STAR!! I pieced this top while
retreating in April 2007 in Florida with my friend Tonya. It's still
not quilted....maybe it's too blinding to think of what to put in those
orange background areas..but I jsut love it! The double flying
geese border really seems to pull all those wonky scraps into order too!
Here is a pic of Tonya's Howler on top of the pieces as we were laying them out! :c)
If you make this quilt, I would love to share a pic of it here!
Questions
or Comments? I would love to hear from you!! © Quiltville Custom Quilting 1997-2007 All Rights Reserved. No part may be used, copied or otherwise
altered without express written permission from the author/webmaster.