THIS WEEKS ASSIGNMENT - PICNIC SECTION
And as per usual, we will be piecing all of the Units, and then build the Blocks, and finally put it all together into the Picnic Section. And remember if you are making the Fat Quarter Friendly layout to use the same prints in each unit and to note the FQ# referred to in each piecing instruction. And for either layout, be sure that all the pieces you gather are labeled Picnic pieces. So let's get started with the Units. First up . . .
FLYING GEESE UNITS
Gather (4) 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" Background Square and (16) 2 7/8" x 2 7/8" Print (FQ9) Squares. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of all 16 of your print squares as shown.
Place two marked Print Squares onto the Background square as shown below. Pin the squares on all 4 sets and then Chain Stitch a 1/4" seam on either side of the drawn line of the unit. Cut on the drawn line and press the seam allowances upwards towards the Print Triangles.
Then place your remaining Print Squares onto your Units as shown below. Pin the squares on all 8 sets and then Chain Stitch a 1/4" seam on either side of the drawn line on all 8 Units. Cut on the drawn line and press the seam allowances upwards towards the Print Triangles. Trim the dog ears.
And you are done!!! 16 beautiful and perfectly precise Flying Geese Units, that should measure 2 1/2" x 4 1/2". And you don't need to trim the units, but if you do, leave your 1/4" overlap at the top of the units!!!
You can now set your Flying Geese units aside and we will move on to the . . .
LARGE SIZED HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE UNITS
Start by gathering (8) 5" x 5" Background Squares and (8) 5" x 5" Print (4 FQ7 and 4 FQ8) Squares. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of all 8 of your print squares as shown.
Align and pin 8 sets of a Background square and a marked Print square with rights sides together. Chain Stitch all 8 sets with a 1/4"seam on BOTH sides of the drawn line, the black lines represent your stitching lines. Cut on the drawn line and press the seam allowances towards the Print Triangles.
Using the diagonal line on your square ruler aligned with the seam allowance, trim all 16 of your units to 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square.
And now you have 16 Large Sized Half Square Triangle units that all measure 4 1/2" x 4 1/2".
You can now set your Large Half Square Triangle units aside and we will move on to the . . .
MEDIUM SIZED HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE UNITS
Start by gathering (4) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" Background Squares and (4) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" Print (FQ1) Squares. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of all 4 of your print squares as shown.
Align and pin 4 sets of a Background square and a marked Print square with rights sides together. Chain Stitch all 4 sets with a 1/4"seam on BOTH sides of the drawn line, the black lines represent your stitching lines. Cut on the drawn line and press the seam allowances towards the Print Triangles.
Using the diagonal line on your square ruler aligned with the seam allowance, trim all 8 of your units to 3" x 3" square.
And now you have 8 Medium Sized Half Square Triangle units that all measure 3" x 3".
You can now set your Medium Half Square Triangle units aside and we will move on to the . . .
SMALL SIZED HALF SQUARE TRIANGLE UNITS
Start by gathering (8) 3" x 3" Background Squares and (8) 3" x 3" Print (FQ10) Squares. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of all 8 of your print squares as shown.
Align and pin 8 sets of a Background square and a marked Print square with rights sides together. Chain Stitch all 8 sets with a 1/4"seam on BOTH sides of the drawn line, the black lines represent your stitching lines. Cut on the drawn line and press the seam allowances towards the Print Triangles.
Using the diagonal line on your square ruler aligned with the seam allowance, trim all 16 of your units to 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" square.
And now you have 16 Small Sized Half Square Triangle units that all measure 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".
You can now set your Small Half Square Triangle units aside and that finishes up the units. So now we will move on to making the Blocks. First up is the . . .
STAR BLOCKS
Layout 4 sets of a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" Print (FQ1) Square, 4 Flying Geese (FQ1) Units, and (4) 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" Background squares as shown below.
Place the right hand and left hand Units onto the center units in each of the three row with right sides together. Align and chain stitch a 1/4" seam for all 3 rows in all 4 sets. Take care to stitch directly through the Thread X's in the center row. Press the seam allowances outwards in the top and bottom row and inwards in the center row as shown. Place the Top and Bottom Row onto the Center Row with right sides together. Align and Pin the side seams of all 4 sets. Chain stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of all 4 units taking care to sew through the center of the Thread X's. Press the seam allowance open.
And we are going to add sashing to this block. Gather (8) 2 1/2" x 8 1/2" Background rectangles. Place a rectangle onto either side of all 4 of the Star Blocks and Chain Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edges. Press outwards towards the sashing.
And your Sashed Star Block is done. It should measure 8 1/2" x 12 1/2". No need to square them up, and if you do, be sure and leave your 1/4" seam allowance at the points.
And you can set your Sashed Star Blocks aside and we will move on to the next set of blocks which are the . .
LARGE SIZED ARROW BLOCKS
Layout 8 sets of a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" Print (4 FQ7 & 4 FQ8) Square, a 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" Background Square, and 2 Large Half Square Triangle Units as shown below. Take care to match the Prints if you are doing the Fat Quarter layout.
Place the right hand units onto the left hand units in each of the two row with right sides together. Align and chain stitch a 1/4" seam for both rows in all 8 sets. Press the seam allowances in opposite directions towards the squares as shown. Place the Top Row onto the Bottom Row with right sides together. Align and Pin the center seam of all 8 sets. Chain stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of all 8 units. Press the seam allowance open.
And your Large Sized Arrow Blocks are done. They should measure 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" but again, no need to square them up, and if you do, be sure and leave your 1/4" seam allowance at the points.
And you can set your 8 Large Arrow Blocks aside and move on to the . . .
MEDIUM SIZED ARROW BLOCKS
Layout 4 sets of a 3" x 3" Print (FQ1) Square, a 3" x 3" Background Square, and 2 Medium Half Square Triangle Units as shown below.
Place the right hand units onto the left hand units in each of the two row with right sides together. Align and chain stitch a 1/4" seam for both rows in all 4 sets. Press the seam allowances in opposite directions towards the squares as shown. Place the Top Row onto the Bottom Row with right sides together. Align and Pin the center seam of all 4 sets. Chain stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of all 4 units. Press the seam allowance open.
And again, we are going to add sashing to this block. Gather (8) 2" x 6 1/2" Background rectangles and (8) 2" x 8 1/2" Background Rectangles. And first off, we have to trim. I am sorry, I made a typo in the cutting directions, but luckily, it is easy to fix. Trim all 8 of the 2" x 6 1/2" Background rectangles down to 2" x 5 1/2" rectangles. Sorry about that!!! (I have fixed it in the cutting directions, so if you come to this post at a later date, you won't need to trim :)
Layout your Medium Arrow Blocks and sashing in two alternating layouts as shown. 2 with the left layout and 2 with the right layout. Place a 2" x 5 1/2" Background rectangle onto the top and bottom of all 4 of the Medium Arrow Blocks and Chain Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edges. Press the seams outwards towards the sashing rectangles. Then place a 2" x 8 1/2 rectangle on either side of all 4 sets of the Medium Arrow Blocksand Chain Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edges. Press outwards towards the sashing.
And your Sashed Medium Sized Arrow Blocks are done. They should measure 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" but again, no need to square them up.
And you can set your 8 Large Arrow Blocks aside and move on to the . . .
SMALL SIZED ARROW BLOCKS
Layout 8 sets of a 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" Print (FQ10) Square, a 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" Background Square, and 2 Small Half Square Triangle Units as shown below.
Place the right hand Units onto the left hand units in each of the two row with right sides together. Align and chain stitch a 1/4" seam for both rows in all 8 sets. Press the seam allowances in opposite directions towards the squares as shown. Place the Top Row onto the Bottom Row with right sides together. Align and Pin the center seam of all 8 sets. Chain stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge of all 4 units. Press the seam allowance open.
And one last time, we are going to add sashing to this block. Gather (16) 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" Background rectangles. Layout your Small Arrow Blocks and sashing in two alternating layouts as shown. 4 with the left layout and 4 with the right layout. Place a 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" Background rectangle onto the top and bottom of all 8 of the Small Arrow Blocks and Chain Stitch a 1/4" seam along the edges. Press the seams outwards towards the sashing rectangles.
And your Sashed Small Sized Arrow Blocks are done. They should measure 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" but again, no need to square them up, and if you do, be sure and leave your 1/4" seam allowance at the points.
And you can set your 4 Small Small Arrow Blocks aside. And now all the blocks are done and we can move on to final step!!! It's time to get . . .
SEWING THE PICNIC SECTION
And we will start by turning all your Blocks into Rows! Layout all your pieced blocks and (8) 8 1/2" x 12 1/2" Background rectangles into the Four rows as shown below. Take care to follow the placement of the left and right layouts and if you are doing the Fat Quarter Layout, watch where the FQ7 and FQ8's are placed.
Sew the rows together. Do this by placing the second block in each row onto the first with right sides together. Align and pin the seams and then stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge. The repeat this process adding the third block, and then the fourth, and so on until the row is sewn together. And watch for all of those Thread X's and Fabric V's to guide your stitching. Those will give you those perfect points.
Press the seams of all 4 rows towards the sashing rectangles as shown below. Now you have two Side Rows (the shorter ones) and two Top/Bottom Rows (the longer ones).
And now it is just like adding a larger border ;) Layout the Lap Section, the two Side Rows, and the two Top/Bottom Rows as shown below, again taking care that the block orientation is correct and your FQ7 and FQ8 match in the corners.
Place the two Side Rows onto the Lap Section with right sides together and align and Pin the edges. You might have to ease in or stretch a bit. Stitch a 1/4" seam along the two pinned sides. Press your seams open and then you are ready to repeat. Place the Top and Bottom Rows onto the Lap Section with right sides together and align and Pin the edges. Stitch a 1/4" seam along the two pinned edges. Again, press the seam allowances open.
And all that is left is to add the Background border to your Picnic Section. Start by sewing the (8) 2 1/2" x WOF strips together end to end to make one long strip. Cut (2) 2 1/2" x 76 1/2" strips and (2) 2 1/2" x 80 1/2" strips from your long strip.
And just like before, if you prefer to cut your strips a little longer and trim the excess the is an option as well. The measurements listed above and in the picture are the exact size, But you will note my strips are a bit longer. Do whatever your prefer.
Layout the Pieced Picnic Center and the (2) 2 1/2" x 76 1/2" Background rectangles and the (2) 2 1/2" x 80 1/2" Background rectangles as shown below.
Place the two side rectangles onto the Picnic Center with right sides together. Pin and stitch a 1/4" seam along both edges. Trim the excess if needed and press outwards towards the Background rectangle. Then repeat for the Top and Bottom rectangles aligning, pinning, stitching, (trimming) and pressing outwards.
And your Picnic Section is done and should measure appx. 80 1/2" x 80 1/2". Isn't it so pretty!!!
Get your Picnic Section sewn together and your assignment is complete!!! And then you can enter to win the weekly prize :) And again, if you have any questions at all please don't hesitate to ask in a comment or email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com :)
So what do you have to do for a chance to win this Gift Certificate? Simple . . . Just link up your Picnic Section all sewn up :) You can link to a blog post, flickr picture, Instagram, Facebook . . . or whatever. Just make sure to link up by the end of the day on October 22nd as I will be announcing a winner at the beginning of the next post :) And on the link up where it asks for a Caption, add your name as well, so I know who you are ;)
If you don't get your Picnic Section done by October 22nd you can still link it up :) (just not in time for the prize :) The linky will remain open until the end of the Quilt-A-Long. So if your out of town, or just had a busy week, no worries!!! Just link up when you can :)
So let's get stitching!!! And if you have questions, don't hesitate to email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com. Have a Happy Quilting Day!!
