Happy Quilting: Texas Monthly

I am always so excited when I go to my mailbox and find my BOM!!!! And today I am so happy to share the next tutorial for the Texas Monthly Block of the Month program! This BOM is hosted by Stitchin' Heaven and is so much fun!!!

So let's get going with Month 4 and we are back to just regular piecing and there are 4 blocks this month! But no worries, they are all pretty basic and fast and fun to sew. So let's get piecing!!!

Cutting

I like to start out by pressing all of my fabrics. Then it is time for cutting!!! I like to cut all of my pieces for all of my blocks at the start. Just be sure to keep them in piles separate for each block. (oh, and yes there is background pieces needed for the Carolina Lily block, I didn't realize I missed cutting them until I was actually making the block which is why they are not pictured ;)

And with all your pieces cut . . . you are ready to move on to the first block.

The Daisy and Mr. Frog Block

First up, we need to trim the beautiful watercolor panel. We will be trimming the panel to 7 1/2" high and 9 1/2" wide. So I like to use a 9 1/2" square ruler. Align the ruler so that you have appx. 1 1/4" white space on either side before the graphic daisy starts. Align the bottom and top so you have appx. 1" of white space from the top of the daisy and the bottom of the frog. Trim the sides and top.

Now flip your panel 180 degrees and align the sides with the raw edges and the bottom with the 7 1/2" line of your ruler. Trim the top. And now your panel is ready and you can set it aside.

Now grab your 5 colored rectangles. Lay them out in the following order and then sew the 5 rows together. Press in one direction. Take care when pressing not to stretch the rows. I like to press towards the purple.

Now place your pressed unit onto your cutting mat. Cut a straight edge slightly in from the end. Then measure 3" in and subcut a strip set, and finally, measure another 3" in and subcut another strip set. You will now have two 3" x 7 3/4" sets.

And you will notice as soon as you put them next to your block that you actually need them to be 7 1/2" long. So to fix this little oopsie, simply place your strip sets onto either side of the panel with right sides together and sew a 1/4" seam along the edge. Then before pressing, flip your block over, and trim the bottom of the block even with the panel. Easy fix!!! Now simply press towards the panel.

And just like that, you have an adorable Daisy and Mr. Frog Block that should measure 7 1/2" x 14 1/2" unfinished.

So now you are ready to move onto to making two of the . . .

Pieced 4-Color Blocks

Start out by laying your blocks out as shown on the left hand side. You will be sewing your blocks into two columns. I find this quicker than sewing it into rows. So using a 1/4" seam, sew all of the pieces in the first column together followed by the second. And you are making two blocks so you should have two of each column. Then press the two columns in opposite directions, pressing the first column up and the second column down for both sets of units.

Now place the second column onto the first with right sides together. Align each of the seams and you can pin them in place or simply nest them as your sew your 1/4" seam along the edge. Do this for both sets, and then press the seams open in both blocks.

And in no time at all, you have two Pieced 4-Color Blocks that should measure 6 1/2" x 14 1/2" unfinished.

So now you are ready to move onto to making two of the . . .

Dimensional Bowtie Blocks

Now if you have never made a Dimensional block before, this might be a little new. But it is no different than piecing straight seams, you just have more fabric layers in the seam.

So start by taking your yellow square and finger pressing it in half with wrong sides together. Place it on top of a purple square with right sides together and the 3 raw edges aligned at the top. Then grab a white square and place it directly on top of the purple square with right sides together. Sew a 1/4" seam along the side. Repeat to make 2 of these.

Now finger press the purple and white square outward so that your folded yellow piece is sticking out as shown. Then grab the second white and purple square and sandwich them with right sides together around the folded yellow rectangle as shown. Be sure that you have purple and white squares alternating on the top and bottom. Align the 4 raw edges on the top and side and stitch a 1/4" seam along the side. Repeat this step for both units.

Again, finger press the purple and white square outward so that your folded yellow piece is now in the middle as shown. Now fold the center inwardand align all of the seams in the center. The yellow piece in the middle will not be flat. Pin the center seam. Repeat for both units.

When sewing this seam, it is easier if you just worry about half of the seam at a time. So start by aligning the folded yellow triangle with the raw edges of the purple and white square on the left hand side. Be sure that your edges are aligned and the left side of the yellow triangle is lying flat for at least 1/4" from the edge. You might have to fiddle with this a bit, but just keep trying to smooth it to align to the top. Stitch a 1/4" seam from the left hand side to the center seam.

Then remove the unit from your machine and align the folded yellow triangle with the raw edges of the purple and white square on the right hand side. Again, be sure that your edges are aligned and the yellow triangle is lying flat for at least 1/4" . Stitch a 1/4" seam from the center to the right hand side of the top of the unit. Repeat this for both blocks.

Now press the seam open, you will have to flatten the yellow part as it is sewn into the seam. Then gently pull on the center of the yellow diamond to give it the cool dimensional look. Repeat for both blocks.

And now you have made two very neat Dimensional Bowtie Blocks that should measure 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" unfinished.

So now you are ready to move onto the last set of blocks, the . . .

Carolina Lily Block

We will start by making some Half Square Triangles. So draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each of your two white 4" squares. Place each onto a purple 4" square with right sides together aligning the raw edges. Sew a 1/4" seam on either side of the drawn line on both units.

Then cut on the drawn line of both units and press the 4 Half Square Triangles towards the purple. Trim the dog ears from the sides of the 4 HST's.

Now, cut each of the 4 HST's in half diagonally to create 8 two color triangle units. There will be 4 side triangles and 4 top triangles.

Place a side triangle onto a 3 1/4" white square with right sides together as shown aligning the bottom and side raw edges. Sew a 1/4" seam along the side and then press towards the white square. Then place the top triangle onto the white square with right sides together as shown aligning the top and side raw edges. Sew a 1/4" seam along the side and then press the seam open. Trim the little dog ear at the center of the long side. Repeat to make 4 units total.

Now we will add the orange triangle to make the corners of the blocks. Place a pieced triangle onto an orange triangle with right sides together aligning the raw edges. Pin and sew a 1/4" seam along the long side. Note - when you sew the seam at the center, if you cross directly where the white and purple fabrics meet at a point you will get a perfect point in the front, even if that means you need to stray from 1/4" for a tiny bit ;) Then press the seam towards the orange triangle and trim the two dog ears. Repeat to make 4 corner units.

Now layout your 4 Corner Units, 4 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" white rectangles, and your green 3 1/2" square as shown.

Sew the pieces into rows. To do this, simply place the center piece in each row onto the first piece in each row with right sides together and then a 1/4" seam along the edge. Repeat for the last piece in each row so that all three rows are sewn together.

Press the top and bottom row inwards towards the white rectangles. Press the center row outwards towards the white rectangles.

And finally, place the center row onto the top row with right sides together. Pin or next the center seams. Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge. Then repeat that same process for the bottom row. Press the two seams open and you are done.

And you have a beautiful Carolina Lily Block that should measure 14 1/2" x 14 1/2" unfinished.

And all that is left is to sew these blocks into Two Block Sections!! So for

Section 1

So to start, layout your two Bowtie Blocks, the Daisy and Mr. Frog Block, and one 4-Color Block as shown below.

Place the second Bowtie block onto the first with right sides together. Align and pin the center seam. Stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge. Press the seam open.

Now place the Daisy and Mr. Frog block onto the Bowtie Blocks with right sides together. Align and pin the raw edges. Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge and press the seam open.

Finally, place the 4 Color Block onto the rest of the block with right sides together as shown. Align and pin the center seam. Sew a 1/4" seam along the edge and press the seam open.

And Section 1 is complete!!!

And that leaves us with

Section 2

Layout a 4 Color Block and the Carolina Lily Block as shown.

Place the Carolina Lily block onto the 4 Color Block with right sides together. Align and pin the raw edges and seams. Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge. Again, when sewing, if you cross your seam directly across the bottom of the fabric or thread V's in the seam allowance, you will get a perfect point in the front, even if that means you need to stray from 1/4" for a tiny bit ;) Press the seam open.