This four patch has a twist or two.
Here is the tutorial for 4 Slices Please
Make a simple 4 patch block. I used 6 1/2" squares for mine.
Press your seams towards the dark fabric when sewing your first blocks together. Use steam so they lie flat.
Find the 1 1/4" marking on your ruler and lay that on the centre seam. Make one cut from one side to the other.
Turn the block (use a rotary cutting mat to make it easier) and do the same on the other side.
You will have two cuts!
Pick up the centre piece and turn it 1/2 way around. In other words, put the top at the bottom. You do this so the seams will butt against each other.
Take the piece on the left and put it on the right.
Take the piece on the right and put it on the left.
You want opposite fabrics touching each other.
Sew the sections together.
Press well!
Lay the block on your cutting mat again. Lay it so that the centre of the block is lying with the centre horizontally as in the photo below.
Use your ruler the same way you did with the first cut. 1 1/4" marking on the seam.
Make your first cut, turn the block and make the second cut.
Your block will look like this
Move the large outer piece of fabric from left to right and the other from right to left. The same as the first time you did your cut.
This time check to see if your seams butt against each other. If they don't, take the two side pieces to your ironing board and change the direction of the seams. You want the seams to butt so you get a nice neat centre.
Pin and then sew the two strips together.
This will be your finished block.
It now measures 10 1/2" x 10 1/2"
It will not matter the size of the four patch blocks. You can do 5 1/2", 6 1/2", 7 1/2".....always use
1 1/4" for the cut.
The centre is suppose to look like postage stamp blocks that you were really struggling with!
TIP:// Make sure the seams are in opposite directions so they butt neatly against each other
TIP:// Use a pin where the seams butt to hold the pieces together. I find by pinning the fabric doesn't shift and you get a perfect join every time.
TIP:// If you know you won't be able to work on all the blocks in one day, snap a photo of the four patch. To have all the blocks end up the same, you have to start the same.
Oh, I guess you would like to see the final block
The centre of the block looks like postage stamp squares. I had no idea what would happen, but I do like the looks of this block. I'm thinking I may change the pattern I designed for Morgan's quilt.
Stay tuned!
If you want to print this off, check out the bottom of the page.
Click on the little lime green print friendly icon.
Yesterday was my gardening
Today belongs to Karl
This is his garden..........all vegetables.
We own 1/4 acre of land and the garden is 2400 sq. feet. We have root vegetables, tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peas, beans........and way back, behind the trees, we have a cold frame with our lettuce. It is all grown organically............and it has been organic since long before that was the word of the day.
