Well, what can I say. This is also a favourite but I think a favourite so much I’m keeping it. My kids can fight about the other two. Well, maybe I’ll make the decision although I have a daughter that reads the blog and she probably already has hers picked out. There are advantages to dropping in every once in awhile, aren’t there Kristina?
Before I begin this style I have a question for you. When was the last time you changed the needle in your sewing machine. If it has been awhile, take out a new one and insert it in your machine. Needles will dull over time and it is the cheapest thing you can do to maintain your machine. Here is a good article on sewing needles.
http://sewing.about.com/od/sewingmachineindex/ig/Sewing-Machine-Needles/
Three fabrics for this one, but you probably have already chosen your background. This is slate grey (or darn close to it) and black. This is a Stonehenge fabric and the colours vary throughout so you will sometimes see dark and sometimes light and sometimes both and sometimes a little line that you swear is a crease and it isn’t!
Fabric 1………….the grey……………2 1/2 yards OR
2.3 metres
Fabric 2…………..the black………….3/4 yard OR
.70 metres
Backing……… 3 yards OR 2.75 metres
Binding………cut 2 1/2”……./2 yard OR .35 metres
Cuts: For each block you will need 2……..2” x 9 1/2” strips
2……...2” x 12 1/2” strips
1. Cut one strip 9 1/2” and then sub-cut into 2” pieces. You should get 20 from this cutting.
Cut one strip 2” x the W.O.F*. and sub-cut 4—9 1/2” pieces
(*W.O.F. = width of fabric)
Sew the top strip and the bottom strip to each block. Sew them together using the “strip/chain piecing” method. Set the top first, then swing it around and sew all the bottom pieces on. Take all of them to the ironing board and give them a good press.
2. Cut another strip of fabric 12 1/2” and then sub-cut 2” pieces. You should get another 20 from this cutting.
When I did this cut, I left the fabric folded in half and trimmed away the selvedge as close as I could. I then started to cut 2” strips and did 10 cuts. Then I opened the fabric at the fold and cut one more strip of 2”. I cut one strip 2” by W.O.F*. and cut three 12 1/2” pieces. That gave me the 24 that I needed.
Sew these strips to the sides of each block and press. Once all the blocks are done, sew them together and then sew your rows.
This is as far as you can go. I’ll post the borders tomorrow and a final picture of the quilt. There are 4 borders. 3 very narrow ones and one cut 3 1/2” to finish it off.
Now let me confess something here. These quantities for the fabric are from EQ. I must cut differently than they think I do and I had fabric left over. I left the requirements as they came from EQ. I like left-overs.