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Make a Spool block from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to make the 7th block in our 9 Patch Sampler.  We are going to make a Spool block using our Charm Squares.

The spool is so called because it is designed to look like a spool of thread.  With more experience, you will be able to vary the size and shape of the spool, but for today, we will stay with our 4.5″ squares made into a 9 patch.

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

The Spool is the first block where  we will be introducing another fabric to our 9 patches – I have called it OTHER so I now have, DARK, LIGHT and OTHER.  It is simply an accent fabric that will add to the design.  I am using Black and you can see that it represents the thread on the spool.

Dark: 4 x 5″ squares – 2 are left at 5″ and the other 2 are trimmed to 4.5″

Light:  4 x 5″ squares – 2 are left at  5″ and the other 2 are trimmed to 4.5″

Other:  1 x 5″ square – trimmed to 4.5″ (this is the thread on the spool)

LET”S SEW:

  1.  Take the two 5″ Dark and Light and make  4 HST’s
  • diagonal line
  • scant 1/4″ either side of line
  • cut between the lines
  • trim to 4.5″ and press OR press and trim to 4.5″

2.  Sew a 4.5″ Light either side of the 4.5″ Other

YOU NOW HAVE :

  • 2 x 4.5″ Dark
  • 4 x 4.5″ HSTs
  • Light – Other – Light

3. Organise your squares:

4.  Sew your 9 Patch.  Take care to match the joins carefully to finish the spool.

 

5.  Press and add it to your growing samples.

Make a Spool Block from Charm Squares

Thank you for sharing your photos to our Facebook page Nanny Sews and Crafts – it is fun to see how different each block looks with the different fabric choices!

 

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Contrary Wife Quilt Block from Charm Squares

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For all the ‘contrary’ wives out there today we will make a Contrary Wife quilt block from charm squares.

Contrary Wife Quilt Block

WHAT YOU NEED:

LIGHT:  5 x 5″ squares

DARK: 4 x 5″ squares

 

 

LET’S SEW:

Nanny Note:   if you need more detailed instructions just follow the links for a quick reminder!

  1.  Take 3 LIGHT and 2 Dark squares and trim them to 4.5″
  2. Take 2 LIGHT and 2 DARK and make HST’s
  • diagonal line
  • scant 1/4″ either side of line
  • cut between the lines
  • trim  to 4.5″and press OR press and trim to 4,5″

3.  Organise your squares:

 

4. Sew your 9 patch and press.

Contrary Wife Quilt Block
Contrary Wife Quilt Block

How did you go with the Contrary wife?  Are you feeling a little contrary now?  I must admit when I saw the name of this block, I imagined a  frustrated quilter ( maybe with little ones crying “Whats for dinner?”) trying to make sense of her squares and HSTs and getting flustered – maybe she was having problems with her corners or maybe her directional fabrics!

Whatever it was, we have been left with a fun block in her memory!

 

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Friendship Star from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to use the same combination of squares and HSTs as we did for the Shoo Fly block, to make a Friendship Star from charm squares.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Dark:  3 x 5″ squares

Light:  6 x 5″ squares

LET’S SEW:

  1. Trim 1 Dark and 4 Lights to 4.5″ squares

2.  Take the remaining 2 Dark and 2 Light and make HSTs

  • diagonal line
  • scant 1/4″ either side of line
  • cut between the lines
  • trim and press OR press and trim

3.  Organise your squares

 

4.  Sew and press your 9 patch  Friendship Star.

You are a STAR,  friend!

Let’s take a look at our blocks so far:

(I had to use 2 Friendship Stars to fill the space!)

 

Next week we will move on to more combinations of squares, strips and HSTs.  I hope you are enjoying the blocks.

Until next time

Nanny xx

Make a Shoo Fly Block from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to make a Shoo Fly Block from charm squares.  Shoo Fly is a common block used in quilting.

WHAT YOU NEED:

Dark:  3 x 5″ squares

Light:  6 x 5″ squares

Nanny Note:  You will notice that I have used a directional fabric here, but because it is a busy print, I wasn’t concerned that it would spoil the effect of the block.  

LET’S SEW:

  1.   Trim 4 Light and 1 Dark  to 4.5″ squares
  2.   Take the remaining 2 Dark and 2 Light and make Half Square Triangles
  • diagonal line
  • scant 1/4″ either side of line
  • cut between the lines
  • trim and press OR press and trim

3.  Press toward the Dark

4.  Organise your squares

Nanny Note: I could have turned the 4.5″ squares to make it all directional but did it this way to demonstrate the difference.  If it offends you aesthetically, make sure you have them all facing the same direction!

5.  Sew and press your 9 Patch

Shoo Fly

Now, as that was so easy, I am going to post another block  this week using the same recipe!

Until next time

Nanny xx

 

Make Half Square Triangles from Charm Squares

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Today we are going to make a Variation of the 9 patch .  We will make Half Square Triangles from Charm Squares and add them to the 9 patch.  This will add more variety to our 9 Patch Sampler.

 

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • 4 x 5″ squares  Dark and
  • 5 x 5″ squares Light

LET’S SEW!

We are now going to make a Half Square Triangle – this is another shape that is used in many quilting designs and with careful measuring, stitching and trimming you will have no troubles!

1.   Take one Dark and one Light and on the wrong side of the Light, draw in the diagonal.

2.  Place it right sides together with the remaining Dark and stitch a scant 1/4″ either side of the line.

3.  Cut between the lines

 

You now have two half square triangles! That was easy wasn’t it!

4.  Now comes the trimming:

To make it easier, I have placed masking tape along the 45 degree line on my rule.

Nanny note:  I am going to show you two methods of trimming – you might like to try both and decide which works best for you!

Method 1

Take one of the triangles and place your rule so that:

  • the 45 degree line is along the stitching line so you can just see the stitching
  • the 4.5″ line on the rule is running down the left and meeting the other 4.5″ line at the bottom left .

Now trim along the edge that is showing (top right – sorry I already trimmed)

Press seam towards the dark and you should have a 4.5″ square.

Method 2

Press the seam towards the dark

Place the rule 45 degree line along the seam, moving it along till you can see 4.5″ both ways – mine runs down the left side and along the bottom and meet where they meet the 45 degree line. (see the green pencil)

 

Trim the 2 sides – top and right

Turn the square around and repeat the process to square it up.

This trimming is an important part of quilting – we keep squaring, trimming and checking as we go and this results in blocks that go together easily and end up the size we are after!

5.  Trim the other squares  3 Dark and 4 Light to 4.5″ squares

6.  Organise the squares:

Nanny note:  

When you join a half square triangle to another square, you will notice that the diagonal does not join into the corner of the other square – dont panic!  That is what is supposed to happen- it is the 1/4″ seam allowance for when you join to the next row.

 

Nanny note – pressing:  when you join a HST (Half Square Triangle) to another square ,  press so that the seams including the diagonal seam lie flat even if it means it will be towards the light square.

Sew and press your 9 patch.

Well done!

Next week we will continue using charm squares, strips and Half Square Triangles to make variations of the 9 patch to add to our Sampler.  Don’t forget to show us your blocks – I’m loving the different fabric choices!

Until next time

Nanny xx

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