QAF Block of the Month

May 2008

Carrie Nation

10 1/2" (unfinished), 10" (finished)

Here is a very traditional quilt block for May, the Carrie Nation block. It's based on the easy 4-patch this time, and no triangles! And you can even use FQ in making these blocks.

We are calling for a solid black, a white or WOW, and one bright, clear color of your choice. For the colored fabric, please use either a solid or a true tone on tone texture, not just reading TOT, but with really no other colors in it. You could even use a 'solid' batik, that is just one color. Now, a note about TOT texture...fossil fern fabrics ARE usually just one color, but they are not saturated...so we are not using them or other fabrics like them this time. We are going for 'saturated color' in these pieces. See how the black and white and the saturated colors shown in the quilt picture below make for a bright, clean-lined graphic effect.

Cut for each block:

To Assemble block:

As usual, be careful to stitch with a 1/4" seam.

Little 4 patches:

Stitch a white and a black 1 3/4" strip together lengthwise. Press this strip set to the black fabric. Measure the width of your stripset, it should measure EXACTLY 3". Crosscut this stripset into 8 segments, each 1 3/4" wide. Sew these segments into little 4 patches - you will have 4 of them. Nestle the seams and you will have perfect intersections. Measure your little 4 patches. They should measure exactly 3" square.

Pair each little 4 patch with one of the white 3" squares. Press to the 4 patch. Sew these segments together into 4 patches. Press seam. Measure this 4 patch - it should measure 5 1/2".

Larger 4 patches:

Stitch a white and a colored 3" strip together lengthwise. Press this strip to the colored fabric. Measure the stripset - it should measure 5 1/2". Crosscut this stripset into 4 segments, each 3" wide. Sew these segments into 4 patch units. You will have 2 of them. Press this seam in the opposite direction from the direction you pressed the final seam of the Little 4 patches.

Now, lay out your patches like the picture above, paying attention to those diagonal lines. Stitch the top two, then the bottom two. Press the seams in opposite directions. Stitch these together, nestling seams for a perfect seam intersection. Press. You are done!

Enter lots of these bright, fun blocks!

Here is a straight ahead setting that will make a quilt 52" square: