QAF Block of the Month
August 2005
Ditzy Donuts
10 1/2" (unfinished) 10" (finished)
This month's block is not only very easy to make, it is fun, fun, fun. It uses only two pieces of fabric to yield two completed blocks. Follow the step by step instructions below to make your first set of blocks. After that, you could be making these in your sleep.
Note: It is very helpful to have a tray or clean pizza box handy to keep your cut pieces in order as you sew and press them.
Fabrics:
One 13" square
of bright dots, spots or circles print
One 13" square of coordinating Tone on Tone (TOT)
To begin, layer both squares together (right sides facing UP) on your cutting
board.
You will be cutting 'wonky' strips off of these layered blocks. How 'wonky' is up to you. For each cut strip, your ruler will be placed on the fabric at an angle. Approximately 3" or LESS at the wide end and 1/2" or MORE at narrow end works best with this size block. Your wide end can be at the right side OR left side, top OR bottom. This is your choice. The pictured samples are just suggested cuts.
Cutting order:
Basically, beginning at the outside of the layered blocks and working toward the inside, you will be cutting strips from Top, Bottom, then Sides. You will repeat these cuts once more (Top, Bottom, Sides). That's the short version, but to make it easy, here are the step by step instructions. And to make it even easier, we are including illustrations, too.
1.) Using your ruler and rotary cutter, cut a tilted 'wonky' strip from the top of your layered fabric sandwich, then move that strip up and about 2" away from the main block of fabric. This gives you room to cut other strips off. Do not separate the strip layers.
Cut another 'wonky' strip from the bottom of your layered fabric sandwich. Move that strip layer down and about 2" away from the remaining uncut block.
2.) Cut 'wonky strips from both sides of the layered fabric sandwich. Move these strip layers to either side away from the remaining uncut block. These first 4 strips are your outer ring.
3.) You will now cut another 'wonky' strip from both the top and the bottom of the remaining uncut center block. Move these 'wonky' strip layers about 1" from center uncut block.
4.) You will now cut 'wonky' strips again from both sides of remaining center uncut block. Move these strip layers about 1" from your center block. These are the last cuts and will form the inner ring or 'donut'.
Revealing the Donut:
1.) Leave the 'center' of the donut (the last remaining piece of uncut block) right where it is.
2.) Pick up the closest Left side strip layers (inner ring sides) and bring the back fabricsto the front. Set these strip layers down next to the Left side of donut center. Repeat with the closest Right side strip layers, bringing back fabric to the front and placing next to the Right side of donut center.
3.) Pick up the closest Top strip layers (inner ring top), bring back fabric to the front and set this strip layer next to the top of the donut center.
4.) Repeat with the closest bottom strip layer (inner ring bottom). You will now have a center of one color fabric surrounded with top, bottom and sides of your alternate color fabric.
5.) Without separating layers, move the outer side strips, then the outer
top and bottom strips so that they are next to the inner ring or donut. You
can now see what one of the blocks will look like. The second block with
reversed colors is hidden underneath.
Carefully move the layered block pieces off of your cutting board to your tray or clean pizza box, being careful to keep the pieces in order. You are now ready to assemble your blocks.
Block Assembly: The short version is that you will be sewing everything back together in the reverse order of how you cut the strips. Sew inner sides to center, then inner top and bottom to that unit. Press and trim. You will repeat once more with outer strips (sides, top etc., etc.)
Here are the step by step instructions--lots of words, but very easy to do:
You can carefully separate your strip layers now, laying each top layer piece out in order to duplicate the bottom block. The sewing instructions are for one layer only. You will repeat for the second block layer. (On both blocks you will always press seams toward the dots fabric.)
1.) First sew inner Side pieces to the center. Press toward the Dots fabric. Trim any dog-ears. This unit will not need much trimming at all.
2.) Center the inner Top strip RST with center unit. This strip will extend about 1/2" at each end. Sew, press to Dots fabric. Don't trim yet.
3.) Center and sew the inner Bottom strip RST with center unit. Press to Dots fabric. Now that the Bottom strip is sewn on, align your ruler with the center unit and trim off the extending ends of top and bottom strips from each side.
4.) Center outer Right side piece RST with right side of center unit. Sew. Press to Dots fabric. Repeat with outer Left side. Sew and press to Dots fabric. When both outer Side pieces are sewn on, align ruler with center unit and trim extending ends from both bottom and top. (Almost done.)
5.) Center outer Top strip RST over top of now growing center unit. Sew. Press to Dots fabric. Repeat with outer Bottom strip. Once again, align ruler with center unit and trim extending ends.
6.) Using a square up ruler, trim the block to a perfect 10-1/2". One block done and one to go!
7.) Repeat the above 6 steps with your already laid out alternate fabrics. You will now have completed two very wonky 'Ditzy Donut' blocks!
....
You may make up to 2 pairs of blocks in the same fabrics.
See sample quilts below:
The sample quilt pictured here is one example of what you can do with your own collection of 'Ditzy Donut' blocks. The matched pair of blocks is stacked face up. Cut in half from top to bottom, then again from one side to the other. Both blocks are now quartered. Bring two diagonal quarter-blocks from the bottom to the top. Now re-assemble the top 4 quarters into one block and the bottom 4 quarters into a second block. These two blocks (after trimming and squaring up) will measure 9-1/2" (unfinished) each.