QAF Block of the Month

January 2006

Tea Leaf

9 1/2" (unfinished) 9" (finished)

Welcome to a new year of QAF Blocks of the Month. We are starting this year with an easy, traditional block in beloved 30's reproduction fabrics.

According to Barbara Brackman's "Encyclopedia of Quilt Blocks", this Tea Leaf Block was first published in 'Modern Priscilla' in 1928, and later in 1937 by Nancy Cabot.

Fabrics for this block of the month are to be ONE good white fabric, such as Kona Cotton White or a good-quality bleached muslin, and your choice of ONE 30's reproduction print, any color. This can be one of Marcus Brothers' Aunt Grace's lines of fabric, or one of the several other lines of 30's repros that are available today. I know many of you have a stash of these fabrics, and for each block you will only need one 4" strip by less than 20" long.

Helpful notions for making this block (the ones I will use) are the 4 or 4 1/2" and the 9 1/2" or larger square up rulers.

Please feel free to open or join a discussion on the forum about these fabrics and where to buy them, or about the notions, or any other aspect of making your BOM blocks.

I think you will enjoy making this block and hope that you will make and enter many. You may make up to 3 of each print to enter for the Block of the Month drawing.

Cut for each block:

30's Repro Print:

(3) 3 1/2" squares
(2) 4" squares

White:

(2) 3 1/2" squares
(2) 4 " squares

To Assemble Block:

First make the HST (half-square triangles). Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of each of the 4" white squares. Layer them RST with the (2) 4: 30's print squares. Stitch 1/4" on each side of the diagonal line, on each set of layered squares. Cut them apart on the drawn line and press to the colored fabric. Trim with your smaller square up ruler to 3 1/2" square exactly, lining up the sewn diagonal line on the ruler's diagonal line.

Now you can lay out your patches for the block as in the block drawing above, paying attention to the direction of the diagonal lines.

Sew together in rows. Press the seams of the 1st and 3rd rows in one direction, and press row 2 in the opposite direction. Now sew the rows together, and the seams will nestle nicely for a flat block. Press your block and measure, using your larger square-up ruler. The block should measure exactly 9 1/2" square.

Here are a couple of setting ideas:

Tea Leaf Quilt 50 x 68

Tea Leaf Table Cloth 50 x 50

© 2006 Mary Evans