QAF Block of the Month

April 2006

Whirlygig

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

QAF's April Block of the Month is a Whirlygig. It's made of two easy and recognizable parts - a 4-Patch and some quarter-square triangle (QST) units.

For this block lottery, we'll use clear, bright colors, and a black and a white fabric, such as Kona solid cottons. The colors should be tone on tones (TOT) - a med. to dark and a lighter shade of the same color - there needs to be some contrast so you can tell it's a 4-patch, yet not so dark it gets mixed up with the black.. You may also use TOT or solid-type Batiks.

If you are a strip swapper on QAF, you might find just the thing in your strips. You may make up to 3 of the same color combo for this swap.

Cut for each block:

Black: (1) 5 3/4" square
White: (1) 5 3/4" square

Color - lighter tone: (2) 3 5/8" squares
Color - darker tone: (2) 3 5/8" squares

To Assemble Block:

4-Patch: Place one lighter and one darker tone colored square RST and stitch one side. Repeat with the other two squares. Press to the darker (or press seams open). Sew these two units together as in the above picture. Press up, down, or press seam open. Square this 4 patch unit up to exactly 6 3/4". This is one of the two very important steps!

Quarter Square Triangles: For this block you will need these (4) QST units to ALL have the same orientation, i.e., black on the left, white on the right (as in the picture above) when being attached to the sides of the 4 patch. We are going to teach you a new tip for making 4 QST from two squares, so that you will get 4 identical units.

Draw a diagonal line on the back of the white 5 3/4" square, in one direction and then in the other direction, like a big X. Place it RST with the black 5 3/4" square. Sew a SCANT 1/4" to the right of one of the lines from the center line to the outside edge of the square. Rotate the squares and repeat this exercise 3 more times. Your diagonal lines now have stitching a scant 1/4" from the drawn lines, but radiating out from the center to the edge, and only on the right side of each line. Cut apart on the drawn lines. You now have (4) QST, and their fabrics are all in the same orientation. Press carefully to the black. The long edge of this unit is on the bias, so handle carefully, do not stretch it.

Place one QST right sides together (RST) with your 4-patch block, aligning the seams. Your triangle unit will have bunny ears sticking out past the edge of the 4 patch. (They should stick out the same amount on each side.) You will trim these off when you square up your block.

When you sew this seam, sew with the bias edge on the bottom. You may wish to use a pin to keep the seams matched up as you sew. Sew the first one, then sew the one on the opposite edge of the 4 patch, then the other two, remembering to stitch with a scant 1/4" seam, and with the triangles on the bottom. This is a good time to slow down your sewing machine and stitch carefully. Press seams outwards. Square up block to 9 1/2".

This is a neat block for a secondary pattern, and for this swap, we've chosen black and white for that secondary pattern, with hopes that all the bright colors will work for the winner, with the cool black and white pinwheels you will find in your finished quilt!

Here are some setting suggestions:

© 2006 Mary Evans