Hello!! Sharon here! You know it must be the first Monday of the month because we have a new quilt block tutorial ready for you. I hope you will be as excited for this month's block as you were for last month's block.
In case you missed the announcement in January, I will give you a little recap. On the first Monday of each month, I will teach one quilt block pattern. You have until the last Monday of the month to sew your quilt block(s) and enter them into the album in our Facebook group, Whimsical Fabric & Me, and/or blog about your quilt blocks and link up your blog post in our link party (see below).
This months block is a Pinwheel block made only out of squares. I find them easy to sew and there are no angles to cut or sew. We will be sewing only straight lines, sewing our blocks together, cutting, resewing, cutting again, and sewing again. It's lots of fun!
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| This month's prize is a Sweetcakes Charm Bundle. |
Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album, will count as one entry into our monthly drawing. If you make two blocks, that is two entries. Make four blocks, that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing each month.
In addition to the prize giveaway on the Facebook group, we also have a monthly Link Up Party. Blog about your entry and link up your post and you will automatically be entered to win a second prize.
Note: You CAN enter both giveaways to increase your chances of winning!
Supply List:
*quilter mat
* rotary cutter
*quilter's ruler
*fabric marker
*your long scrap fabric pieces
1. First we will cut out our blocks. I have the block pictured above as a reference for what colors and size blocks we will need. To make this month's block you will need to make two blocks at the same time.
To Make Two Quilt Blocks You Need:
(2) 3½" squares in a light color
(2) 3½" squares blocks in a dark color
(4) dark or light 3" square
(Note: I have more of the bigger size blocks pictured below. I got cutting happy.)
Cut all of these out using your quilter's mat and rotter cuter.
2. Place your dark 3½" squares down with the right side up and your light colored 3½" squares right down so that the right sides are facing each other. (Again, you only need two of these total, as opposed to my four.) Mark the center of the square going from one corner to the opposite corner. I have a directional print on my blocks, so I turned mine a different direction for half.
3. Stitch to the left of the center line with a 1/4" seam allowance.
Without cutting off the first block continue to sew the second block in the same manner as the first. (This is why I had cut extra blocks, so I could sew them all at once.)
4. Flip the blocks over and sew at 1/4" allowance again on the other side of the center mark you made, like in step 3.
5. Take your quilt mat and rotary cutter and cut right down the center line to create two triangles. Repeat with the second block.
6. Press the seam to the dark color side of the block to create a square block of two colors. Repeat with the three other two colored squares you just made.
7. Trim off the small triangle piece to make a nice square block on each of the two color blocks you just made.
8. Place the 3" square over the triangle block with the right sides facing. Draw a line from corner to the opposite corner down the center making an X with the center seam of the two color block underneath. (Always check before you sew as well. Ask me how I know you should always double check this. Ha!)
This is the upper block pulled back at the center line that I drew so you can see the under block's placement better.
9. Sew down each side of the center mark with a 1/4" seam allowance as you did before in step 3 and 4. I have some over hang on my first blocks compared to the top block so here I trim it nice and even.
10. Using your quilting ruler and rotary cutter, cut down the center line making two triangle pieces again. Repeat with the rest of your blocks.
11. Press the seam towards the whole triangle side on each of your blocks.
12. Below is a picture of the blocks that you should have at this point. Separate them into two rows so that each row has the four matching blocks in it. One row will have a light color small triangle on the top and the second row will have a dark colored small triangle on the top. It is important that these be separate to make the pinwheel blocks.
13. Choose only one of these two rows to work with on the next few steps. Place the four blocks in a pinwheel pattern just like the one pictured below. I find it very helpful to keep my blocks placed out in the correct order for the sewing steps.
14. Take the top row right block and fold it over the top left block. Be careful that you keep the two centers of the the blocks together. Pin on the center side only (the right side in the picture below); sew with a 1/4" seam.
15. Repeat step 14 with the two bottom blocks; be sure that the center of the blocks stay together and are sewn.
16. Press the top seam towards right and the bottom seam towards left. This will help our blocks "lock" at the center seam when we sew than together on the next step so we have a nice centered point.
17. Now with your blocks laid out as the picture in step 15, fold over your top set of blocks so that they face right sides together, with the center of the blocks at the top. Sew with the 1/4" seam allowance, then press your seam to one side.
18. Trim your block up nice and square. Then repeat with the steps 13-18 with your second block.
Your blocks will look something like this when you are done, two matching blocks that have the dark and light small blocks reversed. We now have fun pinwheel blocks! I find these very addictive to sew. I love to use them as table runners and coasters as well.
After you have sewn all your blocks together for this month please go over to our Facebook Group and share each of your blocks in our April Quilt Along Album for a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing! You have until Monday, April 25 at 12:00 pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks.
Link Up Party
In addition, if you blog, write up a short blog post about your quilt-along block(s) and link up your post in our Link Up Party. The button is located below. In addition:
1. Grab the April graphic, share it in your blog post, and link it back to this post here to let all of your followers know you are partying with us.
2. Share about your blog post on all your favorite social media outlets.
Note: We will be sure to visit and comment on your blog. We love interacting with our followers!
Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make. Make as many or few as you would like.
Happy Sewing!
Sharon
Thank you again for this challenge. I'm really enjoying this.
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