August

Grandmother's Puzzle

Tips & Hints

This block is a 10" block. (That is - 10 1/2" unfinished.) Use lights and darks that speak to you of your grandmother's wallpaper and carpets. Use scrappy ecru-on-ecru fabrics for the background (my graphic looks more like tans because those were the colors in the palette that I had to work with). Refer to the quilt graphic below for block layout ideas. These are only suggestions. Use your creativity. Think grandma!!

This block is a little more complicated to construct than usual. Cut 5 2 1/2" squares, 4 should be of one of your darker fabrics and one will be the square in the center of your block. Cut 2 7/8" squares of ecru-on-ecru fabric. Cut these squares in half diagonally. Sew a short side of each triangle to two ajoining sides of two of the squares, following the graphic for correct placement. You should have a triangle that measures approximately 4 7/8" on the short sides when finished. Cut 2 4 7/8" squares of one of your darker fabrics. Cut them in half diagonally. Sew one of the 2 triangle units to each of these triangles. The resulting squares should measure 4 1/2" by 4 1/2". Trim them to this size if necessary.

Cut two more 2 7/8" squares, this time from one of your lighter fabrics (not ecru-on-ecru). Cut them in half diagonally. Sew 2 of the resulting triangles to the sides of your center square. Sew this to one of your dark triangles, trimming the resulting square to 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" if necessary. Cut four rectangles 2 1/2" by 4 1/2" from various ecru-on-ecru fabrics. Following the graphic for placement, sew the short side of a rectangle to the side of a dark square, repeat. Sew another rectangle to the side of a dark triangle unit, following the graphic for placement. Sew this unit to a rectangle and square unit. The resulting unit should measure 6 1/2" by 6 1/2". Sew the two 4 1/2" by 4 1/2" units to ajoining side of the unit, starting at the outer edge of the block and leaving 1/2" open at the end of the seam, referring to the graphic for correct placement.

Sew the remaining two lighter small triangles to the other two sides of the center square, being careful not to catch the open seam. Sew the last darker large triangle to the longer sides of the lighter triangles. If everyone as confused as I am by now?? Sew an ecru-on-ecru rectangle to the side of the dark triangle, following the graphic for placement. Sew the last rectangle and square unit to the other side. Now sew the remaining unit to the sides of the dark triangles, being careful not to catch the seam that was left open. Finally sew the remaining seams, beginning where the seam was left open and ending exactly at the seam allowance. This is a set-in seam and simply can't be pieced any other way. I hope I've explained this well enough. I'm writing the directions from my computer with a pen and paper by my side to sketch on, not from my sewing machine. I would appreciate any comments and tips as you ladies try to piece this block.

Press all seams toward the darker fabric if possible. Your block should measure 10 1/2" by 10 1/2" unfinished. Measure often as you assemble the block to assure you have 1/4" seams.

If you have questions or comments, post a note to the bulletin board or email Squirrel or Azpatch . Blocks will be due by August 28th.