Tips & Tricks ~ April 2011

**REPOSTING** Blogger and I have had some issues this month and my original post was deleted….ugh! So, I am reposting it in hopes it stays this time!

Happy April! Have you had any April showers, yet? Believe it or not, here in New York, we are getting a big Nor'easter as I type this – crazy, huh?

Sew, it’s April, and a new month brings us a new Tips & Tricks block, yay! Honesty is important, sew I’ll let ya know, I am a bit under the weather as I put this tute together for you. Here is my disclaimer: the cold medicine I’m taking may result in wonky instructions. If you find such wonkiness, just let me know and I’ll fix it. Thanks for your understanding {hugs}.

Our block this month is called “A Dandy” and I found it on here on Quilter’s Cache. Instead of the patriotic colors they used, I went for more of a traditional scrappy look, again, pulling fabrics from my stash.

Let’s pull out some fabrics:

· Lights: 4 each 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” rectangles, 2 each 5” squares and 1 each 4 1/2” square

· Medium (my red): 4 each 2 1/2” x 4 1/2” rectangles

· Dark (my greens): 8 each 2 1/2” squares and 2 each 5” squares

Take out the 5” squares and as described in the March T&T block posting, make four half square triangles (HSTs). Briefly, mark your sewing lines of the back of the light squares

Match up the light squares with the dark squares, right sides together

Sew on the sewing lines,

cut apart along point to point and press.

I press toward the dark fabric.

Trim up to 4 1/2” square. Set aside.

Have you sewn flying geese before? I actually have used a fancy new fun method, and then due to this silly bronchitis, promptly forgot to do it when making my block! Sew, that method will will wait a bit. Today, I am making flying geese using the flip and sew technique I showed you in the January T&T block posting. Pull out your 8 2/12” dark squares and the 4 medium rectangles.

First, mark the backs of all the squares from point to point as shown. This is your sewing line.

Place this square, right side down, onto a rectangle as shown

Sew a scant thread line next to the drawn line. That’ll give you some wiggle room when you fold over the resulting triangle.

Before removing the unit from your machine, swing it around and sew another seam 5/8” away toward the outside from the first seam.

This is what you should have….

Trim 1/4” away from the first seam line and viola!

Instead of wasting that corner of fabric, you now have an cute little extra HST to use somewhere else in our quilt top. Save it and we’ll see where we can put it later. Next, press your medium fabric outward as shown:

Repeat this now of the other side of the rectangle

Once pressed open, you have a flying geese unit. It should measure 2 1/2” x 4 1/2”. Repeat to make three more.

   Layout these flying geese with the light rectangles.

I pressed toward the light fabric to reduce bulk. Trim to 4 1/2” square.

Layout your block

I pieced mine by working in rows first, then putting the rows together. Of course, I have some tips for this.

Turn over the unit that contains the flying geese. See where the “x” forms at the top and sides of the triangle? That’s an important intersection.

When you’re piecing this unit to another, make sure your seams is just a threads width away from that intersection, toward to outside edge.

Most directions call for this seam to go right thru this “X” perfectly in the center, but I find that the treads width away gives me just the right amount of space needed to get the perfect point once the seam is pressed. See my nice point below?

Sew, piece your rows and then your rows into a 12 1/2” unfinished block.Here’s is mine:

And here are my extra HSTs ready to trim and stash away for when I’m ready to put them into the quilt top.

Woo hoo – block #4 is done!!!  Please post your blocks in the Tips & Tricks photo album (or my crickets studio blog flickr group) and show off your blocks! Also, watch for a another 6” bonus block mid-month….

Oops – just saw that I didn’t separate out all my tips for you – they are in there, I promise! Kinda like when we hide veggies in our meals to fool the kids – they get ‘em, they just don’t know it!

Thanks for sewing with me!

©2011, Carrie Graziano, crickets studio