Tuning My Heart Quilts by Debra Davis - Tuning My Heart Quilts, LLC
We Can Build A Snowman A Block of the Month Program by Debra Davis Tuning My Heart Quilts, LLC Block 10: Ain t it Thrilling Finished Size 12" x 12" This month s block is based upon the block Best of All which first appeared in 1906 in a publication called Practical Needlework. It is also known as Christmas Star, and it does remind me of stars. It does give me a thrill to look up at night and see all of the stars, so that is the name I have chosen for this block. For this block we will be using Fabrics 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 11 and whatever fabric you are using for the snowman appliqué. Fabric requirements for the entire quilt can be found at www.tuningmyheart.com In the cutting directions you will see which fabric to use and what piece to cut from that fabric. Before cutting, I like to starch my fabrics. Labeling your pieces as you cut them is also a good habit to get into that will help you stay organized as you put your blocks together. Remember to check out the video tutorials on my website if you are new to machine appliqué or embroidery at www.tuning-my-heart.com/we-can-build-a-snowman-bom Happy Quilting! 1
Cutting Directions From Fabric 1 cut: I-(cut 1) 4½ x 4½ From Fabric 2 cut: E-(cut 1) 5½ x 5½ From Fabric 3 cut: G-(cut 2) 3½ x 3½ From Fabric 4 cut: H-(cut 4) 3⅛ x 3⅛ From Fabric 5 cut: C-(cut 4) 3 x 3 From Fabric 11 cut: A-(cut 8) 2½ x 2½ B-(cut 4) 3 x 3 D-(cut 4) 3⅛ x 3⅛ F-(cut 2) 3½ x 3½ Color it Your Way 2
Step 1: Half-square Triangles (1) Draw a diagonal line on the back of all of the B squares. (2) Place the B squares right sides together on top of the C squares. Sew ¼ from each side of the drawn line. (3) Cut apart on the drawn line to yield two Half-square Triangles. You will have a total of eight Half-square Triangles (HST). (4) Press towards C as indicated by arrow. (5) Trim to measure 2½ x 2½. To trim make sure to lay the diagonal line of your ruler on the diagonal seam to ensure a perfectly square HST. 3
Step 2: Make the Unit 1 s (1) Lay out the Half-square Triangles with the A squares to make a four-patch unit. (2) Join together into pairs. Press towards A. (3) Join the pairs together, matching seams, to make four Unit 1 s. Press as indicated. These units measure 4½ x 4½. 4
Step 3: Flying Geese To make the Flying Geese units I like the no-waste method. There is some waste as I have cut my pieces a little large in order to trim them to the correct size. A video tutorial is available on my website at: www.tuning-my-heart.com/we-can-build-a-snowman-bom (1) Using the D and E squares, lay two D squares right sides together on top of the E square as shown. Draw a diagonal line down the middle of the D squares. (2) Sew ¼ inch from each side of the drawn line. It helps to face the top square away from the needle as you sew. (See arrow) (3) Cut apart on the drawn line and press towards the small triangles as indicated by arrows. (4) Place the remaining D squares on the units you just made and draw a diagonal line down the middle. 5
(5) Sew ¼ inch from each side of the drawn line. (6) Cut apart on the drawn line and press towards the small triangles. You will have four Flying Geese units. (7) Trim Flying Geese units to 2½ x 4½ My video tutorial has very helpful, detailed instructions if you need help with trimming to size. Line up the 2¼ mark on your ruler with the tip of the goose which is circled in the photo. You need ¼ for a seam allowance above that mark. Line up the 2½ mark where the diagonal seam comes together indicated in photo with arrow. Trim the right side and top. Rotate the unit to trim the remaining two sides. Line up the 4½ line and the 2½ line with the edges that you just trimmed. The diagonal line on your ruler will lay on the seam line now. The 2¼ mark should fall at the point of the goose again with a ¼ seam allowance beyond it. Trim. (The Bloc-Loc 2 x 4 ruler works well for these as well as Creative Grids Flying Geese Ruler.) 6
Step 4: Make Quarter-square Triangles This is very similar to making Half-square Triangles. There is just one added step to turn them into Quarter-square Triangles. (1) Using the F and G squares make 8 Half-square Triangles just like we did in Step 1. Draw the line on the back of the F squares and press towards G. Do not trim them at this point. (2) Now draw a diagonal line on the back of the H squares. (3) Place the H squares right sides together on top of the F/G HST s. The diagonal line H should go across the seam on F/G. (4) Sew ¼ from each side of the drawn line. (5) Cut apart on the drawn line and press as directed by arrows. 7
(6) I have made a video tutorial to show how to trim these. It can be found on my website under the Tutorials tab: Making Quarter-square Triangles. To trim these, line up your ruler as shown, with the diagonal line along the seam. The middle point is 1¼ and the trimmed size is 2½ x 2½. (7) Join two Quarter-square Triangles together, matching seams, as shown. A few dots from a glue stick along the edge helps to hold those diagonal seams together as you sew. (8) Press to one side. Make a total of four. These units measure 2 ½ x 4 ½. Step 5: Make the Unit 2 s Join a Flying Geese unit to one of the units made in Step 4. Press the seam as indicated by arrow. Make a total of four Unit 2 s. These measure 4 ½ x 4 ½ We will set these units aside for now. 8
Step 6: Add the Appliquè (1) Trace the pattern found on the Appliquè sheet onto the paper side of your fusible. Cut out about ¼ from the outline and fuse onto the back of your snowman fabric. Let cool completely. (2) Cut out around the shape and fuse to the front of the I square. (3) Now is a good time to trace the other elements onto the I square. I flip the Appliquè Sheet to the back and go over the lines I need with a marker. This makes it easier for me to see through the fabric for tracing. (4) Place a piece of stabilizer on the back and machine appliquè the snowman. I use a double buttonhole stitch with a 1.9 stitch length and 2.0 stitch width. Pivot as necessary to go around the shape. Always pivot with your needle in the down position. For more detailed instructions on how to machine applique visit the tutorials for this quilt on my website. 9
Step 7: Assemble the Block (1) Lay out the Unit 1 s, Unit 2 s and the I square as shown below. (2) Join together into rows, pressing as indicated. 10
(3) Join the rows together to finish the block, pressing as indicated. Step 8: Add Embroidery Details Nose: Use two strands of orange floss. Backstitch around entire nose and fill with Satin Stitch. Star: Use two strands of yellow floss. Outline and fill with Split Stitch. I used two colors of floss in my sample: DMC 742 and 743. I began with one strand of each in my needle. Each time I needed to rethread my needle after that I rotated between two strands of 742 and two strands of 743. 11
A Note about Copyright: The pattern itself is copyrighted. Basically, please do not make copies of my patterns for others in either print or digital form. I would love it if you would direct people to my website to download their own copies of my patterns-in this way you will be thanking me for my work and supporting what I provide to you. Yes, you can sell your items made from my patterns. Any physical items you create with my patterns are yours and there are no restrictions on what you can do with them. So go ahead and enter them in shows, sell them, donate them for auctions, etc. You are not required to mention Debra Davis or Tuning My Heart Quilts in any way. However, it does help me out a lot when you do. When you share the project and tell your friends about me and my quilt designs and tutorials, it helps me stay in business and support my family. I really do appreciate it when you share and let others know you found my quilting tutorials and patterns helpful. So attribution is not required, but definitely appreciated! Please pay it forward and pay it back and let me know when you create a quilt from one of my patterns. And if you tag me on Facebook @tuningmyheartquilts and if I see it I will be able to comment back to say thank you! 12
Appliquè Pattern Print this page at actual size. Check to make sure test box at the bottom of page measures 1. Pattern has been reversed for fusible appliquè. 1 inch Test 13