Tricia's Favorite Block Tutorials -- Block 6 ECCENTRIC STAR

Here we are on Block 6 already. 

Just so you know, I am planning 12 blocks in my "Tricia's Favorite Block Tutorials" series.  After the 12 tutorials, I will post a fun sampler quilt featuring the 12 blocks along with the instructions.  So let's keep moving!

In case you've missed them, here are the first 5 blocks:

Block 1 -- Shoo Fly

Block 2 -- Courthouse Steps

Block 3 -- Flying Geese

Block 4 -- Rail Fence

Block 5 -- Electric Fan

Block 6 is

 ECCENTRIC STAR

 

Isn't it a fun block?

The Eccentric Star block is a Nine Patch variation.  I looked around for some historical information about this block but came up empty-handed.  Does anyone know the origin of this block?


Here's what you need:

4 dark squares 4 7/8" x 4 7/8"

1 dark square 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

4 light squares 4 7/8" x 4 7/8"

Let's get started:

1.  Layer a 4 7/8" dark square right sides together with a light 4 7/8" square.  Draw a line from one corner to the opposite corner diagonally.

2.  Sew 1/4" away from both sides of the drawn line.

3.  Cut apart on the line.   Voila!  You have 2 half square triangle blocks (HSTs).

4.  Repeat steps 1-3 to make a total of 8 HSTs.

5.  Sew 3 HST's together, turning blocks as shown.  Make 2 rows.

6.  Sew a dark 4 1/2" square between 2 HST's.  Make 1 row.

7.  Sew the rows together to make an Eccentric Star block.

And you are done!  Stay tuned for Block #7 coming soon.

Tricia's Favorite Block Tutorials -- Block 4 RAIL FENCE

If you missed the first 3 blocks in my Favorite Block Tutorial series, here they are:

Block 1 -- Shoofly

Block 2 -- Courthouse Steps

Block 3 -- Flying Geese

Now that you're all caught up, let's make Block 4 -- RAIL FENCE.  Rail Fence was one of the first quilt blocks that I ever made.  Mine only had 3 strips whereas this block has 4 strips in each section.

As you know, I like to add a bit of Quilt History to my Block Tutorial posts.  Have you ever wondered where the names for quilt blocks came from?  I have always found this subject fascinating.  Blocks were named for people, special events, political figures and events, common everyday things and activities -- just about anything you can imagine! 

Have you ever noticed that quilt blocks can have a lot of different names, though?  I find that even more fascinating because people in different places were creating the same quilt blocks and calling them something different, based on their own experiences. When quilt block names were published in magazines and newspaper, even more names were added to the list.  For example, look at the Churn Dash block.  It is also known as Monkey Wrench, Puss in the Corner, Love Knot, Hole in the Barn Door, Sherman's March, Indian Hammer, Fisherman's Reel, and several other names.

If you find this as interesting as me, you might want to check out Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.  It is an amazing resource with thousands of pieced quilt blocks, their names, and even the publications they appeared in.  It can be hard to find, so if you are an Electric Quilt user, you should invest in BlockBase, which is a digital version of Barbara Brackman's book.  BlockBase doesn't include all the blocks in the book, but it does have a great selection.

Sew, let's get started on Block #4 -- Rail Fence.

 For a 12" finished block, you will need the following:

4 background rectangles 2" x 6 1/2"
4 light rectangles 2" x 6 1/2"
4 medium rectangles 2" x 6 1/2"
4 dark rectangles 2" x 6 1/2"

(For this block I chose to go with a monochromatic color scheme, but you can make this block as scrappy as you want because anything goes.)

1.  Sew a background, light, medium, and dark 2" x 6 1/2" strip together.  Make 4 units.

2.  Sew the 4 units together into a 4 Patch block, turning units as shown.

And that's it!  This a great beginner block, but it has a lot of possibilities for more experienced quilters, too.

 

Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

 

 

Tricia's Favorite Block Tutorials -- Block 3 FLYING GEESE

Are we having fun yet?

Hopefully you have made Block 1 -- Shoo Fly and Block 2 -- Courthouse Steps.  If you missed them, please go back and get caught up:

Block 1 -- SHOO FLY

Block 2 -- COURTHOUSE STEPS

Now that we're all on the same page, let's try our hand at a FLYING GEESE variation.

This variation is called Dutchman's Puzzle.  According to the website Quilting in America, the Dutchman's Puzzle block design has been around since the late 1800's.  The site doesn't list much information about the block, but does note that it is reminiscent of Dutch windmills, so perhaps that's where the name came from.

Okay, let's get started!

There are a lot of different ways to make a single Flying Goose unit, including different rulers made especially for making that one unit, so you might want to explore some quilt books or other Internet tutorials for other options.

I am going to show you how to make Goose units using squares and rectangles -- NO TRIANGLES!

For a 12" finished block, you will need the following:

16 background squares 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"
4 dark rectangles 3 1/2" x 6 1/2"
4 medium rectangles 3 1/2" x 6 1/2"

1.  Layer a background square right sides together (RST) with a medium (or dark) rectangle.  Draw a diagonal line as shown from the bottom corner to the opposite top corner of the square.  Sew on the line. 

 

2. Trim 1/4" beyond the sewn line, flip the background triangle open and press.

3.  Repeat steps 1 and 2 on the other side of the rectangle with another background square.  Now you have a single Flying Goose unit.  (Hint:  Save all you cut off triangles and make a mug rug or a small pillow.)

4.  Make 4 Goose units with medium/background and 4 units with dark/background.





5.  Sew a dark Goose to a Medium Goose.  Make 4 sets.

6.  Sew the double Geese units together into a Four Patch configuration, turning the units as shown in a clockwise rotation.

And it's that simple!  Now you have a 12 1/2" (12" finished) Dutchman's Puzzle block.

Tricia's Favorite Block Tutorial -- Block 2 COURTHOUSE STEPS

Hah!  Bet you saw this one coming!

As I mentioned in my previous post, basic Log Cabin blocks are some of the easiest to construct.  We are going to make the Courthouse Steps block which is a variation of the Log Cabin.

This block probably makes you think about pioneers and log cabins (like Little House on the Prairie and such) and you would be half-right -- Karen Giska in her AQS article  "Log Cabin Blocks:  A Short History" wrote that the blocks became popular in the U.S. in the 1860's and the name may have been inspired by Abraham Lincoln!

But, did you know that the Log Cabin design has been found on Egyptian mummies and on a pre-1830's English quilt???

To read more, go to Karen Giska's article HERE.

So, let's get started!

Here's what you need:

1 A center square 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" (historically centers were black, red, or yellow)

2 B strips -- 2 1/2" x 4 1/2"


2 C strips -- 2 1/2" x 8 1/2"

2 D strips -- 2 1/2" x 8 1/2"

2 E strips -- 2 1/2" x 12 1/2"

Please refer to the diagram.

Sew the B strips to the sides of the A square.

Sew the C strips to the top and bottom of the unit.

Sew the D strips to the sides of the unit.

Sew the E strips to the top and bottom.

DONE!

Here is a very simple quilt design that gives the Courthouse Steps blocks a super modern feel.  This design features 20 blocks (4 across by 5 down) with a 4" finished border.  The quilt would measure 56" x 68" for a nice-sized throw quilt.

So what are you waiting for?  Time to get started on your Courthouse Steps quilt.

In case you missed Block 1 -- Shoo Fly, click HERE to go back.

Tricia's Favorite Quilt Block Tutorial -- Block 1 SHOO FLY

What's your favorite quilt block?

I have quite a few favorite blocks, actually.  Maybe you do too.

Most of the blocks that I am a fan of are quick and easy to make.  I really love quick and easy because then I can spend more time playing with my fabric.

I thought it would be fun to show you some of my favorite blocks and how to make them along with a few ideas on using them in your projects.  AND I will turn my favorite blocks into a SAMPLER QUILT so hold on to your blocks until the end of the series for a fun Sampler Quilt setting.

 I LOVE the Shoo Fly block.  

When I was a new quilter, I cut out bunches of squares and triangles and hand-pieced them, eventually having enough to make a twin-sized quilt.  To be honest, the quilt didn't turn out very well because I didn't know then what I know now about quilting, but the important thing was that it got me excited to make MORE QUILTS.

According to the website Quilting in America, the block was "named after a wild plant with domed flowers called clover broom or shoo-fly, this 9-patch block originated around 1850 and became popular in the late 1800s."  For more history of the Shoofly block, visit Quilting in America.

Let's make a 12" finished Shoo Fly block!

What you need:

Medium/Dark fabric -- 2 squares 4 7/8" x 4 7/8" and 1 square 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" 

Light Fabric -- 2 squares 4 7/8" x 4 7/8" and 4 squares 4 1/2" x 4 1/2"

Here's what you do:

1.  Layer a 4 7/8" medium/dark square right sides together with a light 4 7/8" square.  Draw a line from one corner to the opposite corner diagonally.

2.  Sew 1/4" away from both sides of the drawn line.

3.  Cut apart on the line.   Voila!  You have 2 half square triangle blocks (HSTs).

4.  Repeat steps 1-3 to make a total of 4 HSTs.

Now here's the easy part -- the Shoo Fly block is simply a 9 Patch block in disguise!  Tehehehe!

5.  Sew a light 4 1/2" square between 2 HSTs as shown.  Make 2 rows.

 

6.  Sew a medium/dark 4 1/2" sqaure between 2 light 4 1/2" squares.  Make 1 row.

 

7.  Sew the row from step 6 between the rows from step 5, flipping the unit on the bottom to make a Shoo Fly block.

 

And there you have it -- one 12 1/2" Shoo Fly Block!  Yay!  Go you!

On the 8th Day of Christmas

On the 8th Day of Christmas...

My True Love gave to me...

8 Maids A-Milking

According to writer Pat Johnson in the Vancouver Courier 12/21/15, eight maids a-milking stands for eight beautitudes.

Although I don't normally think of white, red, and black as holiday colors, I chose them for this quilt because of the contrast (and simply because I love that combination).  The block is called Buckeye Beauty and I really enjoyed playing around with the arrangement because these blocks created a lot of interesting secondary designs.

On the 4th Day of Christmas...

My True Love gave to me...

Four Calling Birds

According to writer Pat Johnson in the Vancouver Courier 12/21/15, the four Calling Birds stand for the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The block in this quilt is called Four Little Birds and was published in 1928 by Ladies Art Company.  I was really drawn to the graceful curves in these four birds.  I named this quilt "Swoop" because to me it looks like all four birds are swooping down to grab the same tiny morsel.

On the 3rd Day of Christmas...

My True Love gave to me...

Three French Hens

According to writer Pat Johnson in the Vancouver Courier 12/21/15, the three French Hens represent FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.

This quilt block is appropriately named Hen and Her Chicks.  It appeared in Kansas City Star in 1947.  I chose a red and white colorway for this design so there was a lot of contrast and the blocks stood out.  I especially like how alternating the placement of the reds and white makes the quilt almost pulsate.

I call this quilt "9 Chicks."

On the 2nd Day of Christmas......

My True Love gave to me...

Two Turtle Doves

According to writer Pat Johnson in the Vancouver Courier 12/21/15, the two turtle doves represent the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.

I call this quilt design Doves in Flight. I was not quite sure how to represent a "turtledove" exactly (an image of a turtle with wings kept coming to mind) so I focused on the Dove as a symbol of peace for this design.

I chose 2 shades of purple paired with solid white.  I decided on this particular Dove block (see below) because of the many different layout options.

This is a close up of a single Dove block, which actually features 4 Drunkard's Path units.  This particular Dove block pattern is attributed to Kansas City Star.

It's a ROAD RALLY! 100 Quilt Block Tour November 2017

Hi!  Sew glad you stopped by. 

I hope the traffic wasn't too bad.

Come on in and make yourself comfortable.

A cup of tea, perhaps?

I'm very excited to be part of Quiltmaker Magazine's 100 Quilt Blocks Volume 16 Road Rally Blog Tour.  My block, Tortoise Love, is Block #1540.

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Let me tell you a little bit about myself.  My name is Tricia Maloney and I'm a quilt designer, author, and teacher.  I've written three books and my designs have been published in many of your favorite quilt magazines.  I also teach at my local quilt shops here in lovely northwestern Pennsylvania and design/make quilts for fabric companies on occasion.

 One of my latest fun adventures is designing Rose Cards for Villa Rosa Designs.  Here are my first two designs.

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I had a lot of fun coming up with my Tortoise Love quilt block.  You'll have to keep reading to find out about my inspiration for this cute block.  I love that it is a multi-technique block featuring 4 pieced Drunkard's Path blocks and a little bit of applique for the head and tail.

I decided to play a little bit with my Tortoise Love block to see what I could come up with using my Electric Quilt 7 software.  (Did you know that EQ8 is out now?  I just found that out.)

Here's a fun throw quilt I'm calling "Tossed Tortoise."

Isn't this fun?  Can't you see yourself making this cutie for your favorite tortoise (or turtle) lover?  You could make the tortoises all the same fabric or even lots of different fabrics. The squares in the chain could all be different fabrics, too. This would be a great scrap-buster quilt.

I thought about playing around with a table runner design, but I wasn't sure that I would want tortoises on the table at dinner time.  LOL! 

So instead, I went totally crazy and came up with the following design, "Rainbow Tortoises."

What do you think of this one?  I'm not quite sure I love the rainbow tortoises concept, but I do like the movement that's created by the tortoises holding hands (or paws? or feet?).

But if you're not a tortoise lover, you might like this version instead:

Cool, huh?  Interesting shapes that connect add a lot of interest to this version of the design.  Here it is as a big bed quilt:

Isn't this version interesting?  By limiting the fabric choices, you get a bold unique repeating design.

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Okay, now let me tell you about the inspiration for this fun and versatile quilt block.

Meet Carl.

Isn't he just too cute for words????  Carl is a 2 year old African Sulcata tortoise.  When my niece, Morgan, adopted him, he was about the size of a toy car.  He's really grown.  Of course, he loves to eat.  Strawberries are one of his favorite treats.

He'll grow to be gigantic and will outlive Morgan, so she will have to make plans for his distant future.  But in the meantime, Carl loves to go on family vacations, walks, and meet new friends.

There's nothing better than a tortoise and his girl!

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NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY!

The Prizes:

1. One lucky winner will win a copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Blocks volume 16.  YAY!

        2.  Another winner will receive my first 2 Rose Card patterns and a mystery surprise.  WOW!

        3.  The final winner will win a copy of my new pattern, Basket Weave. SUPER DUPER!

And who knows?  I might add a few other prizes if I get lots of encouragement!!!!

 Here's how it works:

 You have up to 3 chances to win.  Lucky you!

1.  Leave a comment on this blog and tell me what you would name your pet tortoise if you had one.

2.  Become a blog follower and leave a comment on this blog telling me you that you're a blog follower.

3. Follow me on Instagram @tricia.maloney and leave a comment on this blog telling me you're an Instagram follower.

Ready!  Set!  GO!

You have from Monday, November 13th until Saturday, November 18th to participate. 

 Winners will be selected randomly on Sunday, November 19th.

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS 

SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN!

Are You Ready? Quiltmaker 100 Quilt Block Volume 16 ROAD RALLY Starts Monday, November 13th

I'm getting pretty excited to share my latest 100 Quilt Blocks Volume 16 block with you!  The Road Rally Blog Hop starts this Monday, November 13th.  Stop by the Quiltmaker website every day to see the blocks and visit the designers' blogs for a chance to win great prizes!

Stop back here at my blog on MONDAY, NOVEMBER 13th to see my block, here about my really cool inspiration, and to sign up to win prizes!!!!!

It's guaranteed to be a lot of fun!!!!

See you on MONDAY!!!!!

Returning to the Land of Quilt Blogging!

Hi There!

I am finally resurfacing after a long time away from blogging.

What have I been up to?

Well, I've been quilting, quilting, quilting......with little time for anything else right now except more quilting, writing instructions, and shipping quilts as fast as I can make them.  Oh, and my "day job" too, of course.  :)

So I thought I'd take a little time to catch up.

I've been making quilts for a lot of different publications recently and I'm also looking forward to Spring Quilt Market next month in St. Louis.  My book, I LOVE PRECUT QUILTS! will be officially debuting there so I'll be participating in Schoolhouse and doing a book signing at the C&T booth.

Here are some of the other publications that you can find me in right now:

Stash Busting Quilts by Annie's Quilting

My adorable scrappy strippy quilt, CAKES, can be found in Stash Busting Quilts.

 

Quilter's World Magazine Summer 2017

 

 

 

My quilt, FLUTTER, featured in QW Summer 2017.

BIG BLUE OCEAN, also featured in QW Summer 2017.

Quilting Quickly May/June 2017 issue

My super fast jelly roll quilt, JELLY SANDWICH, can be found in Quilting Quickly May/June 2017.

Quiltmaker's 100 Quilt Blocks vol. 15

Here's my block, #1476, CITY BLOCK.  

 Stay tuned in the next couple weeks for the Quiltmaker's 100 Block Volume 15 Blog Hop.  It's sure to be lots of fun with great quilt blocks and quilt ideas......and super prizes, too!