Dashing Hues Quilt

Many moons ago, I made this bag, Nellie’s Sewing Bag from a pattern by Rosalie Quinlan

I always loved this side of the bag in particular, a framed Churn Dash block.

It’s been one of those ideas that keeps festering, and I’ve finally, finally, done something about it (the pattern is dated 2002 and I know I bought it newly released!!)

My idea is to make lots of these blocks, in a riot of colours, and sew them together, no sashing. I’ve reworked the sizing to suit; the blocks will be 7.5″ finished.

So would you like to join in?

If so, here are the instructions for one block.

Blocks:

Fabric 1 is the background fabric
Fabric 2 is the block and frame fabric

From fabric 1 you will need to cut

:: 4 squares 2″ x 2″
:: 2 squares 2.5″ x 2.5″

From fabric 2 you will need to cut

:: 2 rectangles 2″ x 8″
:: 2 rectangles 2″ x 5″
:: 2 squares 2.5″ x 2.5″
:: 1 square 2″ x 2″

Use the 2.5″ squares to make the half square triangles (hst) for the corners of the block. On the wrong side of lighter of the 2.5″ squares, mark a diagonal line (I rule from the centre of the square to each corner to stop the fabric from shifting), then place right sides together with the other fabric

If needed, pin, then stitch 1/4″ either side of the drawn line, then cut through the drawn line.

Press towards fabric 2 and trim the block to 2″. (See below for trimming instructions)

Repeat with the other set of 2.5″ squares.

Layout with the other squares as shown in the pic below

Sew into rows.

Press the top and bottom row seams towards the centre, and the middle row away from the centre.

Sew the rows together, abutting the seams. Add the 2″ x 5″ rectangles to opposite sides of the block.

Lastly add the 2″ x 8″ rectangles to the remaining two sides.

And there we have it! One completed block!

The beauty of these blocks is that once you’ve cut all the pieces, they stitch up really quickly!!

A couple of hints.

If you have a directional fabric and want the hst to have the fabric facing one direction, place one square with the pattern vertically and the other horizontally.

Once your hst are trimmed….

…place them into the block formation…..

see? All running vertically!

To trim your hst

lay your ruler over the square, making sure that the 45 degree line on the ruler is sitting on the seam, and that the required size of the square is sitting inside the fabric (in this case 2″)

Hold the ruler firmly as it can wobble a bit sitting on the seam. Trim the side, then trim across the top; I start the rotary cutter about 1/2″ in from the corner, take it back to the corner, then across the ruler. It’s easier than trying to start at the corner (and saves chipping the corner of the ruler!).

Rotate the block and line up the ruler again with the 45 degree ruler line on the seam, and this time with the required size on the cut edges (in this case 2″).

Trim these last two sides.

Stitching the Blocks Together

Here’s a great way to stitch blocks together. Layout the blocks into their formation.

Keeping the top block on top, stack the blocks in columns

and label each column with their consecutive numbers

Pick up columns 1 and 2

Take the first block from column 1 and the first block from column 2.

Place them right sides together and take to the machine. The columns are going to be chain pieced, so do NOT take them out of the machine at the end of the seam!!

take the second block from column 1 and the second block from column 2

Place right sides together and sew them too. Continue with all the blocks from column 1 and column 2. Once the last two blocks have been sewn together take out of the machine.

Can you see the chain of stitches holding the columns together?

Next, pick up the column 3 blocks

Take the first block from column 3

lay it right sides together with the first block of column 2

and sew. Keep chain piece adding the column 3 blocks.

Keep adding the columns of blocks sequentially

Once done, press all the first row block joining seams to the left, and second row block joining seams to the right

Continue pressing the seams alternately.

Sew the rows together; abut the seams and pin, then stitch

Before you know it, it’s together!

Now it just needs a border!

Borders:

I chose to use two fabrics (‘cos I couldn’t decide between, so why not?!)

I cut across the width of the fabric at 5.5″

trimmed the selvedges and joined a green and grey together on the short ends (making sure the pattern was going the same direction on each piece)

Measure through the centre of the quilt from top to bottom and halve the measurement*. Fold the border at the seam (wrong sides together)

measure from the folded edge, out the required measurement*, and marked it with a pin

line up the ruler at the pin and along the cut edge

Take out the pin and cut

Lining up the centre seam of the border with the middle of the sides of the quilt top, the borders were stitched on.

Repeating the process for the top and bottom border, I also needed to make sure the fabric pattern was facing the correct way, and that green and grey followed each other correctly!

And here it is with borders

I do like seeing the centre of the border lining up so beautifully with the centre of the blocks on the top and bottom!

I have enough of the fabrics to do a binding where – hopefully!! – there will be grey binding against the green borders and vice versa. Yet to nut out that process, but I have to quilt it first!!