Thursday Thought

From the beginning of this year’s celebration of National Sewing Month, my focus is on creating quilts.

Yesterday and the day before, I shared a couple of ways to create the Glory Be block. I wanted to let you know, over on the Facebook group Lone Star of Texas Quilts of Valor, we have a block drive event going on using the Glory Be pattern in reds whites and blues!

Make one, seven, or a bunch then mail to Michelle!

Deadline for the blocks (to be in her hands) is November 1^st. She will put them together and make as many Quilts of Valor as possible! It takes 39-48 blocks per quilt (depending on a border)! I wonder how many quilts she will be able to make?

This is one she's putting together with blocks already received!

It all depends on generous service-minded folks like you & me!

P.S. Besides the examples I did for you yesterday, I've also created several like this one - all for the block drive!

Sorry for the poor photo quality! However, you can get the general idea!

What a wonderful way to remember 9/11/01 and 9/11/12... be part of a National Service!

GLORY BE Block - In Mass

Yesterday, the Glory Be block was a scrap buster. Today we’ll mass produce it using ready-to-cut fabric yardage! What does that mean: “ready-to-cut”? Basically, that the fabric is pressed (whether pre-washed or not, your decision), and you’ve done the wiggle!

You’ve selected your lights and darks (either 2 or 4 different of each, light & dark).

Also, remember when I mentioned a picture is worth a 1,000 words!?! I took a lot of pictures while creating seven blocks within an hour, although I didn’t take a picture of finished blocks #2 - #7!

So, here goes! I would suggest to read over all the directions & look at the pictures, then begin cutting and sewing! By the way, I sure hope you press your fabric better than what is shown! It's like my Daddy always told me, "Do I as I say. Not as I do!"

First round of cutting:

     All strips are cut 2 3/4" by width of fabric - whatever the width is! I first fold the fabric selvage to selvage, then brought the fold up to the selvage line making four thicknesses.

My two different darks:

Cut THREE strips per dark - from both of your darks!
(I wasn't for sure what it would take & came back and cut my 3rd strip)

My two different lights:

Only need ONE strip per light!

Now to sew...

Match up the selvage ends, putting one strip of light and one strip of dark, right sides together. Begin stitching 1/4" seam all the way to the end.

Some fabrics are a bit wider than others - no big deal!

Press to "meld" stitches, then press to dark side

After pressing, take the strip back over to your mat.

Cut off the selvage (never ever use any piece of the selvage any where within a quilt as it will not wash the same as the other fabric) 

Flip it around (for right-handers, I'm sorry I haven't a clue how to do it for a lefty)

Cut down the strip into 2 3/4" pieces with little waste at the end.

I didn't show a picture of all the pieces cut along the way because I get them out of my way as I cut!

You should get 15 !!!!
(Need 14 for 7 blocks so you have an extra one - for a little while!)

Remember Connecting Threads picture showing the next step?

Head back over to the sewing machine with your 15 square sets and the last two strips of the same dark. To be on the safe side (because I've had to rip out before) I place a dark (right side up), then place my 2-square set like Connecting Threads' picture...

By "testing" I know this will be correct once sewn.
I flip over the square set onto the long strip, and down a bit not to catch the selvage.

The long dark strip is facing up against my sewing machine. I've just about sewn the first square set.
I stop sewing, place the next square set face down against (but not overlapping) the previous square set.
Continue placing each square set until you run out of the dark strip!
When you have to start on the next dark strip, it's the same process.

Back to the ironing board to press (1) "meld" then (2) toward the square set

Back over to the cutting mat...

Same process as before, but cut 5" wide!!!

You should come out with 7 "mini" blocks sets!

Plus an extra one!

Repeat the process with your other light(s) and dark(s)!

Place four mini blocks together, like this if only using two different colors like I have:

My "mini blocks" are set on the diagonal

Either way you want to pick them up, pick up two and place right sides together

• across top and across bottom
• left column and right column

The light square seams on both "mini" blocks will "nestle" together - because they've been pressed in the opposite direction! 

It's a "good thing" to stitch into a seam when you can,
but I highly recommend you use a stiletto to keep it from folding back on you!

Back to the ironing board when you've finished sewing and now have two rectangles!

Press the stitches to "meld" then press the seam OPEN!

With the two rectangles ride sides together, place a pin at the pressed open seams at the light squares. This will keep everything from shifting. Sew together.

Don't forget to remove the pin before sewing! Never sew over a pin!!!
Also, as you approach the pressed open seam, leave the needle in the down position,
raise the presser foot and take a peek underneath
~ make sure all the seam allowance area is where they are supposed to be!
Use a stiletto if you need to flip it back out. 

Once stitching is done, and before the pressing process, check to make sure the center squares all line up nice and neat!

This will work!

Press this last seam to "meld" then also press Open! Flip it over and press the right side, using a dab of unscented spray starch!

One more time over to the cutting mat, and measure! It should be 9.5" ... if not trim where needed! 

And, it works!

I hope this tutorial has helped...

Mass producing is such a time saver!

Now that you have it down pat how to do the Glory Be block, stop by tomorrow and I'll let you know how you can help, be part of a National Service project!!! 

GLORY BE Block

You can find the Glory Be Block pattern on the Connecting Threads website. It is a free download! Don’t let the site scare you away. You don’t have to sign up for e-newsletters to get the pattern. Simply scroll down a bit to see the “or” and continue on to the pattern download. I’m going over their directions with a bit of modifications that I learned while doing my block!

 

"Glory Be" by Connecting Threads

Today we’ll focus on “scrap busting” and this block does exactly that! It uses up your scraps quickly and will create a stunning quilt once it’s all put together. Each block will finish 9” square.

* Don’t sew anything before it’s time! *

1. Cut out the following pieces using your rotary cutter against a quilter's rule on your self-healing mat that’s on a flat hard surface (now that was a sentence! I don’t know if it’s grammatically correct, but I’m moving on…):

Using darkish to dark fabric, all you need from one piece of scrap is enough to make a 2 ¾” square, and a 2 ¾” by 5” rectangle! Do this a total of four times, with four *different pieces of fabric scraps!

 *A variation to their directions is eventually matching (using the same fabric) on the diagonal corners of the block, meaning you would only need two different pieces of darkish/dark fabric, if the scraps are large enough! That's what I did on my block pictured below!

In their picture above, notice how lighter colors are in the center… that’s an additional four 2 ¾” cut squares from totally different fabric from your first four corners. Either use two different lighter colors, or four, if you have them! Go ahead and cut out four 2 ¾” squares of lights that you have in your scrap box! (Or 2 sets out of the same lights)

2.  Sew (remember to always use the scant ¼” seam allowance!):

Stitch two squares together (right sides together) using one light and one dark.

            Press to “meld” stitches, then press the seam as their arrow indicates (toward the dark side).

 

Connecting Threads - Joining 2 squares

Now the next step is where ~ the first time I made this block ~ I had to get my BFF seam ripper out because I did NOT follow the pictures!

Yes! A picture is worth a 1,000 words! I cannot urge you enough to follow the pictures as well as the written directions in any pattern you’re following. This will save you a lot of time in the long run! 

Connecting Threads - "mini block"

Always place the lighter square of your two-square piece on the same side of the 5” piece… on all fours sets! Don’t be like me ~ pay attention to the pictures!

Connecting Threads - Notice all "mini" blocks have the light square on bottom right.

Did you notice the directional arrow indicating which way to press (after “melding” the seam) the "mini" blocks? Very important!!!

You now have four mini blocks! Lay them out in a row and double check that all the light squares are on the bottom right. This is a must for this block to work out properly!

After sewing two mini blocks together, lining up the lights, you then have two rectangle sets.

Connecting Threads - 2 rectangles, ready to sew together to make the completed block!

 NOTE: At this point, rather than following their pressing to one side directions, I prefer to press the joining seam open. They flatten out better, and will result in a nicer finished top for quilting. With having open seams, you won’t have to worry about arrangement, and possibly causing major bulk when joining all the blocks together.

Now take the two rectangle sets and join together.

NOTE: Again, I press, and recommend you do as well, the seam open.

Press again from the right side, using a bit of unscented spray starch to get it really flat. Your long-arm quilter will love you dearly!

Mine! Notice: diagonal corners match!

 There you go!

You now have one completed block that should measure a perfect 9.5” square. If not, trim where needed!

What if you have yardage, rather than scraps, and want to create Glory Be blocks? Check it out tomorrow for mass production!