Tag Archives: BlockBuster

Great Outdoor Blog Hop Week 4

BlockBuster #9 – Three In One

This block requires your Tucker Trimmer I and V Block tools. BlockBuster 09 Three in One provides 3 different possible block layouts. The block is made up of V Block, Combination & Quarter Square Triangle units. I’m making Block 1 as a 12″ block, with 4″ finished units.

All of the units in these three blocks are the same (and placed in the same location), yet just by rotating the units and changing your fabric placement, you’ll get three very different blocks.

These are my fabric choices. I will be making Block 1. I decided where I wanted my fabrics in the block by looking at the colors in block 1 and assigned my fabric choice for the units.

I need four V Block units with the center triangle cut from the background fabric and the side triangles cut from each of my four fabric colors. For a 4″ finished unit I cut a 5″ WOF strip of the background and each of the four fabric color groups. (check the Size Cutting Chart in the tool instructions and on the tool itself.)

The center unit is a Quarter Square Triangle made from each of the four fabrics. I cut a 5 1/2″ square from each of my four fabrics. ( Check the Size Cutting Chart in the tool instructions.)

The corner units are Combination Units. Each combo unit is made from fabrics that match the side triangles on either side of the V Block units and the background fabric. Cut 2 each 5 1/2″ squares from each of the four fabrics and four 5 1/2″ squares from the background fabric.

V Bock Units

Everything you need to know for making V Block units is in the tool instructions. I’m starting with the V Block center triangles. To cut the center triangles, layer no more than two layers deep. Fold the ends deep enough to accommodate the slanted cut for a 4″ finished unit and finger press it.

Position the tool on the strip so that the dashed line labeled “Fold Line for Center Triangle” is aligned with the fold and the correct size line of the tool is against the bottom edge of the strip. Trim along the slanted edge of the tool and unfold to reveal the center triangle pieces.

Move the cut triangles to the side and flip the strip over from top to bottom. Align the center triangle trim line with the previously trimmed edge and cut your next pair of center triangles. For this block you need four center triangles.

For the Side triangles. place the strips facing each other, either right sides or wrong sides together on the cutting mat. Locate the bold solid line on the tool that reads “Cut Line for Side Triangles”. Position that line against the trimmed end of the strip and the proper size line against the bottom of the strip. Trim along the slanted edge of the tool.

Cut one set from each of the four fabrics.

Lay out the V Block units, making sure you are lining up the long edge of the side triangles with the edges of the center triangle. Position pieces right sides together lining up the slanted cut edges “tip to tip” and stitch one side triangle to the unit. Press toward the side triangle. Position second triangle, stitch & press as shown. Repeat with the other V Blocks.

Lay the V Block unit on the cutting mat with “V” pointing toward you. Lay the tool on the unit aligning the “Finished Size” measurement with the seam lines. Trim up the right side and across the top. (For left hand cutting directions see tool instructions.)

Lift the tool and rotate the unit. Reposition the tool on top aligning the correct “Cut Size” measurements with the previously trimmed corner and “X” with the sewn seam intersection. Trim up the right side across the top.

Quarter Square Triangle – Center Unit

Check the Size Cutting Chart to determine size of the starter squares. For 4″ finished units cut one 5 1/2″ square from each of the four colors. Make half square triangles (HST) by marking two diagonal lines on the back of 2 of the fabric squares with your Magic Wand, stitch on the lines and cut apart. Press seams toward the darker fabric. Do Not Trim. Check your fabric placement choices to determine which fabrics to make HST’s out of.

Note: When making half square triangles, combination units and quarter square triangles, you will be making two units at a time. You can make two blocks or save the units for something later.

On the back of one of the HST’s, use your Magic Wand and mark two diagonal lines. Position the HST units right sides together, carefully nesting the sewn seams. Stitch on the lines, cut apart and press swirling the center.

Position your Tucker Trimmer over the pieced unit. Carefully align both the common diagonal and the size diagonal lines over the sewn seam lines. Trim up the right side and across the top. Lift the Tucker Trimmer tool and rotate the unit. This time be sure to position both the common diagonal, the size diagonal lines and the outline of the square to the exact measurement desired. Right hander’s trim up the right side and across the top, while left hander’s will trim up the left side and across the top.

Combination Units

Check you fabric placement choice to group your fabrics for making the combo units. There are three 5 1/2″ squares (one background & 2 darker fabrics) for each combo unit. Start by making half square triangles (HST) by marking two diagonal lines on the back of one of the darker fabric squares and placing it right sides together with the other dark fabric square. Stitch on the lines and cut apart and press. Do Not Trim. Do this for each color group.

Mark two diagonal lines on the back of one HST. Place one HST on one background square centering it and stitch on the lines.

Cut apart and press toward the large triangle. When you make combination units with this process, you are making mirror image combo units. You will only need one set of combo units for one block. Deb Tucker has a Non Mirror Combo Technique Sheet that shows you how to make only the combo units you need.

Position the Tucker trimmer over the unit, carefully aligning both the common diagonal and the size diagonal with the stitched seams. Right hander’s trim up the right side and across the top, while left hander’s will trim up the left side and across the top. Lift the tool and rotate the unit. This time line up both diagonal lines and the outline to the exact measurement desired and trim as before.

Lay out your units and stitch into rows, pressing as shown.

Stitch your rows to make your block. I now have BlockBuster’s #1 – #9 completed! Time to make a quilt!

BlockBuster #7 – Whimsy Turndash

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I love this block So sweet & easy. All the instructions you will need for BlockBuster # 07 Whimsy Turndash came with your Square/Squared & Tucker Trimmer I tools which are required to make this block. You will also need to reference your Little Houses Technique Sheet.

Whimsy Turndash is made up of 3 different units. Unit A is Square/Squared, one for the block center. Unit B is Little Houses, 4 are needed. Unit C is Half Square Triangles (HST), 4 are needed for the block corners. I made a 12″ finished block containing 4″ finished units.

The Whimsy Turndash supply list (link in the first paragraph above) offers you 3 different layouts and a black line master to play with. I chose 2 colors and a background fabric shown above.

Unit A – Square/Squared: Determine the desired finished size of your unit. Go to the Center Square Section on your Square/Squared Tool. Mine finished size is 4″, The Center Square Sections tells me to cut a strip 3 1/2″ wide.

I already trimmed off the selvage of my 3 1/2″ strip. Place the line for 4″ finished units on the bottom of the strip up against the trimmed end. Trim up the left side and across the top. You now have a perfect precision cut center square for your unit.

On your Square/Squared tool find the Size Chart for Triangles. For 4″ finished units I cut two 3 1/4″ squares and cut them once diagonally.

Center a side triangle over the center square and stitch. Center another side triangle to the opposite side of the center square and stitch. Press toward the side triangle.

Center another side triangle as before and stitch, repeat on the opposite side so all sides of the center square have a side triangle stitched to it, press toward the side triangle.

Position the Trim Down Section of your Square/Squared tool over the pieced unit. Focus on aligning the “X’s” for your particular finished size unit. Mine is 4″ finished, so there is a 4 at each corner of the center square. Trim up the right side and across the top. Check your tool instructions for Left handed cutting tool position.

For the second cut Lift your tool & rotate your unit. Position the tool lining up the “X’s” again and lining up the cleanup lines on the tool with edges previously trimmed. Trim up the right side and across the top.

Unit B – Little House: You will need to make 4 Little Houses. Each little house is made up of 3 squares, one large and two small. For a 4″ finished unit cut four 4 3/4″ squares and eight 2 3/4″ squares.

Begin by marking a diagonal line on the back of your small squares, this will be a stitching line.

Note: you may want to mark an additional line 1/2″ from the center diagonal line to use as a secondary stitching line for creating half square triangles out of the left over fabric.

Position one small square in one of the corners of a large square, right sides together, with the marked diagonal line going across the corner of the large square as shown above. Stitch on both lines and trim apart.

Press toward the triangle. Position a second small square in the corner next to corner you just stitched. Stitch on both lines, cut apart press toward the triangle. Press your half square triangles to the dark. The small half square triangles are not used in this unit. If you don’t want to make them for another project just draw the one diagonal line and once it is stitched discard the corner fabric.

Using the Trim Down Section of your Square/Squared tool line up the peak of the House with the “X” corresponding with your finished unit size. Align the seams with the dotted lines extending down from the “X”. Trim up the right side and across the top.

Rotate your Little House around, and line up the two trimmed edges with the cleanup line corresponding to your unit cut size. This time aligning the peak with the “X” at the bottom. Trim up the right side and across the top.

Repeat with the other 3 large squares.

Unit C – Half Square Triangles: We need four Half Square Triangles. Go to the “Starting Square Size Chart” in your Tucker Trimmer instructions. I am making 4″ finished units, so I need to cut two 5″ background squares and two 5″ squares your color of choice.

Use your Magic Wand and draw to diagonal lines on the back of your background squares as shown above.

Place background squares right sides together with your color of choice squares, stitch on the lines, cut apart and press toward the dark fabric.

We always trim our units to the cut size. My HST are 4″ finished and 4 1/2″ cut size. therefore I look for the half circle in the corner of my tool and position the Tucker Trimmer over the unit with the half circle in the upper right hand corner, carefully aligning the solid diagonal line with the stitched seam as shown above. Trim up the right side and across the top. If you are left handed, you would position your tool with half circles in the lower left hand corner of the unit.

Rotate your unit and line up the trimmed edges with the corresponding cut size of your unit, and carefully aligning the solid diagonal line with the stitched seam as shown above. Trim up the right side and across the top.

Lay out your completed units. Sew into rows.

This is the back of the block showing how I pressed the seams.

I love the completed Whimsy Turndash and I hope you will too. This is a great block to practice these easy techniques with.

BlockBuster 5 – Whirligig

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This is a very cool block, but be sure to use your best pressing, measuring and cutting skills as this is a 3 out of 4 stars for difficulty. All the instructions to make this block can be found in the instructions that came with your Wing Clipper I, Tucker Trimmer I and on the Pickets & Quickets technique sheet.

This is a tricky block; you will need to pay attention to your fabric placement and the orientation of your quicket and picket units. To help you out here is link to the Whirligig Black Line Layout you can print this sheet and use your colored pencils to help choose your fabrics and placement.

I chose five colors and a background fabric to make 4 different color units, each containing 2 flying geese, a Picket, a Quicket and a half square triangle.

The 05 Whirligig block can be made in 3 sizes: 6″, 9″ and 12″. I chose the 12″ block. Check the Cutting Chart, and choose the size block you want to make. We will start with the Flying Geese Unit. The cutting chart gives you the finished and the cut sizes of the units. Check your Wing Clipper instructions to see what size starter squares you need to cut. As you know when using the Wing Clipper you start with one large square and 4 small squares.

Following the instructions use your Magic Wand and draw two diagonal lines on the back of your small squares.

Position 2 of the small squares right sides together in diagonally opposite corners of the large square, nudging them in toward the center by just a few threads

Stitch on both drawn lines, them trim between the lines on the center diagonal.

Press the seams toward the smaller triangles. One of these units will make 2 flying geese, the other will be saved to make a left slanted Quicket.

Position one of the smaller squares in the corner of the previously pieced unit. Nudge the square in like you did before. Stitch on the drawn lines and trim between the lines as before.

Press the seams toward the smaller triangles.

Position your oversized unit horizontally on your cutting mat with the goose pointing toward you. Align the diagonal guide lines of the Wing Clipper with the sewn seams of the flying geese unit. Trim up the right side and across the top. (See the Wing Clipper Instructions for left hand cutting.)

Lift your Wing Clipper and rotate your flying geese unit 180 degrees. Reposition your Wing Clipper to align cleanup guidelines with the previously trimmed raw edges and the “X” at the top with the intersection of the seams. Trim up the right side and across the top.

Remember we only used one of the heart shaped units for the flying geese. We will use the other to make our left slanted Quicket. Lay the unit on your cutting mat as shown above. Position your Wing Clipper tool over the unit, the “X” on the tool should align with diagonal seam. I am making a Quicket with a cut size of 4 1/2″ by 2 1/2″, so I positioned my tool to ensure I can trim all four sides.

Trim up the right side then across the top.

Lift your Wing Clipper tool and rotate your unit 180 degrees. Align the trim down lines with the just trimmed raw edges and aligning the long diagonal line on the tool with the single diagonal seam. Trim up the right side and across the top.

The cut size of my right slanted Picket is 2 1/2″ by 4 1/2″. Following the instructions on my Pickets & Quickets Technique Sheet, I bump up the size by 1/4″. My rectangle is 4 3/4″ by 2 3/4″. My small square is 2 3/4″. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the small square.

Position the small square right sides together with the rectangle and align the raw edges. Stitch on the line and trim the excess. Press toward the small triangle.

Position your Wing Clipper tool over the unit, the “X” on the tool should align with diagonal seam. Trim up the right side and across the top.

Follow the instructions that came with your Tucker Trimmer I for making Half Square Triangles (HST) in the size you chose. Using your Magic Wand draw two diagonal lines on the back of one of your starter squares. Place your starter squares right sides together. Stitch on lines and trim down the center. I pressed toward the dark fabric.

Trim the oversized HST to the desired cut size. Mine are 2 1/2″. (See the Tucker Trimmer Instructions for left hand cutting.)

Lift your Tucker Trimmer and rotate the HST 180 degrees position the diagonal line and the outline of the square to the measurement desired and trim up the right side and across the top.

We are now ready to sew this unit together. Layout the 2 flying geese, 1 left slanted Quicket, 1 right slanted Picket and 1 half square triangle as shown above..

First stitch the 2 flying geese together, press in the direct the geese are flying. Then stitch the geese to the right slanted Picket. Press toward the Picket.

Stitch the HST to the left slanted Quicket, pressing toward the Quicket.

Stitch the two sections together.

Repeat the process for each of the other 3 sections. If all of your geese are the same color you can make all your flying geese in sets of four, then make the Pickets & Quickets using the method in the technique sheet. When I stitched the four sections togehter I pressed the seams open to avoid bulk.