Stacked Squares | If These Threads Could Talk

Deb Tucker’s “Steam Engine” fabric line from Island Batik is simply Gorgeous.

Card Shark: what a great block, made with Half Square Triangles, Non Mirror Combo units & a Stacked Square. Constructed using Studio 180 Design Tucker Trimmer I & Square Squared tools with Stacked Squares & Non Mirror Combo Units Technique Sheets.

Download your Cutting instructions here:

card-shark Download

Half Square Triangles:

Your Tucker Trimmer Tool Instructions give you the information you need to complete your Half Square Triangles. Cut your squares and using your Magic Wand draw two diagonal lines. Match up your dark and light fabric squares aligning the raw edges. Stitch on the lines, cut apart and press to the dark fabric. Remember: whatever you are pressing toward, goes on top. Trim your Half Square Triangle units to 4 1/2″.

Non Mirror Combo Units: Past construction methods would result in mirror image units. Sometimes we need combination units that are the same as in Card Shark which requires two of each units below:

Determine your color placement. Follow the instructions in the Non Mirror Combo Units Technique Sheet.

Make the half square triangles first by using the Magic Wand and mark 4 diagonal lines from corner to corner. Follow the stitching instructions in the technique sheet. Cut apart.

Press toward the dark triangle.

Cut squares for large triangles once diagonally.

Pair small triangles with the large triangles, center and stitch. Press toward the large triangle.

Trim units to 4 1/2″.

Stacked Square:

Layout your Stacked Square unit pieces.

Start by making a four patch and swirl the center. Our Stacked Square is a 4″ finished unit. Check the chart on the Stacked Square Technique sheet to find the Cut size for the center square, which is 2 1/2″. Using my my Tucker Trimmer I trimmed the four patch to 2 1/2″.

Check your color placement and stitch two triangles. Press toward the triangle and add the two more triangles pressing toward the triangles as before.

The Large Square Squared Tool is broken up into two different parts. Part “A” & Part “B” to include guidelines for making 12 different sizes. The chart in the Stacked Squares Tech sheet tells us what size to cut our side triangles and how line up for trimming. The first trim uses Part “A” to trim before adding the second round of triangles.

After adding the second round of triangles, use Part “B” to trim the stack square to a cut size of 4 1/2″.

Lay out your units, stitch together in to rows.

Card Shark is now ready to add the quilt!

I use my Groovy Seam Rippers made by fellow quilter Nancy Townsend as my little helpers while quilting.

The Whistle Stop Quilt is made up of 12″ blocks and 6″ finished blocks.

This is “Roll the Dice”. It is made with Studio 180 Design Square Squared and Split Rects tools. Click below to download the cutting instructions.

roll-the-dice Download

Using your Split Rects tool, cut 4 side triangles for Type 1 units, per your tool instructions from your two fabrics making sure your fabrics are right side up. Stitch triangles together and press seams open.

Trim your Split Rects to 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″, rotate and trim again.

Square Squared

Cut your center square using Part “A” for a 2″ finished unit.

Trim to the cut size of 2 1/2″ using Part “B” of your Square Squared tool. Rotate and trim again.

Layout your block units.

Place the center square/squared unit right sides together with a Split Rects unit aligning the raw edges of the top and sides. Stitch a partial seam along the dark fabric of the Split rects stopping just past the center of the Square/Squared unit.

Now add a Split Rects unit across the top. Be sure the dark fabric of the Split Rects Units are against the center square/squared unit. Press toward the split rects unit.

Add a third split rects unit and press as before.

Add the fourth Split Rects units.

Fold over the split rects unit with the partial seam and align the raw edges. Stitch meeting up with the partial seam.

Below is the complete schedule for the Whistle Stop Tour:

Monday September 9^th

Karen Overton – The Quilt Rambler

Tuesday September 10^th

Michelle Renee Hiatt – Sew on the Go
Marie McKay – Ribbon Star Studio

Wednesday September 11^th

Sarah Furrer – Studio 180 Design

Thursday, September 12^th

Gail Renna – Quilt Haven Threads
Kathie Beltz- Kathie Beltz Designs

Friday, September 13^th

Jackie O’Brien – If these Threads Could Talk

Saturday, September 14^th

Tammy Silvers – Tamarinis
Carolyn Ratola – CaTs Quilting

Sunday, September 15^th

Tina Dillard – Quilting Affection Design
Bonny Peters – Cat Den Mountain Quilts

Monday, September 16^th

Sarah Furrer – Studio 180 Design

#studio180design #SteamEngine #Islandbatik #WhistleStopTour

I had a really busy Fall teaching schedule this year. I am so looking forward to 2018. I got a jump start by making a quilt for Granddaughter Bailey’s 19th birthday. She absolutely loves New York City. We have visited there several times and walked from one end of the city to the other. I had this fabric from Timeless Treasures for several years. It just occurred to me that I must have been saving it for Bailey.

It is about 9 degrees in Central NY today. This is my 62nd One Block Wonder.

The back also has a New York City themed fabric. Happy Birthday Bailey!

Deb Tucker had a busy year also, Studio 180 has many new patterns out. I’m working on one now called Whirling Dervish that is so fun. I will be posting about it soon. There are also new Studio 180 Design Technique Sheets to expand our skills.

“Stacked Squares” is a technique that will allow you to make the “Economy” block perfectly every time without using paper foundation piecing. Like all Studio 180 Design processes, you’ll be constructing oversized units and then trimming them down. Above I made a block using the “Stacked Squares” technique sheet and the required Large Square/Squared Tool to make a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square in a square, in a square! Whew!

You have heard of the “Shaded Four Patch”, well here is a sample of what you can do with the “Shaded Nine Patch” units. The Shaded Nine Patch is an amazing unit that has endless possibilities all by itself or it can be combined with other fundamental units to create even more designs. With the Shaded Nine Patch Technique Sheet you can make this unit in 7 sizes.

I made this block using the Bird of Paradise Technique Sheet. This techniques requires the Large Square/Squared tool, it is so very cool. You can make this unit in 6 sizes from 1″x 2″ to 6″ x 12″.

I love this new “Eight at Once” technique sheet! With the Tucker Trimmer I you can make Half Square Triangles (HST) 2 at a time. With this technique you can make 8 HST’s at a time in 11 different sizes! Wowza!

Deb also gave us a new tool, the Four Patch Square Up. Four Patches are basic units that seem so simple to make. Just stitch 4 squares together and you’re good to go. But anyone who attempted these units knows they are notoriously difficult to make. The Four Patch Square Up tool is the solution. The tool’s perfectly engineered lines are designed to quickly locate and align with the unit center and sewn seams, allowing for easy trimming on all four sides. You will be able to make Four Patch Units in 12 sizes!

I played with the Four Patch Square up using Deb Tucker’s BlockBuster #24 Compounding Four block pattern. I love the design it makes when you put 4 blocks together.

I wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year! Let’s go quilt something!