Rowing Paddle Block
Welcome to the 2015 Fabri-Quilt Blog Hop. On this hop, over 60 bloggers got busy designing new blocks with Prairie Cloth Solid cotton fabrics generously provided by Fabri-Quilt. I am very excited to introduce you all with my brand new block design. And because this is all so exciting, there is a link for a giveaway on the bottom to win some of this fabrics.
For this block using the Watermelon Summer bundle by Fabri-Quilt, I was inspired by a very personal nautical theme, the graphic design on oars. Summer reminds me of a time when I used to practice rowing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This design also reminds me of the motion the athletes do when rowing, the “X” or “crossing motion”. The colors are great for this project with the traditional white, blue, and red, but I also played around with different color combinations in this bundle and they all look great. This block will provide you with many possibilities for quilt design. The technique used is foundation paper piecing, so the block comes out perfectly measuring 12 ½” unfinished (12” finished). The pattern A is large, so it needs to be taped out prior to piecing.
Note: Make sure your printer is set to “actual size” instead of “shrink to fit” for the correct pattern size to be printed.
Seams are ¼”allowance and scant ¼”. You can achieve a scant ¼” by sewing a thread or two narrower than your ¼” mark.
If this is your first time with foundation-paper-piecing, check out these tutorials:
Watch:
Read:
Materials:
For one 12 1/2” block you will need (12" finished):
3 Fat-Eighths
Scotch tape
Washable glue stick
Rotary cutter, cutting mat and ruler
Add a Quarter ruler (optional)
Sewing machine, thread, iron, ironing board
Cutting:
BACKGROUND (WHITE):
Cut (1) 9” square, cut in half diagonally.
(4) 2 ¼” x 13” – If using a Fat Eighth, but you can cut at 3” x 13” if you have more than a F8 and it will give a little extra room to trim.
SECONDARY BACKGROUND (Lapis Blue):
Cut (1) 14” x 7 ½” – Lay your pattern A on fabric, making sure the whole part of A1 is covered and trim the extra, leaving about ½” beyond the pattern.
CONTRAST (Coral):
Cut (4) 1 ½” x WOF8 (Width of Fat Eighth).
Construction:
Start by perforating the lines with a tracing wheel on a white board or by running the pattern on your unthreaded machine, using a very small stitch (1.2 - 1.6). Cut around your pattern (do not cut on outside line, but a little away from the outside line – about ¼”). Fold on the perforated lines.
Prepare your fabric. Some solid fabrics may shrink considerably or bleed, so in order to avoid later surprises I recommend pre-washing your solids with like colors before contructing your block. I also like to use Best Press or starch when doing FPP, before cutting. It gives the fabric some stability.
Add a dot of glue under the A1 pattern piece. With the secondary background fabric facing down and pattern up, fold back on line A1-A2. Trim ¼” away from fold (this is where you can use an Add a quarter ruler if you have one available).
Place the Contrast fabric under A1 fabric facing up (fabrics will be right sides together). Trim excess Contrast fabric ¼” – ½” away from pattern. Open pattern on fold and stitch on A1-A2 line, making sure to stay on the inside of the outer edge of the pattern (darker line). Flip pattern, set the seam and press open (that will be the front of your block).
Be careful to not iron the tape on your pattern.
Fold A2-A3 line. Trim Contrast fabric ¼” away from folded pattern. Lay the 2 ¼” background fabric under (right sides together if using a print) and trim excess.
Open pattern and stitch on A2-A3 line (same as you did on A1-A2 line). Press and open. I like to slightly glue baste my pattern at this point, so when I trim the edges, it lays flat without moving.
Trim on the outside line (thin line). I use an old blade that I save to cut paper. Set pattern A aside.
Start on pattern B by adding a dot of glue on the back of B1 pattern and then laying background fabric face down, making sure you have ¼” past the fold of the pattern. Trim excess fabric if it’s too long. Lay Contrast fabric under background fabric (right sides together), trim ¼” away from fold.
Open pattern and stitch on B1-B2 line. Press and open.
Add the background fabric under the Contrast fabric and trim ¼” away from folded pattern. Open and stitch on B2-B3 line. Press and open.
Fold on B1-B4 line, place Contrast fabric (right sides together) and trim ¼” away from folded pattern, but make sure that your background fabric is covering the whole part of B1. I glue baste it so there is no shifting. Open and stitch on B1-B4 line.
Press and open. Trim on the outside line (thin line).
Set pattern B aside.
Do the same process on patterns C, D, E, and F.
Remove all the pattern paper from the back of the pieces. You will be glad to have perforated it beforehand.
Join all the pieces, starting with A and B with a scant ¼” – this is very important for the accuracy of your block size. If it helps you to remember, lay pieces down as you remove paper in the right order/lay-out. You can also write the letters on a tape and stick them to the pieces to keep it organized. Press, then join AB to C, then ABC to D, following by ABCD to E and finally ABCDE to F, making sure that the Contrast pieces line up. True-up block to 12 ½” square. Enjoy your great work!
That's it for the block, but I went ahead and put some quick instructions for the quilt top below. You can also download and print this whole pattern for FREE on my Craftsy pattern store - here.
Please feel free to leave some feedback on the comments below. I would love to hear what I am doing right or where I can improve on my pattern writting skills and also your thoughts on this block.
If you make this block or a quilt with my block design, please credit back (you can tag me on IG @astrangerview) and hashtag #RowingPaddleBlock because I would love to see this block through someone else's eyes.
OTHER COLOR IDEAS (using Fabri-Quilt Watermelon Summer Bundle):
FOR A COLORING SHEET WITH THIS BLOCK, CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD.
QUILT CONSTRUCTION (TWIN SIZE - 60x72):
Make 30 blocks and join 6 rows of 5. Join rows with each row being inverted (one up, one down, one up, one down). You’ll need 4 ½ yards of background fabric, 2 3/8 yards of second background fabric, and 1 ¼ yards of Contrast fabric.
Make quilt sandwich. You’ll need 4 ½ yards of backing fabric and 4 ½ yards of batting (or a twin size batting). This yardage is based on a 42” fabric.
Quilt as desired and bind it. You’ll need ½ yard of binding fabric.
This block tutorial is part of the 2015 Fabri-Quilt Blog Hop. To see all the other new block designs, visit the links below. The blog hop starts today and runs until Thursday.
Make sure to visit the Hosts and to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a half-yard bundle of the Fabri-Quilt Prairie Cloth Solid Cotton in the Watermelon Summer colorway - there will be 8 of those bundles up for grabs. Have fun!
2015 Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop Schedule
Monday, August 31st Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Kelly @Quilting it Out Martha @Once a Wingnut Irene @Patchwork and Pastry Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life Andrea @The Sewing Fools Bernie @Needle and Foot Silvia @A Stranger View (that's me!) Wanda @Wanda’s Life Sampler Sandra @Musings of a Menopausal Melon Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts Jess @Quilty Habit Diana @Red Delicious Life Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe Margo @Shadow Lane Quilts Renee @Quilts of a Feather
Tuesday, September 1st
Host – Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs
Wednesday, September 2nd Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Thursday, September 3rd Host – Terri Ann @Childlike Fascination
PS: This platform won't allow email responses, so I do hope you come back to continue our chat. If that's a problem, please feel free to chat through email @ astrangerviewblog@gmail.com. Sorry for the inconvenience! xo
