Spider Legs

This is block #82  from the FW book.  Don't worry, I am nearing the end of the blocks I have cut out so my recent splurge of posts will stop.  If you have been following along from the beginning, you should have about 20 blocks left to go.  I will be doing some substitutions when we get down to the final 10.  Let's face it - no one is going to know if it actually came from the book or if you picked an easier block.  Also, with over 100 blocks, no one is going to know if you repeated an easy block except for you.

This block is NOT an easy one.  The pieces are quite small!  Once again I am changing the way this block is put together.  Does a block have the same name if you put it together differently?  We will be making some flying geese that finish at 3/4" x 1 1/2 instead of the trapezoids in the pattern.  It looks like a crazy mess of pieces, but trust me- they will all fit together.

Cutting Block #82

Light-  

1- 2" square

4 - triangles w/1 1/4" strip and companion angle (CA)

16- triangles w/ 1 1/4" strip and easy angle (EA) 

Dark

4- 2" squares

8- triangles w/1 1/4" strip and CA

8- triangles w/1 1/4" strip and EA

4- triangles w/ 2 1/2" strip and CA

That was the hard part. Now for the sewing-

Make 8 flying geese dark as the larger triangle; Make 4 flying geese with the light as the goose (larger triangle).  These should measure 1 1/4" X 2".  Use the picture if you need help on how to square them up.  Put the 1 1/4" line at the top and the bias line (45 degree) on the seam line.  

I always press the first sky (small triangle) toward the goose, and the second sky triangle away from the goose.  I think this helps it to lay flat. These are super small pieces, so you may want to press them all open. If you aren't comfortable with your seam allowance, you can always use a 1 1/2" strip and square them up to the size needed.    

Join the geese in pairs.  Join the remaining 4 geese with the corner squares

 Add a large dark triangle to both sides of 2 of these units; join the remaining 2 units with the light center square.

I pressed the final 2 seams open to reduce bulk.  I was amazed how well this block lined up for me.  

Square up the block  to 6 1/2" taking care to keep the center square in the center.

Did you make it to the end?  Now look at block number 110 from your book- It is the same block with the exception of the larger triangles.

Edited:  I did block #110 the same way and it came out too large.  With this block it isn't a problem because there aren't any points to chop off on the edge.  I will modify the sizes a little smaller with block #110 (1 7/8" center square).

Modified Garden Path (#43)

You know I am always looking for an easier way.  This block is no exception.  If you want to use your templates from the Farmer's Wife book, feel free to do so.   My block is slightly different.

Cutting:
Assorted Colors:
8- assorted squares 1 1/2"
8-assorted half squares-1 1/2" strip cut with easy angle (EA)
1- 1 1/4 X 18" strip
Background:
20 half squares 1 1/2" strip cut with EA
4 half squares 1 3/4" strip EA(where I have the pink)

Sew four 1 1/2" squares together to form a 4-patch; Add the larger background half squares.  Square up if necessary leaving 1/4" margin at each of the points. Next sew the 1 1/4" strip around the unit is log cabin fashion.  Square up to 4 3/4" (about 1/8" off of each side)

Make 8 half squares with the assorted half squares and background fabric; Add the remaining back ground triangles and the squares to the units.  Square up to 3" finished half squares with the EA if necessary.

Join with the 4 3/4" unit to complete the 6 1/2" square.

I am sorry I don't have more pictures, but I must have been in too big a hurry.  Actually I think I took them but I am not sure where the memory card is.

Morning & Weathervane

I am trying hard to keep the farming going until the end.  Don't feel overwhelmed by my series of posts.  I have had these cut out for quite awhile I just didn't find the time to put them together.

These are FW blocks #57 and #100.  These are essentially the same block except number #100 has a different color center square.  I am sewing them differently than the instructions- feel free to stitch them with your own method.  It is sad to say the as this project goes on, I am getting less persistent about accuracy.

Cutting Instructions for Block #57
Color #1
2 - 2 1/2" squares
1 - 2 1/2" X 6 1/2"

Color #2
8 - half Squares cut with Easy Angle (EA) and 1 1/2" strip
4- Quarter Squares cut with Companion Angle (CA) and 1 1/2" strip

Color #3
8- Quarter Squares cut with CA and 1 1/2" strip
4 - 1 1/2" Squares

Cutting Instructions for block #100
Color #1
4 - 2 1/2" squares

Color #2
Same as for block #57 EXCEPT ADD
1 - 2 1/2" square

Color #3
Same as for block #57

Piecing:

For block #57 - join two 2 1/2" squares of color 1 with one 2 1/2" square color 2.

For both Blocks:

1. Join a half square triangle to both sides of color 1 squares.  Join those units with the 2 1/2" X 6 1/2" piece.  Square up to 4 3/4".  This is a little tricky.  Take extra care to get the sides spaced evenly.  I did not do this well on my first block and my pieces didn't line up.
2. Join the Color 2 & Color 3 quarter square triangles together; 
3. Join the remaining quarter square triangles to the half square triangles;  Add the 1 1/2" square to this unit (take not 2 of these go on the left side of the geese unit, and 2 go on the right)
4. Join the units made in #2 & #3 to make a large triangle - Square up to 3" finished half square with the Easy Angle
5. Join the squared up triangles to the 4 3/4" square to complete the 6 1/2" blocks

My pieces didn't line up well in the first block because I didn't square it up well.

  The pieces lined up much better in this block.  The only seams I pressed open were when I joined the larger triangles to the 4 3/4" unit.

I can't wait to see all your new blocks! I have 4 more ready to pieces then I will have to start cutting out more.

As a side note, you could sew the center as a 9 patch and square it up to 4 3/4" - it might be easier and make things line up better for you.

Wild Geese

I was surprised how easily this block went together.  I made an error when cutting, so I had to square up my pieces.

Background (yellow)
4- 2" squares
4- triangles cut with Companion Angle (CA)1 1/2" strip

Color 1 & Color 2(Darks)
8- triangles cut with Easy Angle (EA) 1 1/2" strip
2- triangles cut with CA 1 1/2" strip

Color 1 & Color 2 (Lights)
2 - triangles cut with CA 2" strip


Sewing:

• Sew the small dark triangles to the background triangles AND squares; square up to 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"

Because I cut my triangles too large, I had to trim off a lot of excess on my flying geese.  I used this ruler to trim down my units.  I felt the lines on the ruler were very helpful in squaring up my units correctly. I will be using this ruler more frequently.  Perhaps that is why this block went together so well.

• Sew the larger dark triangles together to make the center hourglass unit.    Square up to 2 1/2" if necessary.

• Sew the units together in rows

I pressed the center row toward the hourglass unit, and the other two rows I pressed toward the larger triangles.

 Join the 3 rows together to complete the 6 1/2" block.  I pressed the final 2 seams open.

I don't know how big you want your quilt, but if you have been following along with me, you probably have enough blocks for a twin size quilt.  If you are going for a queen size quilt, hang in there for more blocks to come.

Country Path (#24)

Country Path
Cutting:

Background:
2 - 1 5/8" squares
8 - triangles cut with Easy Angle (EA) 1 5/8" strip

Assorted Colors:
4- 2" squares (corners)
12- 1 5/8" squares
8 - triangles cut with EA 1 5/8" strip

1. Sew the 8 light and dark triangles together on the short edge in pairs; join with the 4 - 2" squares as illustrated.  Square up to a 3" finished half square with your EA
2. Place the 2 - 1 5/8" squares on the 2 1/2" square.  Sew on the diagonal (using the stitch and flip method) to make the center square  
3. Join the remaining squares (1 5/8") around the center square.  Square up the center unit to 4 3/4"
4. Add the pieced triangle units to complete the block.  Square up to 6 1/2" if necessary.

This block went together so quickly that I forgot to take more pictures.

Corn and Beans

This block seemed sort of intimidating at first.  I chopped off a few points in mine, but it wasn't bad enough to have a do-over.

#22 Corn and Beans

Cutting:

Background:

2 - Triangles 1 7/8" strips with Companion Angle (CA)

4- Triangles 2 1/2" strip with Easy Angle (EA)

20- Triangles 1 1/2" strip with EA

Color 1: (Green)

12- Triangles 1 1/2" with EA

Color 2: (Red)

2- Triangles 1 7/8" strip CA

4- Triangles 1 7/8" strip EA

1. Sew the triangles cut with the CA together to form the center hourglass unit. Press toward the dark
2. Sew a background triangle on both short edges of 4 of the color 1 triangles; join with the center hourglass unit
3. Add the 4 Color 2 triangles to the unit and square up to 4 3/4" if necessary
   
4. Join the remaining background and color 1 triangles in a line alternating colors; Add the remaining background triangles to the 4 units.  Use your EA to square up to 3" finished half square
5. join the pieced triangle units to the completed center to make a 6 1/2" square.

If you look at the last 2 blocks, they are both essentially square in a square with lots of pieces.  We will continue on this theme with the next few blocks also.

Cats & Mice - #17

I tried this block once before, but it didn't go well. This time it went together perfectly.  I guess I must have learned a  thing or two the first time around.

I did this as a two color block.
Cutting:
Background (white)
Cut:
4- triangles with Companion Angle (CA) and a 2 1/2" strip
4- triangles with Easy Angle (EA) 1 1/2" strip
8- triangles with CA - 1 1/4" strip

Color (Red)
5- squares 1 7/8"
8- triangles with CA- 1 1/4" strip

Sewing

1. Make your hour glass blocks by sewing a pair together the triangles cut from the 1 1/4" strip; Press this seam open.  I recommend using a short stitch length
2. Sew the pairs together.  I used the square up ruler to square up to 1 7/8", then I pressed the seam open.  This is the easiest way for me, but feel free to use your own method if it works for you.  Line up the center seam on the ruler with the seam you pressed open, and line up your stitch line with the 1 7/8" line.  Press the seam open.
3. Join the 4 hourglass units to four of the squares (press toward the square)
4. Take 2 of those units and join the larger triangles to each side (press toward the large triangle); Join the remaining 2 units with the remaining square (press toward the center square)
5. Join the 3 units together matching seams; Press these seams open
6. Add the remaining 4 corners triangles - press toward the final triangles.  
7. Square up to 6 1/2"

Resuming the farming - Silver Lane (#79)

It is baseball season, and I am not getting a whole lot of sewing done.  I have about 10 FW blocks already cut out.  These will work well for the little snippets of time that I have available this spring.  I am ready to take this project to the finish line.

 By this time in the project, you are experts at half square triangles - especially the 1" finished variety.  I did my block very scrappy because those were the pieces I had.  The block in the book has 5 colors.  Please use your own colors, but for clarity, I am going to give the instructions by my colors.

Cutting:
White (background)

• 4 - 1 1/2" squares
• 4 - 1" finished half squares
•  1 1/2" strip with Easy Angle
• 4- Quarter Triangles 1 1/2" strip with Companion Angle

Aqua

• 8 - 1 1/2" X 2 1/2" 

Purple

• 4 - 1" finished half squares 1 1/2" strip with EA
• 4- 1 1/2" X 2 1/2" rectangles

Green

• 4- 1 1/2" squares
• 8- 1" finished half squares 1 1/2" strip with EA

There are 40 pieces, so I better get started.

Use the take away method described here to trim off the corners of the aqua rectangles.    They are mirror image, so make sure you have wrong sides together if you are cutting in pairs.  The take away method is talked about in several other posts too, so you can always type in "take away" in the search box if you forget how.  Now that you have these cut, lay out all your pieces to make sure everything is going the right direction.

Sew the 4- purple/white half squares together and square up to 1 1/2"; join in pairs, then join into a 4-patch to form a pinwheel.  I pressed all these seams open.   Add a 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle to the left and right sides of the pinwheel- Press toward the rectangles.   Add a 1 1/2" square to both ends of the remaining 2 purple rectangles- press toward the rectangles, then join with the pinwheel unit.  Check to make sure it measures 4 1/2".

Join the green squares to the blue trimmed rectangles.  Add these to the white quarter triangles to make the side units- these should measure 1 1/2" x 4 1/2".  Join the remaining 4 squares to the left and right side of 2 of these units.  It is very important to sew these accurately to get everything to fit.  Make sure your aqua rectangles are exactly 2 1/2" long before you do the take away method.  If you find you are having trouble getting things to fit, Use 1 1/2" squares and use the stitch and flip method.  This may work better for you since the pieces are so small.

Add these to the pinwheel unit to complete the block.

Did you make it to the end?

Buckwheat #13

Buckwheat:

• 16 triangles (8 dark and 8 medium) cut with Easy Angle (EA) 1 7/8" strip
• 12 triangles (8 light and 4 medium) 1 1/2" strip cut with Companion Angle (CA)
• 4 squares 1 7/8" (2 light and 2 dark)

 Sew the half squares together and square up to 1 7/8" .  If you are struggling with the 1/4" seam, you can use a 2" strip and square them up.

Sew the squares and setting triangles together on the angle in rows.  Alternate the pressing direction by the rows (I press odd rows to the right and even rows to the left)

 Join the rows together in pairs, matching up the seams of the inner squares.  The setting triangles are a little over sized, so don't be alarmed if they don't line up perfectly.

Join the remaining rows, and square up to 6 1/2"

Make sure to leave the 1/4" seam allowance on the edges,

My colors are a little crazy on this one, but in the whole scheme of things, it will be fine.

The Farmer's Wife Resumes

I haven't had much time to sew since we adopted the new puppy, but today I NEEDED some time to sew.  Do you ever get really grumpy because you have too many things that need done and you don't get to sew?  My family recognizes when I need some sewing time, so I know the lack of it makes me grumpy.

I really want to finish up the Farmer's Wife project so I can free myself of the guilt of unfinished business. 

Today's block is 19 - Checkerboard.  It came out perfect on my second try.  I don't know what I did wrong the first time, but my seam allowance must have been too big.  Second time around, it was the perfect size.

Checkerboard- #19

• 9 colored squares 1 7/8"
• 4 light squares 1 7/8"
• 8 triangles cut with Companion Angle 1 7/8" strip
• 4 triangles cut with EA 1 1/2" strip (can use 1 7/8" strip and trim down if you prefer

Sew the squares together in rows pressing toward the colors

Join the middle 3 rows and the corners to the other 2 rows.

 Join the remaining pieces to complete the block.  Trim off the dog ears and square up to 6 1/2".  Make sure you leave the 1/4" seam allowance on all 4 sides.  This is my completed untrimmed block.

 Stay tuned for block #13 Buckwheat.  It is very similar to Checkerboard with the addition of some half squares.

I am hoping this is the beginning of many more productive days.

St

Country Farm

 I am sitting here watching the Super Bowl, and my favorite commercial was the Dodge Farmer commercial.  How fitting that I am posting the next block - #23 in the Farmer's Wife book.

Dark:

• 4 - 2 1/2" squares.
• 4- 1 1/2" strip Use Companion Angle

Star Points:

• 8 - 1 1/2" strip with CA

Center Hour Glass:

• 2 dark & 2 light triangles cut with CA - 1 7/8" strip

Sew the star points to the 4 corner squares.  Press toward the star points.

Sew the hourglass triangles together in pairs, then join the pairs.

Join 2 star triangles to the hourglass unit.  Press toward the hourglass unit.  

Add the remaining triangles to the remaining star points.  

Join the remaining pieces and press toward the star points.  The block should measure 6 1/2" 

Mother's Dream

This is Block #58 in the FW book.  This is another easy one if you know how to read your ruler.

Light:

• Center Square 2 5/8"
• 4 - 1 5/8" x 2 5/8"

Dark:

• 4 - 1 5/8" x 2 5/8"

I strip pieced the light and dark rails (1 5/8" x 10 1/2")and cut them in 2 5/8" segments.

Medium

• 4 - triangles cut with Companion Angle (2" strip)
• 4 - triangles cut with Easy Angle (2" strip)

 Sew the 2 of the corner triangles on 2 of the rail segments (half squares)

Sew the triangles cut with the companion angle on both sides of the remaining rail segments.

Press all toward the triangles.

Sew the rails with the corner triangles to the center square.  Press toward the center square.

Sew the remaining 2 corner triangles to the rails with side triangles.

Join  the units to complete the 6 1/2" block.

I am working toward my goal of getting 10 blocks posted.  

Friendship Block

This block is block #40 according to the FW book. This block doesn't have many pieces, so cut them carefully so everything will go together well.

Light:

• 4 - 2" X 2"
• 2- 1 1/4" X 3 3/8"
• 2- 1 1/4" X 4 3/4"

Dark:

• 1- 3 3/8" X 3 3/8"
• 8- 1 1/2" finished triangles (2" strip - Use Easy Angle)

 Sew the 2 light rectangles to opposite sides the large square.  Press toward the rectangles, then repeat with the remaining 2 rectangles.

Sew the dark triangles to small squares.  I like to press the first triangle toward the square, and the second triangle away from the square.  Square up if necessary (should be the same size as a 3" finished half square)

Mark the center of each side of the square unit.  Sew the triangle units to the square unit lining up the centers. Sew the opposite sides first.  Press the first 2 toward the square, and the second 2 toward the triangle units.  I like to place the triangle units on top when I sew so I can make sure I don't clip off my corners (sew through the "x")

Finished block measures 6 1/2"

Squash Blossom - #86

 I am glad this block was included with the FW book, because it stretched me.  I learned a new way to use the companion angle.  You can use the following cutting instructions, and use the cut away method, OR, you can cut using my diagrams.

Background:

4- 1 1/2" X 3 1/2"
4- 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"
4- 1" finished half squares (1 1/2" strip Companion Angle)

Dark:

2- Triangles cut with Companion Angle (CA) 1 1/2" strip
2- 1 1/2" X 4 1/2"
4- 1 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Medium:
2 - Triangles cut with Companion Angle (CA) 1 1/2" strip

Generally when we use the easy angle, the fabric goes to the tip of the triangle.  This time, we don't want a point at the top, so we are going to line up the ruler with the bottom of the strip.  Since we want a mirror image, place your fabrics with wrong sides together.

Background:

• Cut 4 pieces lining up the 3 1/2" marking of the Easy Angle with the bottom of the strip. You should have 2 face up and 2 reversed.

• Cut 4 pieces lining up the 2 1/2" marking with the EA with the bottom of the strip.  You should have 2 face up and 2 reversed.

• Cut 4 triangles with the EA from the same 1 1/2" strip (1" finished triangle - not illustrated)

Dark (red)

• Using a 1 1/2" strip wrong sides together, Use the CA and line up the 4" line with the bottom of the strip and cut both sides of the triangle (make 2)
• Use the CA to cut 2 flying geese

• Cut 4 rectangles 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" - Use the diagram to cut away the triangle corners.  Repeat with the other corner making a diamond shape.

Medium (orange)

• Cut 2 flying geese with the CA

Lay out the pieces like the diagram and join in Rows.  Each of your rows should measure 1 1/2" x 6 1/2"

Join the Rows to complete the block.  

I pressed the center rows (where the orange geese join) open.

Finished block measures 6 1/2"