RED and WHITE DIAMOND BLOCK
WOW! What a fantastic colour way Jan-Maree has given us this month. I hope you enjoy playing with your red and white fabrics as you make up these beautiful blocks.
Choose a dominantly red fabric for the diamond. My diamond is red background with white spots but any printed fabric that is mostly red would work well.
The background stripes can be any type of print e.g. large prints or small prints, stripes or spots or any combinations of red and white. Choose 5 fabrics that contrast well with each other.
I have chosen to place a white background beside a white background in the following selection. I don't think my choice of a striped fabric for the first or last strip was a good idea and I probably should have used that in another position.
Please use 1/4 inch seams
Working from left to right...
Cut strips about 20 inches long and 3 inch wide, 1 3/4 inch wide, 2 inch wide, 1 1/2 inch wide and 2 1/4 inch wide.
Join the strips together as shown and press the seam allowances flat, either open or to one side. I prefer to press seam allowances away from white fabric where possible, so that the seam doesn't "shadow" under the white fabric.
Position the piece of fabric made from strips on cutting mat and trim off a small piece as shown on the right and then cut two 8 1/2 inch squares.
Please note...our seam allowances are not always quite the same as each other! Measure across the 5 strips. If your measurement is 8 1/4 inch then cut 8 1/4 inch squares. If your strips measure 8 1/2 inches then cut 8 1/2 inch squares. The blocks will all fit together because they will be trimmed.
Cut diagonally through each block as shown.
Cut a 7 inch square of fabric for the diamond. Press in half and then in quarters as shown in the picture below.
Take two identical triangles and find the centre of the diagonal side by folding in half. With right sides together, position the halfway crease on the triangle over one of the creases on the diamond and pin in place. The triangle will extend beyond the edges of the red square. Stitch the seam. Repeat on the opposite side of the square. Press the seam allowances to one side.
Repeat the process with the other two identical triangles. The following picture shows the third triangle stitched to the square and the fourth triangle pinned in place ready for sewing.
The flappy triangles can be trimmed away, as shown, after the last two seams have been sewn.
Press the seam allowances to one side.
PLEASE DO NOT TRIM THE BLOCK OR TIDY UP THE IRREGULAR EDGES. THIS WILL BE DONE BEFORE THE BLOCKS ARE SEWN TOGETHER.
This is the finished Diamond Block.
Thank you for making blocks for Aussie Hero Quilts.
Your blocks will be sewn into quilt tops and personalised with details to meet the
requests of our wonderful Heroes.
Please send your finished blocks to
Sandy Corry
9 Wendouree Court
North Boambee Valley. NSW. 2450
If you include your email address, I will be able to let you know when I receive your blocks.
Thank you again...your contributions are very much appreciated!
Happy sewing with these beautiful colours.
Sandy
PDF version of this tutorial can now be found HERE
Brilliant!
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