November BOM (part B) by Naomi Vela

Welcome back, how did you find last months' BOM?  I hope you had fun making them, as this months is very similar!

How to make a Bordered Four Patch block, just like the one pictured below.

Cutting Instructions:

4 x 3.5" (3 & 1/2") squares from four different fabrics
Border 1: Two 2 & 1/4" x 6.5" (6 & 1/2") strips
Border 2: Two 2 & 1/4" x 10" strips

Please do a test measurement on a scrap of fabric to make sure you are using a 1/4" seam allowance, otherwise your block (s) might not end up the right size.

 Take all four of the 3.5" squares, and pair them up, pin them together and then sew down one side of each pair, using a 1/4" s.a. (seam allowance).

 

   

 Press the seam toward the darker of the two squares.

Here you can see both pairs of squares sewn together and the seams pressed towards the black & white fabrics.

Place both units right sides together, and nestle the seams as shown in the next two pics.

 Pin and sew the seam to join the two units together into a 4 patch.

In the pic below, I've indicated with my seam ripper, the couple of stitches you're going to remove, so you can fan the seam at the back, and when pressed, it will create a mini 4 patch on the back in the centre, and produce a nice flat seam where all 4 corners are joined.....very useful for when the quilt is being quilted.

 

 Check measurements of your 4 patch square, it should measure 6.5".

Now take the two Border 1 pieces, and attach to either side of the 4 patch block, press the seam away from the centre square.

Check the measurement on the side you've just attached the borders to, it should measure 10" x 6.5".

Next you will be adding the final border pieces, to the remaining two sides of the block.  Press the seam away from the centre square.

Voila, your Bordered 4 patch block is now complete....well, it will be, once you've checked the measurement.  Your completed block should measure 10" square.

**Notes**

Please use all colours, this block is a great way to use up some of those smaller scraps offcuts that we all seem to hoard (quite rightly so, when you calculate that they cost the same amount per metre/yard as the rest of your pieces of fabric!)

Mix and match solids with patterned fabrics or all patterned, or all solid, the main thing, is to have fun making them.

Once again, please send completed blocks to:

Aussie Hero Quilts

Attn: Naomi Vela

1 Obst St

Berri SA 5343

Australia

Please be sure to pop in a note with your name printed on it, so I can accredit the blocks to the right person....I'm not quite up to speed with everyone's names yet!

I will be combining last months blocks with this months, to create some great quilts for our Aussie Heroes.

Next month it will be Kylie's turn again (sorry for hijacking your month hun) and I'm sure she'll have something as equally exciting to show you for the December BOM.  I'll be back in the New Year with more BOM's and perhaps even some quilt top ideas for you (depends on what Santa brings me to play with - fabric wise!)

I know it's a bit premature, but I wish you all (Overseas, and back home) a very safe Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year.  Happy quilting.

Hugs

Naomi

Well I can't let Naomi have the last word so I just thought I would tell you that I was the guest speaker today  at the Baulkham Hills Uniting Church and what a lovely bunch of people they were!  I even had two lovely ladies make donations which was most unexpected but very muc appreciated.  Several also asked if I would be happy to talk to their Probus Groups.  me?  Talk about Aussie Heroes?  Oh alright...if I must.  :-D

Till next time..........keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

October BOM (Part A) by Naomi Vela

Howdy everyone,

After Kylies' great block, that proved extremely popular last month (see here if you missed it), I thought I'd better smarten my act up somewhat, so I've come up with a two part BOM....don't panic, both blocks are very simple, and can be tackled by anyone....beginners to advanced quilters.

This month, we're going to make a Bordered Block, just like the one in the pic below.

Cutting instructions:
6" Centre square (can be patterned or plain)
Border 1: Two pieces 2 & 1/2" x 6"
Border 2: Two pieces 2 & 1/2" x 10"

Here are all the pieces cut out, ready to be sewn.

Please do a test measurement on a scrap of fabric to make sure you are using a 1/4" seam allowance, otherwise your block (s) might not end up the right size.

Below I have sewn some tests with different quarter inch feet.  You can see there are minor differences.

In the above pic, you can see, that whilst there's only a slight difference between them (click on the photo if you need to see it a bit larger), over the measurement of a few blocks, it can throw things out.....if half the blocks are made using Foot 1 in the example and the rest are made using Foot 3, it could really throw things out of whack....so please, grab a scrap of fabric, and test out your 1/4" foot/seam allowance and adjust where you sew, to make it accurate....it makes piecing the quilts so much easier if everything is uniform.  Thanks.

Now that you've tested your 1/4" seam is true, and not too big, or scant (small) we can get started on the sewing of the block.

Take your centre square, and the two 6" border pieces.  Sew, using a 1/4" s.a. (seam allowance) to two opposite sides.  Beginners, please pin the borders to the square (such as I did for the tutorial pics) as it will help hold things in place, just remember to remove the pins as you sew towards them. (It's said you can sew over the pins, when pinned in the manner I did, HOWEVER, I've seen needles bent and even broken and flying off in different pieces, so it's not worth the risk in my opinion)

Press the seams away from the centre square, as shown.  If you're still unsure if you've used a 1/4" s.a. then please take a moment to measure your partly completed block now, it should measure 6" x 10".

Now take the other two border pieces, and sew these to the other two sides of the centre section.

Again, press the seams away from the centre square.

Your block is now complete, only thing left to do, is re-measure it, if all is well, it will measure 10" square.  Please send them without trimming them at all.

Wrong side

Right side

Please pat yourself on the back for a job well done!

**Notes**
Preferred block colours - Masculine colours please (we need more 'boy' quilts than we do 'girl' quilts.
Border pieces can all be the same, or 4 different ones (so is a bit of a scrap buster block).

Please send completed BOM blocks to:

Aussie Hero Quilts
Attn: Naomi Vela

1 Obst St

Berri SA 5343

Australia

You can get a pdf version of this tutorial by clicking HERE

Stay tuned for next month for the other half of this 2 block BOM, and start collecting 3.5" (3 & 1/2") squares of different coloured fabrics, novelty fabrics would work well if they're not a big print.

To our troops I wish you well, stay safe, and to all the Friends of AHQ, stay safe too, but hopefully, this BOM will have you in 'stitches' lol

Hugs

Naomi