101 Patchwork Patterns Block 13

I've been extremely busy with one thing and another... you all know how it goes. And before you know it, a month has gone by. These past few weeks have been very busy with guild quilt shows. I've been to four. After back surgery in 2014 I had missed a couple years of shows so I've really enjoyed going to: Merrimack Valley Quilters, Belknap Mills Quilters Guild, Monadnock Quilters Guild and one of the two guilds I belong to, Cocheco Quilters Guild.

There are two area events left in this fall season, both the same weekend and both new events. The Connections Quilt Festival is in Nashua, NH, November 10-12. Also new to the area is a vendor only show at the Sturbridge Host Hotel in Sturbridge, MA, November 10-12. This is sponsored by Pinwheels and Friends who hold a spring event in Mt. Kisco, NY. This will be their first time in Sturbridge.

Also, I am participating in two fun events on Thursday, October 20. First, I am part of the Eerie Nights Blog Hop and Thursday is my day to share. I have a quick and easy table topper with a fall look. Lots of great prizes are up for grabs during the hop, too. And I'll be speaking at the New England Quilt Museum during their monthly book club lunch meeting on Thursday. Their books for the month are 101 Patchwork Patterns and Whiter Than Snow by Sandra Dallas. I have read and enjoyed several Dallas novels but not this one. Think I can read it by Thursday?

I have two blocks from 101 Patchwork Patterns to share today, and I'll be back in a day or two with the first assembly instructions for our quilt. I chose an all pieced block and an alternate block with a little bit of applique. Whichever you choose to make is fine, and this block will allow us to assemble the first round of our medallion style quilt. The choices are Steps to the Alter or Cherry Basket.

Download Steps to the Alter Pattern

First you need to cut the Piece A green squares in half diagonally. I use the lines on the cutting mat to help me get the cut right on the diagonal by laying the square with the corners on a vertical line and using the 45 degree line to make sure it is straight on the mat.

Next, I lay out the rows needed for half of the block. 

Then I glue baste the squares to each other so I can go to the machine and sew without worrying that squares are out of place.

Next, sew pairs of yellow and green rows together. 

Now make the brown and beige half square triangle unit, and using the other half of the brown square, make the other half of the block. 

At this point you can sew the yellow/green pieces and the beige/brown pieces into rows, or sew each half together. I chose to sew the halves together. As you can see here I pressed the seam allowances open on the yellow/green rows.

Sew the two halves of the block together and you are done. (Sorry, missed a photo of this step.) 

As an improvement I am working on setting up a photography station with better light. I've been checking other blog posts on the issue. These seem to be particularly dark and I apologize.

Download Cherry Basket Pattern

This is very similar to the Steps to the Alter block above. Your small blocks are half square triangles rather than simple squares. 

Sew the rows of the basket together just like you did before. Also, add the dark purple half square triangles to the background rectangles.

Next you'll sew the background/triangle pieces to the basket, first one side then the other. Make sure you have an overlap of the dark purple triangles at the bottom corner of the basket. Sew the half square of background to the bottom of the basket.

After cutting the 8-5/8" large square on the diagonal, press to mark the center. Also fold the applique handle in half and line up the folds when placing the handle. Be sure that the bottom edges of the handle will be caught in the seam allowance.

I used fusible web to trace the basket handle and fuse it to the background triangle. I used a machine blanket stitch to sew it. You can use any stitch you would like: straight, zigzag, blanket, even hand blanket stitching is fine. Whatever you want is what's right.

Sew the handle portion to the basket portion. They are not equal halves like the Steps to the Alter were. Check to make sure you have a 1/4 inch seam allowance on either end of the handle portion extending beyond the basket portion.

Quilt including block 13.

So that wasn't too bad, was it? Remember you only need to make one of the blocks unless you want to have a spare. Each round of the quilt layout uses a different size block to make the dimensions come out right. So the 12 or 13 9 inch blocks we've made will surround the large center block. 

Check back in a couple days for the first assembly instructions.

Thanks for visiting,

Mary