Wednesday, March 16, 2022

BLOCK 12: SUZETTE'S INDIANA PUZZLE QUILT BLOCK

 I've been able to make a block a day lately because of our weather. We have continued our roller coaster temperatures and our weekly Thursday snow for several weeks now. But I'm tired of it. It is March! I'm ready for spring.

As I have been saying, if you have been following my posts during this 30-Block Exchange Group I am in, I'm having the time of my life. I am making blocks I doubt I would have ever made. I have learned shortcuts I didn't know and I'm much more confident with my self-taught quilting abilities. It's a good feeling all the way around. I am also able to continue to "teach" even though I'm no longer in the classroom which was the reason I started this blog in the first place the summer of 2012. I look at quilts in a way I haven't always looked at them and that's exciting!

I just discovered this block pattern yesterday and decided to make it today. I haven't done it with everybody in the group, but when I see an interesting and easy block with a state's name, I stop and look with anyone in the group is from that state. Suzette, the coordinator for this group is from Indiana. Even though I had planned to send her another one of the blocks I had made, I knew I had to make this one for her. Hopefully I can get it in the mail to her tomorrow. I have thirteen, I think, ready to mail out. It gives walking out to the mailbox a totally new feeling. I have received three so far but today several ladies in the group indicated they are ready to mail their blocks out. We have until May, so it will be another couple of weeks before I will be ready to mail out all 30 blocks.



 HOW TO MAKE AN INDIANA PUZZLE QUILT BLOCK 

(a variation of the Friendship Star Block using 1/4" seams and two prints)

This block which is a variation of a Friendship Star uses two prints, one light - Print #1 and one darker - Print #2. If you look at the block above, I hope you can recognize that it is like a nine-patch. Did you notice that? It's helps you to think about how it will be sewed, if you recognize that just by looking at a finished block.

The block contains 8 HSTs(half-square triangles) and a square in a square for the center. 

CUT four(4) - 5" squares from each print - for the HSTs

CUT one(1) - 4.5" square from Print #1 - for center square

CUT four(4) - 2.5" squares from Print #2 - for center square (not in the picture)



Looking at the drawing, you can see that eight of the nine "squares" are HST and the center square is what we call "a square in a square".




The first thing I did was make the HSTs. I've written these instructions so many times in the last couple of weeks, but I know you may not have read any of those past posts. So here it goes.

If you read most directions for making HSTs, they have you cut the square 7/8" bigger than the desired finished block. For example, if you finished block will be 3", add 3 + 7/8" and you get 3-7/8". That's fairly easy for most people. Measuring 3-7/8" using your ruler might be a different story. If you desired finished block is going to be 3-1/2", add 3-1/2 + 7/8 and that might be a different ballgame for some. (I used to teach math.) So I try to make it easy for everyone, and I say, "Just cut it an inch bigger than the desired finished square." This works out better, plus your results are probably going to be better, because just having that extra 1/8" allows for any small mistakes and you can trim off any access you have with the square. No matter how hard you try when you press a seam, you are always going to lose a tiny bit of the fabric. And even though you try really hard, you might not take up exactly 1/4" seam. So to have a little extra fabric, helps out a lot. Some quilters will tell you they take up a scant 1/4" seam when they sew, but even so your "scant" and my "scant" may be totally different. That may be a long discussion, but I haven't talked about it in any tutorial to this degree. Just remember 1 inch bigger instead of 7/8" when you read it in directions!

There are two ways to make HSTs - 1) sew together a bunch of triangles of two different prints/fabrics and 2) cut the squares 1" bigger than the desired finished size and make two HSTs with two squares using two different prints. Depending on how many HSTs you need, you will use one of these methods. For this block, you are making eight (8) HSTs using just two prints, so that means we will use the second method. 

Here's how:

        We need eight(8) HSTs so we will CUT four (4) squares 1" bigger than the finished size (4"). 


Pair up the two prints required for two HSTs with right sides facing. On the wrong side of one of the two squares, draw a diagonal line using a pencil or marking pencil from one corner to another.

Making sure that you keep the two squares completely together, you will sew 1/4" from the drawn line on both sides.

You can sew one set at a time, or chain piece them by "feeding" the next set in under the "foot" you are using on your sewing machine after the previous one has passed. You keep sewing even though you aren't technically sewing anything. Once you do the last one you are making, cut the thread, and turn the "chain of HST" around so you will be sewing on the other side. Repeat as on the first side.

When finished you can cut the threads between the two HSTs.

Then TRIM 1/4" away" from the seam and

PRESS toward the darker print from the wrong side and the right side.


Since we cut these squares an inch bigger than desired finished size, you can square up by trimming the square to 1/2" bigger than the desired finished size because you have to allow for the two 1/4" seams seams you will be making. Our desired size for all of our squares is 4" so you will trim the HSTs to 4.5". I have a 6" square ruler and a 6.5" square ruler that I use all of the time. I also have a 3.5" long ruler that can be used for the popular 3.5" squares.


Now you can arrange your eight (8) HSTs on your design wall for the pattern. (I have the 4.5" center block on the wall for spacing of the other eight squares. It will be next to make the square in a square.) If you don't have a design wall, see if you can make one somewhere in the room where you are sewing. It doesn't have to be fancy. Mine consists of two pieces of felt - one longer than the other so it doesn't look great, but it works great. They are secured to one of the walls in a bedroom I am lucky enough to call my "sewing room" with pushpins at the very top. Pushpins don't make big holes in the wall.

The ninth square, the center, is all you have to make before sewing the 9-Patch together. It may look difficult, but I will show you how to do it easily.


The four (4) 2.5" squares that you cut from Print #2 will be used to make the corners on the square so that it looks like a square-in-a-square.

The first thing you need to do is to draw another diagonal line from two corners on the back like you did when you made the HSTs. It will be easier to just work with two at a time and they should be opposite of each other.

Place the two squares over two of the corners of the 4.5" square you cut from Print #1 so that your drawn line goes in the same direction as in my picture.

This time you will be sewing ON the drawn line and not 1/4" as you did when you made the HSTs.

After you have sewed each smaller square on, take to your cutting mat and trim 1/4" from the line and your seam.

Take to your ironing board, and PRESS the seams away from the center on the wrong side first, and then on the right side.

Make sure they are pressed as flat as you can get them.

Then going back to your work table, place the other two smaller squares over the other two corners making sure you are overlapping correctly and repeat what you did with the first two corners.

When you have it pressed flat,


you can place it in the center of your block on the design wall. 









You are now ready to sew the nine-patch together first in three rows and then sew the three rows together.

You will need to "nest" or "butt" up the seams when you sew the rows together, just remember to secure those seams and other places along the way with pins before you sew. Don't forget to PRESS. Can't say that enough.



Since you always pressed the squares always to the darker print, you may occasionally need to repress a seam. Just pin the seam the way you want it to go and then

you can press the seam that way when you press the other seam you just made.

This is what you want to see when you open up your seam.

Sewing the 9 - Patch...


The very last thing to do is to square up the block. A 12.5" square ruler is the easiest way to do this. Notice the lines on the ruler and how they need to line up with your block. You won't have a lot to trim off, but every bit of excess needs to come off. It also allows you to note if you are "short" anywhere because this will be important when you sew your blocks together. 

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