Hi Everyone, I hope you are all well this evening?

I need some help please. I am in the middle of cutting the pieces for the block in the document attached. I am making it as an 18 inch block for a cushion cover.

So, I get that the half square triangles (white and pink) are cut 7/8 inches bigger than the finished size.

But I am stuck on the centre part - the black diamond with the four grey triangles...I have cut it once, thoght I had worked it out but it must be wrong as it ended up a bit too big and the points go all the way to the edge meaning they will be lost when the whole block is pieced.

To make it an 18 inch block how big should I cut the pieces for the grey and black parts?

Sorry if this is a dumb question but I am still so new at this and I can't figure it out and my brain is fried. :shock:

I can't really help except to make your star visible on the thread. Someone else will be here shortly, I'm sure of it.

If I remember rightly Jstitch resized a block for someone and she gave the how to in her text. Can´t remembr who it was but will look for you.

Okay. hang in there help is a coming.

Elle

Thanks you two! I came home from work itching to do this block, now I have lost my enthusiasm unless I know how to do it right. I know the best way to learn is by making mistakes but I don't have enough of this fabric to mess it up.

Wow! Talk about international cooperation!! :D

Shelly has some great tutorials on this posted. I think when you sew on each side you make new points :roll:

Hi again, well I have hunted for the thread but can´t find it, sorry. Have you tried quilterscache.com. they have blocks of all sizes there perhaps yours is there or you could pick one to do if you have lost the enthusiasm.

Good luck

Elle

I hope this makes sense. I drafted out for you.
center square is cut 6 7/8"
inner triangles cut 2 5" sq and cut once diagonally
corner squares are cut 5"
flying geese rectangles cut 4 at 5" x 9 1/2"
cut 8 5" squares, draw one diagonal line and sew on that line, cut 1/4" away and press to outside, repeat for other side. In pic, one done in red, one done in green.

I have corrected the 5" x 10" rectangle.

or you could cut one 9.5 inch square for the center block and cut four 5.0 inch squares for the corners. Someone check me on the 5 inch squares to double check I have that right. Place a smaller square facing right side down in the corner of the big square and stitch diagonally across the center of the smaller square. Trim off the excess from that corner and press your triangle out. I sew all 4 small squares on and press those "ears" out before I trim anything off. Basically what you have for your total block is a 4x4, or 16 patch block in other words. Break that down to each of the squares equalling 4.5 inches finished. So that makes your center square 9.0 by 9.0 inches finished.

Edit: yep, you want 5 inch squares for the corners. I checked and the small squares will meet at the seam line to form a perfect point 1/4 inch in from the edge which is what you want them to do. With a 5 inch square, stitching is much easier if you use a ruler and pencil in a diagonal line from corner to corner. Sew on that line.

Thanks Sharon and babeegirl, thats just what I needed. Its almost 10pm here and as much as I would like to try again now, I am getting tired so will try again fresh tomorrow. So much appreciate evryone's help tonight! :idea: