The Nov/Dec '10 issue of Quiltmaker has an article by Anita Grossman Solomon showing a really fun way to make this block. See a preview of her article here:
http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/d...html?idx=12909 and Anita's site here:
http://makeitsimplerworkshops.blogsp...ch/label/Anita's%20Arrowhead
Had to give it a try! I tried made up three different sizes, one using the article's directions, then one really big one and one that's juuuuuust right :) I think that to avoid copyright issues I can't provide dimensions, but I do have photos of the block going together ...
- Cut two blocks the same size, spray with some starch and press together (right sides together).
- You're going to sew around the edge of the blocks, but you leave a gap on each opposite corner - start sewing about 1/4 of the length of one side, sew to the first corner, pivot and sew all the way to the edge of that side then stop. Start sewing on the next side, again leaving a gap about 1/4 of the measurement of that side, sew to the next corner, pivot and then sew all the way to the edge of that seam.
- Cut diagonally through the sewn blocks, cutting through the sewn corners.
- Stack the two pieces.
- You're now going to make two cuts through these triangles - the first cut is that same 1/4 of the measurement of the size of one side
- Rotate the block (I'm loving my rotating cutting mat for this!) and make one more cut through the other long side of the triangle, that same 1/4 measure
- You now have four stacks
- Take your pieces to your iron and press all seams OPEN
- Lay out the pieces into the arrangement for the final square
- Sew the two two-patches together to make a four-patch
- Sew the triangles onto the long pieces - keep good track of which side gets attached where!! and press
- Sew the middle together and press
- Sew the three pieces together and press well
- Square up
- Show off :)
Two cuts along long edges, that same 1/4 measure
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Sew the pieces together in three sections - the triangles to one of the 'pillar' pieces, the centre section together, then sew all together; press as you go, seams open. Square up block.
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Sew two seams, starting 1/4 of the way down one side, turn, sew all the way to the next edge; turn, start 1/4 way down, pivot, sew all the way to the next edge
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Cut the squares on the diagonal, going through the corners that are sewn together
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Stack the triangles, line them up carefully
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Press everything, seams open; Arrange the pieces
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Show off! Here's my design board - four blocks using this technique made tonight, and one of those awesome 10-minute blocks!
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