Most efficient way to construct a block
08-05-2018, 09:16 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 110
Most efficient way to construct a block
I accidentally posted this on Pictures. Sorry about the duplicate.
Hello,
I am a fan of EQ7 for designing quilts. One of the problems to be overcome as a result of using the tool is that you have to figure out how to actually construct the blocks you design. This particular block is simple in design, but I haven't figured out the best way to construct it without a lot of measuring or a lot of fabric waste. Here's the original block:
I thought it would be simpler to construct the block as a half square triangle with a solid blue triangle and a triangle made of strips like this:
I know if the corner white triangle were blue as well I could construct a substrate and then use a triangle ruler to cut without much waste. The lone white stripe makes it difficult. I also need to be careful in my piecing because the seams must match with adjacent border blocks as well as the main quilt blocks. Here is picture showing how the block will be used to construct a pieced border.
Does anyone have any suggestions:
Hello,
I am a fan of EQ7 for designing quilts. One of the problems to be overcome as a result of using the tool is that you have to figure out how to actually construct the blocks you design. This particular block is simple in design, but I haven't figured out the best way to construct it without a lot of measuring or a lot of fabric waste. Here's the original block:
I thought it would be simpler to construct the block as a half square triangle with a solid blue triangle and a triangle made of strips like this:
I know if the corner white triangle were blue as well I could construct a substrate and then use a triangle ruler to cut without much waste. The lone white stripe makes it difficult. I also need to be careful in my piecing because the seams must match with adjacent border blocks as well as the main quilt blocks. Here is picture showing how the block will be used to construct a pieced border.
Does anyone have any suggestions:
08-05-2018, 10:35 AM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
The only way I can think of is to paper piece the triangle. you can pre cut the strips so they are very close to the necessary widths. Then if you cut the angled edges of the strips close to the paper, you can flip them on the next block so the angles will match. Still a bit of waste, but you should get blocks that will match up.
08-05-2018, 11:10 AM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,643
I would cut the large piece from a template, and then cut "exact" size strips and corner triangles and sew them on.
In fact, I would cut the strips on the bias, so when the unit is complete, all the threads would be perpendicular to each other.
Or - one could cut the large piece from a template, and then sew strips on and then trim to the "exact" size wanted/needed.
Paper piecing would also work -
When my pieces are cut "to size" - and I pinned carefully - things usually line up the way they should.
In fact, I would cut the strips on the bias, so when the unit is complete, all the threads would be perpendicular to each other.
Or - one could cut the large piece from a template, and then sew strips on and then trim to the "exact" size wanted/needed.
Paper piecing would also work -
When my pieces are cut "to size" - and I pinned carefully - things usually line up the way they should.
08-05-2018, 07:02 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Saskatchewan
Posts: 838
I would do it in three parts:
1. Cut the full blue square, then cut off the corner where the stripes will fit (don't cut it in half - just cut off the corner). This will waste the corner triangles, but they might be useful in the main block.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]598957[/ATTACH]
2. Make a strip set of orange-blue-orange. Cut it into pieces.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]598956[/ATTACH]
A ruler like this: https://www.dinkydoo.com/collections...le-quilt-ruler might be useful, but the sketch above sort of shows how I would cut it using a regular square ruler. You might want to cut them a bit long, so that you don't have to worry about lining them up perfectly. Sew the stripes onto the lopped-off squares from step 1.
3. Cut white squares. Cut in half, and attach to the corner. Again, oversizing a bit would allow you to square up the whole block at this point.
By pressing the strips all in one direction at step 2, the pieces cut from opposite sides of the strip set will "nest" as well as seams can when they don't run parallel. You would have to press the white triangle seam in the same direction as the strip set for each block.
Let me know if this doesn't make sense... I could try to draw some better diagrams, if necessary.
1. Cut the full blue square, then cut off the corner where the stripes will fit (don't cut it in half - just cut off the corner). This will waste the corner triangles, but they might be useful in the main block.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]598957[/ATTACH]
2. Make a strip set of orange-blue-orange. Cut it into pieces.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]598956[/ATTACH]
A ruler like this: https://www.dinkydoo.com/collections...le-quilt-ruler might be useful, but the sketch above sort of shows how I would cut it using a regular square ruler. You might want to cut them a bit long, so that you don't have to worry about lining them up perfectly. Sew the stripes onto the lopped-off squares from step 1.
3. Cut white squares. Cut in half, and attach to the corner. Again, oversizing a bit would allow you to square up the whole block at this point.
By pressing the strips all in one direction at step 2, the pieces cut from opposite sides of the strip set will "nest" as well as seams can when they don't run parallel. You would have to press the white triangle seam in the same direction as the strip set for each block.
Let me know if this doesn't make sense... I could try to draw some better diagrams, if necessary.
08-06-2018, 04:34 PM
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 110
Jennifer23, I understand your suggestion just fine. That is exactly one of the ideas I thought to try. I would never have been able to explain it as well as you do. Making the substrate and cutting as you suggest would not really waste any of my red/blue fabric. Thanks.
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