Card trick block. Please help!!!!!
 

I hope someone can help me. In the four years I have been quilting, I have never
had so many headaches as I have had with this block. I have spent the last three
days, literally, trying to do this with two different patterns. The first one is from
McCalls and the second is from Quilters Cashe.
I have read and re-read and tried and re-tried over and over and STILL, can't figure
what I,m doing wrong. I,m not great with illustrations, so had DH help because he IS.
The first time I found out that my fabric was not right, then when I realized that, I began
again, and again.
Just now I quit, again, because I,m just so frustrated with this,:( and ruining fabric, that
I just had to ask you.
I know there is a method that Jan has with strips, but I just wanted to conquer this method.
PLEASE, if there is anything you can think of that I am doing wrong,your help would be
sooooo appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Elaine

I've used this pattern :
http://www.projectlinus.org/patterns/
I found the directions easy to follow. I know it's for a baby quilt but you could adapt it for a bigger one.

When I have trouble with a block, I go the easiest way. I try to make just one block. I refer to Quilter's Cache all the time. I take one step at a time. Stick to one pattern. I've not seen the McCalls but I can tell you the one for Quilter's Cache works for me. That's my pattern to refer to and I'm sticking to it.

I have not made that block myself but it is the April block of the month on this Board. Perhaps you can read through that string of instructions and member comments and it might help? It does sound like there are several different methods for that design.

I regard this block as a variation of a nine-patch. No, it isn't simply 9 squares of the same fabric, but 4 squares that are made of 2 half square triangles, four squares that are made with half and quarter square units, and one square that is 4 quarter square triangles.
Make each of these 9 components separately. I make the quarter square triangle block just as I would make a 4-patch using squares.
When you have your nine square components made, trim them down to the same size. Arrange in 3 rows of 3, with the half square units at the four corners; the half and quarter combined triangle units along the edges, and the quarter square triangle square in the middle.
Do you have some scraps of mismatched fabric that you could practice on? Are you pretty comfortable making Squares with half-square triangles?

Nanny go here...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IZ3x5djg1Q

The cards are just HST and QST.....

This is my fav site to use: http://www.generations-quilt-pattern...ilt-block.html

Eleanor Burns has a book for making this quilt and it is so easy following her directions. Thats what I used .

I had a bad case of dyslexia doing a card trick. I inevitably sewed the wrong sides together. The next time I try, I'm going to lay the pieces out, and mark on the backs with removable pencil as to which side goes where, just like a sewing pattern.

This is the pattern I used for making this pattern. Her instructions are so easy.