Good Morning,
I am to make the block "Card Trick," for the President's Quilt--pres. of our Guild. I have studied the pattern, attempted to make the block, and "just can't get it."
If anyone has made it and has some good ideas as to how to make it and get it done, I would be very grateful.
Another member of guild who also is to make one couldn't get it either.
The pattern talks about making each block seperately then sewing them together. My friend wondered about sewing each piece to the one in the diagram, and wondered if that would be easier.
HELP; PLEASE!
Mariah.
P.S. I have spent most of 1 evening and 2afternoon on it, and still don't have it.

try this blog, it's easy to follow
quilterscache.com/C/CardTrickBlock.html

One thing that has helped me is to put each block together in three sections, like a nine patch. When you think of it this way, you will be putting a corner to an edge to a corner (section 1). Then an edge, center, edge (section 2). Then corner, edge, corner (section 3)

What size will your finished block be? Do you want to post pictures of your fabrics so we can possibly give more detailed help? At one time I was making so many of these blocks that I developed a good rhythm.

Eleanor Burns publishes a slightly different version that uses only 4 half square triangles in the entire block. This version is called "Winning Hand" . It looks like the regular card trick block when your're finished.

If you want to do the Card Trick version with half and quarter square triangles, there are pretty good instructions at: www.quilt.com/Blocks/CardTrick.
I've done both versions and for me, the Winning hand was easier and I couldn't tell the difference between the two assembly techniques when I was finished.

I had the same problem the first time I tried this block. Here's how I broke it down. I used red and blue for the main colors and gray for the background as it shows up better for illustration.

Cut your A's 1/2" bigger than wanted. Save back 1 square of each main color for cutting in 1/2 diagonally to use with the E blocks.

Sew on either side of drawn line shown on B's.

Cut your C's 1 1/4" bigger than wanted. Cut into 4 pieces. Sew these like shown on D. Watch for bias stretching!

Sew main color D's to E triangles.

Now you should be ready to assemble. Good Luck.

I made one of these blocks years ago. I accidentally found a pattern called "cheating at card tricks" on the internet. Not sure where I found it but you might Google it and see if you can find it. Was really easy. Looks the same when finished. Ended up making the entire quilt with these blocks.

How about using NO triangles in each individual block, but then setting the blocks on point? That way you'd have only the side and corner triangles to deal with.

If you want a quick insruction sheet for the setting triangles I can send that to your regular email. PM me.

Jan in VA

Jan in VA I like that.

Jan, that's really clever. Definately going to try that. Thanks
Pippa

Jan this is a great way to make this block. thanks for sharing. Isn't this site just great for sharing?

Jan thank you so much for this. This is fabulous!!!

I have also done Card Tricks like Jan. Mary Ellen Hopkins uses this method in her book 'It's Okay If You Sit On My Quilt'.

I had a heck of a time with the one I made for a sampler quilt. It is aptly named it is indeed "tricky" :)

I have that book (first one I ever bought many years ago), I'll check it out. Thanks.

Me, too. It seemed very expensive ,at the time, and I waited for the bookstore to have a sale so I could afford it. I still refer to it often.

that was all so informative

That "cheating at cards" is a great name for a great technique. Thanks!
Nell

You gave me away, LOL! Yes, Mary Ellen Hopkins techniques all the way, including the setting triangles instructions I use.

She was a major factor in the strip piecing-speed piecing innovation that occured in quilting in the late 1970s/early 1980s. Her teaching methods, which were the first I learned, have served me so well inl my 30 years of quilting, that I rarely have come across a pattern that I can not draw/graph out/alter-in-size/or create in a some simpler way.

I adore her as a person, too.

Thank all of you for your kind responses to my first post under this topic.

Jan in VA