Octagonal OBW question/help
 

I decided to take some really ugly fabric I found in my stash (I have no idea what I was thinking when I bought it 10 years ago) and try my hand at making a OBW quilt. Found a YouTube video and went to town making blocks without thinking about the setting triangles needed to make them square. For those that have made these using a 45 degree ruler, what method did you use for your setting triangles? I really don’t want to use half square triangles as I want to avoid the bias on the outside. My preferred method would be to use quarter square triangles and then spend the time matching and blending as best as I can to each corner of the block. The blocks are all 9.5 unfinished and I have just enough fabric with very careful cutting to make the setting triangles. Does anyone have any tips for blending to achieve the best results? As always, I appreciate everyone’s feedback and help, I’m sure I’m clear as mud!

There's a few different possibilities ... could you show us your block(s)?

Oh how I love OBWs, and all their cousins!

QuiltE here are the photos, I have exactly 43 inches x WOF left uncut for the setting triangles, if I cut each one at 5 inches and cut into quarter square triangles I will just squeak by with 64 squares for 64 blocks. I still have blocks to sew, I just put them on the design wall as I finish, this is not anywhere near the final layout.

I saw a layout that included sashing of a solid color between the squares and the octos, making it a stack and wack instead of a obw but it was stunning. It isn't my pic so I can't show you what I'm talking about.

Did you read the first One Block Wonder book? She tells how to do it, and it works great. I've made 2 of the 45 degree OBWs by making 4 layers of the fabric for the corner pieces. The trick is to put all your kaleidoscope blocks (I used my kaleido ruler to cut both the blocks and the corners) up on the wall, and stick the corner squares in different places until they blend.
Then your need to pin the corners to the surrounding blocks, sew them on, and replace the 4 blocks on the wall. If it's a small enough piece, you can use a portable "wall" of batting, and lay it flat on a folding table near your machine.

TallChick ... Love them!
Thanks for showing us the "virgin" fabric.
Totally amazing the variety of blocks you have.

I'll be anxiously waiting to see how you finish it off ... what colours for the corner triangles? with or without sashings? cornerstones? borders? etc.!

As for the fabric you "just" have enough .... I've learned to not count on it all working out, and would sooner purchase more, to be safe rather than sorry!

Good Luck ... You really do have a winner here!

While not a OBW, mine was a kaleidoscope so assembled the same way only without the fussy cutting. I just sewed a HST to each corner of the octagon to make a square block. The bias edge was what was sewn to the block corner leaving the the corners of the block not on the bias, which IMHO is more desirable and also the way a quilt set on point handles the 4 corners. I had no issues, but I wasn't trying to blend anything either, I used a solid for the corners. Below is a picture of a couple of the blocks.

I actually like your original fabric but really love it as OBW blocks and I think a solid that compliments them in a green or terracotta or deep maroon could be quite striking but would want to audition it before committing to it.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]613175[/ATTACH]

I was also thinking maybe a solid or reads-as-solid.

Kassaundra you can't post someone else's picture, but you can post a link to it. :thumbup:

great blocks