starting my Carpenters square/wheel quilt
 

I finally decided what I wanted for background fabric for the carpenters square quilt I have wanted to do for years. It is dark green and rust batiks with a creamy/gray mottled background. Unfortunately, I forgot to take pix before I packed everything up for shipping. But as soon as I get settled in Cushing, I will do that. I decided on 3 inch square, but I am doing it with Y seams -- which I like doing and like the smooth square look. I am making it in 4 sections so the only half square seams will be joining the sections. I think it will be nice -- and I am thinking of doing 12 inch blocks of traditional sampler designs around the borders.
Mim

Can't wait to see!!! I don't think y-seams are difficult , you just have to pay attention.

Ooh, Carpenter's Wheel is one of my favorites! Can't wait to see it. I also have fabric set aside for one - sage greens, darker greens, purples and lavender! Originally I planned on doing mine with HSTs, but once I see yours I might change my mind, bite the bullet, and do Y seams.

Y seams are not difficult to piece in larger blocks, but they do get trickier in miniature blocks. The carpenter's square doesn't require a Y seam {carpenter's wheel/star does}, so I'm not exactly sure how you'll be doing it. Can't wait to see photos.

Looking forward to photos!!

So glad to hear you are using the Y-seams! I think it is the 'old-fashioned' way to make the carpenter's wheel; like you, I prefer the smoother look and the harkening to a time when quilters did things the hard way!

So many patterns have simplified difficult blocks so they can be done by beginners or can be created quickly. It is a nice option, but I think that utilizing older techniques (like y-seams) creates great challenge for a quilter's growth (not to mention the benefits for the brain!). I hope you will post a picture when you have the quilt complete!

Carpenter's Square quilt block http://quiltingcolorsandfun.com/wp-c...ers_Square.jpg
Carpenter's Star/Wheel quilt block http://beeshebags.blogspot.com/2011/...ell-by-me.html

I think we're talking about 2 different blocks here, unless in parts of the country the square and star are interchangeable.

Had to chime in here - our forefather (and mothers) didn't do things the hard way because they wanted to but because that was the knowledge at the time. they also would have loved to use the HST method because of being abel to use smaller pieces of material - which is sometimes all they had to work with. JMHO. (and with background of a quilting Grandmother of 99 !)

Some of the shortcuts we use these days, like the HST instead of Y seams is due to our rotary cutting and machine stitching. If we did like our grandmas did and cut everything with templates and scissors, the more complex shapes would be the norm. As well, hand stitching Y seams, and the like is easier to do with hand stitching than it is with machine stitching. It's a tradeoff.
BTW, Y seams by machine are not that hard, just tedious. If you take the time, they come out great.

Mim, what size quilt do you want? Are you making just one star or using the star pattern as blocks? 3" inch squares only makes a 24" star with one ring aound it like in the blog posted above.