Here is another of my shortcut ways to make units or what I call "Blocks". This is made using my cut down methods.

The cut down method is sewing swatches together and then cutting out a square from the center with a template.

This one is more steps than the previous ones but they are easy steps.

Please don't be intimidated by the look of the block. The beauty of this method is it allows you with easy steps to make something that looks complicated. This one also can create the illusion of curves when in fact it is all straight seams.

I am not good at doing curves so this one is my top favorite "Block"!!! I love the design possibilities this Block creates!!

It takes a bit more time to make a Block but it is worth it.

You can find a lot more original designs in my Ebook.

Since I am posting a couple of Wings Quilt Blocks in the Sampler Quilt along you will need these directions. I suggest you just practice making a few before you start on a Quilt Block.

You're just too clever. Thank you for all the easy tutes you share. Makes a beginner believe they can do it too.

You can! Just pay attention to accuracy and follow the steps and it is easy! I had my grandson(10 at the time) do the Boston Block when I was first figuring these out and he did it with ease without ever seeing a lesson. These blocks are not complicated.

Ok Now here are some things to consider

Swatch sizes will depend on the size of template you are using. I will figure out the differant sizes and post it here tomarrow.

When you choose your fabric pay attention to the value of your fabrics. You will need a dark a medium and a light. You need to have fabrics that will stand out against the other fabrics. Each one needs to stand out seperately for the pattern to show up well.

When you join the triangles you need to match the seams as accurately as you can. This will make your quilt block look better.

After you cut the squares into triangle you will have a half of the square leftover. This half can be used as another version of the wings block only this one will have a sharper angle. I did include some designs in my Ebook.

When you have made your blocks you will have some leftovers. These can be pulled apart and reused to make more blocks.

Ahh! Now I know why my template had a big scratch on it when I got it! lol

Carol B

LOL Sorry I have been trying to mark that template with a magic marker to say 30 degree angle. I did forget a few times and packaged them without it. My friend Dorothy who does my prep work and I tried differant variations and thought the scored line was easier to match up to the seam.

I just love your tutes. Always so easy to follow. Thanks.

Oh I do like that block!!!! Thanks for shaing.....

Beautiful block.......but it also looks like a waste of fabric to me. I've always been frugal with my fabric and lay out my templates to save fabric.

Well I am working on trying to figure out how to do it with the least amount of waste. But sometimes you have to concentrate on the gains and not the loss. I recycle all leftovers so there is no waste. I pull apart the leftovers and sew them together again for another block. I make half square triangles out of them if they won't make the block I am working on. You can use the leftovers for a crumbs block. I never throw anything away but threads.

The gains are the intricate look with easy steps. So it is a matter of priorities. I wouldn't be able to do the Quilt Blocks I have designed with this block any other way.

These methods are for saving time and being easy enough for beginners to do. So to me the benefits are more important than saving a little fabric.

But I am aware of the frugal quilter and have done some trial and error on using the least amt of fabric to make these. I will post that when I have all the details ironed out.

I like this idea,am watching closley!

Very cool design

Thank you so much for the time and effort you have put into these helpful hints.

you're welcome! I love sharing!

Thank you for the tut.

You are so clever and so generous with your helpful hints and tutes Rhonda. Thank you so much for sharing with us all the time the way you do. I'm just sorry I can't afford to buy your e-book, as you surely deserve to sell many copies. I hope everyone who can is buying it right and left!!!!
Hugs and smiles!!!

This is kind of you to go to the trouble to give us
all this fascinating help for such difficult looking
sewing craft. You do make me believe that I, too,
can do it. And now I'll have enough nerve to try it.

Thanks for the help.

Thank you once again, Rhonda. I love this block, so I ordered your book just now. I wish I could afford to order all of them! :)

Thank you Rhonda.
Where do you get those little accrylic templates from?

Granny

As always, your work is amazing. God bless.

I have a friend who cuts the plexiglass for me and then I cut and glue on the template plastic grid. the small sizes are not available through the quilt market as far as I know.

Thank you everyone! I love what I do and quilting is my obsession. I joined the board looking for inspiration and I found so much more!! I believe quilting is sharing and I love to share what I have been blessed with. When Admin asked me if I would be interested in doing an Ebook I didn't think I had time to write one. But I decided to try and now here we are. I appreciate everyone who buys the ebooks not because of the money but because I have been trying for several years to get my methods out there to other quilters. I think the shortcuts are fantastic not because I figured them out but because they give you a way to do intricate piecing easily. I love that!!

I wanted to teach elementary kids when I went to college and that didn't happen. So I am tickled to be able to teach here doing something I love to do = patchwork piecing.
My kids used to tell me stop lecturing Mom!! So now I can lecture all I want!! LOL

Thank you Rhonda!

This is another that I think I will venture to try.
You make it look simple enough this "newbie" could do it.

Rhonda you are so inspiring. I really appreciate all your tutes and your positive attitude. Generous people like you help me keep up my faith that the world will be alright.

Your tutorials are so clear. Thanks for sharing.

thanks for the tutorial. I like how this block can be used in many ways.

tea

This looks interesting I think I need to reread the instructions to get it. Thanks for all your wisdom and talent.

Thank you for sharing Rhonda!

You're welcome everyone! I enjoy doing it!

Hi Rhanda - how do i get to purchase you Ebook?
I have been quilting for 10 years and been on 3 courses. BUT AM NOW extremely interested in learning the SHORT CUTS - cannot believe that i have not been shown them. Could have saved me hours and hours of work. grrrrrr.. But not to worry, i have learnt "the hard way" and am now still learning
and hopefully "the friendly way" :lol:

Hi CQ just look down in my signature section and you will see the links. thanks!!!

Thanks for the tute, I hope it is as easy as it looks.

Very nice thank you, I dont think I am ready to try this yet tho !

Every method isn't for everyone. But if it is because it looks hard to you I assure you I have had beginners do them and they find them easy to do! the steps are easy and when you get done you have an intricate looking piecework that was really easy to do. It is all about knowing the tricks.

1 cut swatches
2 sew two together
3 cut the angle
4 repeat for the other side
5 sew the two sides together
6 cut out a square from the center.
Now you have a wings block.
This is not hard to do just takes a bit of time to do.

Enjoyed this tutorial Rhonda! Can't wait to get my templates and try it. I'm going to check out your E books too.

Happy New Year back to you, Rhonda, & thanks again for the Tutes. I've been trying to work on the Boston Blocks, but my rotary cutting needs work. I'm thinking about one of the smaller (I have a 45mm Olfa) ones with open space around the blade. Hope to go to Hobby Lobby tomorrow. They have the 40% off coupons, so need to print it out.

I'll be working on a few items for my Niece in Seattle, WA, who is getting married Feb 5th in Kenya, South Africa. They leave the 29th of Jan, so this will give me a couple of weeks. I've never met her before, but we connected on Facebook (of all places) & I'm thrilled for her & her Soon-To-Be. His parents must be Missionaries there & they dig wells. His Dad will do the Ceremony, then they will go to the US Embassy to have the paperwork made official. Don't we just love weddings? TTUL.

What fun to have a differant sort of wedding than we are used to! I wish them both well. I connected with a couple of nieces I hadn't seen in a long time on FB and my dad's brother and his sons. It is so much fun to connect with people I haven't seen in years. I also connected with a childhood friend who is in the Phillipines as a missionary. I haven't seen him in 40 yrs!! ButI spent alot of time at their house as a kid and spent many many hours playing with Jay and his sister Judy. Our families were really close. But time and distance takes you in differant directions. I was so thrilled to reconnect!

Hope the smaller rotary cutter works for you. Some of it may just take some practice. maybe you can get Eden to help you sometime. She can cut out some stuff ahead for you if you can twist her arm to take the time to help grandma!! LOL

Correct me if I'm wrong but these blocks that Rhonda is teaching are little tiny things that would be almost impossible to make in the regular way. Rhonda, I love your little blocks!! :D

The original reason I created this shortcut is to make the tiny piecing possible in an easy way. To me a little leftover that can be recycled is worth the time and effort to get an intricate look with easy steps.

However you can use any size template to make these blocks. I now show the 12 1/2" quilt block that uses a 2 1/2" template. You don't have to make tiny stuff to use the method.

I also have been working on coming up with a way to minimize the leftovers for those who find it impossible to just cut a swatch. I too am frugal. I use the leftovers til there is nothing but threads left.

We use them to make smaller "Blocks" or I use them in a crazy quilt block or you can use them for stuffing.

We make a 1 1/2" Boston and then take the leftovers and pull them apart and make a 1 1/4" Boston and then use the leftovers to make a 1" Boston, Nothing is wasted in my quilting. It just may take on a new purpose.

Looks very good, but I suspect paper piecing would be easier.