paths and stiles, top completed, construction details

Paths and Stiles
top completed 2024
90 by 81 inches
block finishes 9 inches
90 blocks set 9 across and 10 down

See block construction HERE.

Blocks are rotated every other block so all seams nest.
I pieced in pairs--2-block units--made 45 pairs

4-block units

Then set aside 9 pairs and with remaining 36 pairs, made 18 units of 4, pressing seams consistently with the previous pressing.

Lay out two rows of the 4-block units and one row of the 2 block units, making sure keeping columns consistent with either horizontal oriented unit on top or vertical oriented unit on top.


Sew into to rows
Press center row east, top and bottom rows west

Sew rows together
Press final rows up or down
Everything nests!

My design and directions using a traditional block.
Use at your pleasure.

Backing by Dear Stella

teacups, block instruction

Teacups
block finishes 3 by 5 inches

While I was making my Scottie dogs I decided to use another pattern I had been sketching--teacups--with the red fabrics. They won't be in the same quilt, but it is efficient to work on cutting for both the same time.
LOTS of teacup patterns out there. Mine uses Doug Leko's Simple Folded corner ruler, mini size.

Cutting
Background white (I used Kona Snow)
Three 1 1/2 squares
One 1 by 1 1/2 inch rectangle
Two 1 inch squares

Red
One 3 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch rectangle
Two 1 inch squares
One 1 inch by 2 1/2 inch rectangle

(one of the three white 1 1/2 inch squares didn't make it into the photograph)

Bowl of the cup piecing
Place a 1 1/2 inch white square on the bottom two corners of the large red rectangle 
Use Doug Leko's tool to cut off corner; sew the seams, press to the white.

Ear of the cup piecing
Sew a red tiny square on each edge of the 1 1/2 inch white rectangle, press to the squares
Using Doug's ruler, place white tiny squares on the 2 1/2 inch rectangle, cut off corners and sew the seams.  Press to the squares.
I do these handles in batches.

Sew these two rectangles together, pressing towards the rectangle that will attach to the bowl.
Sew a 1 1/2 inch square at the bottom of the ear
Press to the square
Sew to the bowl of the teacup.

I put the hot tiny pieced sections under a ruler after I press them to keep them flat while they cool off

My design, use at your pleasure.
I need just a few more blocks.
I have a setting plan!

little red Scottie dogs, block construciton

 

Little red Scottie dogs
Pieced dog measures 6 by 5 inches finished.
With frame finishes 8 by 7 inches.
I am not sure what I will do with these blocks yet so I put a frame on only one to get an idea of what the finished block looks like.

I needed a calming and distracting activity on election day, so I decided to put one of my many Scottie Dog sketches to fabric. I've played with different proportions and construction techniques for a few years. There are many variations of the pieced Scottie. Here are the directions for my method, using the Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential triangle tool and Doug Leko's simple folded corner tool--mini size. 

Cutting
White background (I used Kona Snow): 
One rectangle 2 1/2 inches by 5 1/2 inches
One square 2 1/2 inches
Two rectangles 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
Two triangles cut from 1 1/2 inch strip using the Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential tool.
(((Frames: Cut two 1 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch rectangles, two 1 1/2 by 8 1/2 inch rectangles)))

Red scraps
One rectangle 2 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches
One 2 1/2 inch square
Four 1 1/2 inch squares
Three triangles cut from 1 1/2 inch strip using the Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential tool.

First piecing
Sew two red triangles to two white triangles, press one to the red and one to the white.
Sew two red squares onto ends of a white 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch rectangle
Press to the squares.

Time for the Doug Leko ruler! I love this ruler and use it often.
On the large white rectangle, place a small red square on the left side and larger square on the right. Use the angle to trim off the outer triangles and sew these seams. Press towards the triangles.

On a small rectangle place a small red square and use the tool to trim the left upper side.

With the small triangle square that is pressed to the red, use the tool to one side as shown. Scroll down to see how I did these in groups to be more efficient with these fiddly pieces.
There is only one in the block so it works well to do them in batches.
NOTE: all these pieces will be in a different orientation in the block.

I did these in groups to be more efficient with these fiddly pieces. There is only one in the block so it works well to do them in batches.
Sew a red half-square triangle to these pieces and  press away from the white.

Lay out all piece for block as shown.
Sew the small rectangle piece to the large rectangle keeping the ear and tail pointing up and upper face down. Press towards the ear.

Sew the fiddly piece onto the remaining pieced half square triangle--the opposing pressed seams nest nicely.
Press away from the fiddly piece.
Sew onto the white square. Press towards the white square.
Sew red body rectangle onto the legs. Press to the body.
Sew these two units together, press towards the body and legs.

Sew the top to the bottom, pressing towards the bottom.
Everything nests!
More process photos below.
My construction directions for a traditional block.
Use at your pleasure.

major units piece (back with pressing visible)

ready for final seam

final block pressing

14 dogs made before midnight

pavement, block construction

Pavement

Block finishes 10 inches
I plan to set 8 by 9, so will make 72 blocks to make a quilt 80 by 90 inches

Cutting
Solids:
Nine 2 1/2 inch squares

Prints:
Four rectangles 4 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
Eight 2 1/2 inch squares

Layout block with the rectangles horizontal in the four corners

Sew into rows
Press top and bottom rows to the solid squares
Press center row away from the center square
Press second and fourth rows away the center square

Sew into block, press away from the center row

I will be rotating every other block when I put together the top so all seams will nest.

My directions for a traditional block. Use at your pleasure.

3 tatami mat, top completed

 
3 Tatami Mat
84 by 72 inches
top completed 2024
Block finishes 8 by 12 inches
63 blocks set 9 across and 7 down

The scrap rectangle in a unit-block/tatami shape is one of my favorite scrap shapes. When I cut down my scraps, this is one of my basic sizes, cut 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 to finish 1 by 2 inches. I have made at least 5 quilts using this shape. I'll try to gather photographs of them for a future post.

I love tatami mat layout guides and used the simple 3 mat layout for the basic units.

For one block:
Solid (I used Kona Ice Frappe): 4 pieces cut 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches
Print: 44 dark or bright scraps cut 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inches

So, for the quilt:
252 solid rectangles
2772 print rectangles

Block construction is described HERE.  I made 16 units into a block, using my usual layout for 16-patch blocks.

Layout:
Make 63 blocks and sew into 9 block rows.
Make 7 rows.
Press alternating rows left or right
Sew together rows then press rows in one direction. I pressed down.
All seams nest.
Make sure you stay-stitch around the perimeter right away!

My 1 1/2 by 2 1/2 inch rectangles darks and brights bin is greatly diminished.

Starting bin contents

After!
Used much more of that bin than I anticipated. 

My design, use at your pleasure.

Backing is this great corn fabric by Create It. In honor of our corn harvest going on right now. I purchased this on the secondary market but I think it is sold by Walmart.

paths and stiles, block construction

corn fabrics celebrating harvest!

Paths and Stiles
Block finishes 9 inches
I plan to set 9 by 10, so will make 90 blocks for a quilt to finish 81 by 90 inches

Cutting
Solids:
Four rectangles 1 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches
One 3 1/2 inch square
Four  triangles cut from 3 1/2 inch strip using the Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential tool

Prints:
Eight rectangles 1 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches
Four triangles cut from 3 1/2 inch strip using the Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential tool

Sew together triangles, pressing away from the solid triangle

Sew together rectangles; with two sets, press towards the center solid and with the other two sets, press away from the center solid

Layout block with the vertical stiles pressed away from center rectangle at the top and bottom and the horizontal stiles pressed towards the center rectangle at the sides
Sew into rows
Press triangle rows away from the triangles
Press center row away from the center square

Sew into block, press away from the center row

I will be rotating every other block when I put together the top so all seams will nest.

My directions for a traditional block. Use at your pleasure.