Friday, February 02, 2024

red and white framed square on point, block construction, top completed


Red and white framed square on point
Top completed 2024
Approximately 85 by 71 inches
A very simple framed square on point.
Block finishes 5 inches

Another in my red-and-white series. I have four completed quilts. Two at the quilter. Another 3 (4?) in progress. I have many plans in my head for more red and white quilts! 
And a net gain of red fabric in the house.

My fabric choice process with red and white quilts:
I like to push my reds. I go from tomato/orange red to berry/cherry red. If a single block stands out I add more of that color or closely related to help it step into the others. There will always be a darkest block, an orangest block, a rustiest block. I am fine with that. It makes it a more interesting quilt for me.

In talking with a friend about how we both make odd choices, I said, 
"I call those my "a little bit too much" or "a bridge too far" blocks. The blocks a more sensible quilter would remove but I leave in because they are a bit wrong."


CUTTING
Framed Square
120 needed
Red: one 3 1/2 inch square
White: two 1 1/2 by 3 1/2 inch rectangles; two 1 1/2 by 5 1/2 inch rectangles

Setting Squares
99 needed
Red: 5 1/2 inch squares

Setting Triangles (I prefer over-cut triangles for on-point so the design floats away from the edge)
38 needed
Red: cut from 5 inch strips, using the Companion angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential tool

Corner Triangles: (also over-cut)
4 needed
Red: cut from 5 1/2 inch strip with Easy Angle or Bonnie Hunter's essential tool

SEWING AND PRESSING
Sew 3 1/2 by 1 1/2 inch rectangles to sides of 3 1/2 inch square
Press away from the square
Sew 5 1/2 by 1 1/2 inch rectangles to top and bottom
Press away from the square

UNIT SEWING
Set aside 21 of the framed squares for the first and last row and for end of each row.
Sew the rest into pairs with the setting squares.
Keep the framed squares in the same orientation so you are always sewing on the side of the 3 1/2 inch rectangle to the setting squares, and the setting square is always on the right of the pair.
Press towards the setting squares


ROW SEWING
Lay out your rows.
First and last rows are a single framed square with setting triangles.
For the rest of the rows add a single framed square to the end of each row. Place a setting triangle at each end.*
Sew blocks together and press seams towards setting squares and setting triangles.

*Cut one point from each setting triangle to 5 1/2 inches. I wait to do this until I lay out the rows/quilt so I make sure I cut the correct point.


Sew together rows, deciding which direction to press row seams. I tend to press up.
Add corner triangles.

My design. Use at your pleasure.
That red with the bobbies police? A scrap from my mother's sewing for my sister in the mid 1950s


Could also work well in a straight set

backing fabric is Michael Miller