MAKING SET C BLOCKS
From the chosen fabric cut eight squares each measuring 11in × 11in (27.9cm × 27.9cm) to match the trimmed blocks from Sets A and B. Use the wedge template as a guide to mark quilting lines in the same design as the pieced blocks (Fig 19).
Fig 19
The C blocks can be turned to link up the narrow sashing in adjacent blocks.
JOINING ALL THE BLOCKS
1 Arrange the twenty-five blocks to make your chosen design, five rows of five blocks (see Fig 1).
2 From the fabric chosen to act as sashing between the completed blocks cut twenty strips each 1in × 11in (2.5cm × 27.9cm). Pin and stitch a sashing strip between the blocks in each row (Fig 20). Press the seams towards the sashing, ironing from the front.
Fig 20
When you are arranging all of your blocks, remember that the individual blocks can be rotated in any direction to create different effects, so experiment before deciding on the final layout.
3 From the sashing fabric cut four strips each measuring 1in × 53in (2.5cm × 134.6cm). Pin and stitch these strips between the five rows of blocks (Fig 21). Press the seams towards the sashing.
ADDING THE BORDER
1 From the sashing fabric used between the blocks cut the following: two strips 1in × 53in (2.5cm × 134.6cm); two strips 1in × 61in (2.5cm × 154.9cm) and two strips 1in × 4in (2.5cm × 10.2cm). From the border fabric cut four strips each 4in × 53in (10.2cm × 134.6cm) and four cornerstone squares 4in × 4in (10.2cm × 10.2cm).
2 Join a cornerstone square of border fabric to either end of two of the long border strips with the 4in (10.2cm) lengths of sashing as in Fig 22. Press the seams into the sashing.
Fig 22
3 Pin and stitch one of the 53in (134.6cm) lengths of sashing to each of two lengths of border strip (Fig 23). Press the seams into the sashing.
Fig 23
4 Pin and stitch these to each side of the quilt (Fig 24). Press seams into the sashing.
Fig 24
5 In the same way pin and stitch the remaining sashing to the border strips with the cornerstones (Fig 25).
Fig 25
6 Stitch these to the top and bottom of the quilt, matching the ‘crossroads’ of sashing strips at the cornerstones carefully (Fig 26).
Fig 26
QUILTING
I machine quilted very closely to the sashing strips throughout the quilt in matching thread. I used thick per1é thread to hand quilt in a larger stitch in the centre block of each of the pieced blocks and also to create the nine-patch design on the plain squares (Fig 27). The final binding is in the same fabric used to sash between the blocks.
Fig 27
French Connection
Shirley Prescott made this design into a single bed quilt by making two sets of blocks in different red fabrics with white sashing and seventeen blocks with white as the main fabric and red strips for the sashing – a total of thirty-five blocks.
“I made this quilt for my step-granddaughter, Katy, for her 21st birthday. A limited set of colours made the geometric design quite striking. She must have liked the quilt as she took it off to France with her when she taught there for six months. (Shirley Prescott)”
Stitch–a–Strip
The strip-based quilts in this section are all vibrant and interesting designs and excellent for using up your craps and leftovers, as well as for your precious collections. When using strips it may be possible to cut cross the fabric giving strips as long as 44in (112cm) but many will be far too short. Strips cut down the abric parallel to the woven selvedge will be much firmer. It is almost impossible to avoid cutting both ypes of strips when so many different fabrics are being used, so use the more stretchy strips with care,trying not to pull them when stitching. It may help to spray starch all the fabrics before cutting them nto strips, which will help to keep the strips firmer.
Tilted Log Cabin
This is a new slant (literally) on the ever-versatile Log Cabin. Each Log Cabin block is made and trimmed to an exact square. A triangular template is used to cut off the four corners of the block which are then moved to their opposite positions and re-stitched into place (see Fig 1 overleaf). This gives an interesting tilted look to the centre of the Log Cabin block while the corners stay square. Jean Campbel1's queen-size quilt (Syncopation, opposite) accentuates the tilted angles by the use of bold contrasting colours, while Sue Fawcett's stunning lap quilt (Off-Beat Batik, overleaf) blends a fabulous range of batiks. Gill Shepherd took the technique further for her Tilting at Windmills quilt.
Syncopation
THE QUILT STORY
The principle of this tilted technique was outlined in an American magazine some while ago. I was intrigued and started to play with it to make it user-friendly for my students. Jean Campbell began her Syncopation quilt (opposite) on a one-day class for this technique, using just fabric from her stash and leftovers, but only after a really determined effort to finish up some of her UFOs (Un-Finished Objects) did she later develop a completed block into this queen-size quilt.
Sue Fawcett began Off-Beat Batik (overleaf) on her annual trip to Suffolk for a summer school, using up some of her batik collection. Every block began with a centre square of a striking yellow flower print and then moved into purples on one side and greens on the other.