Y Not? March Block – Wish Upon A Quilt Block of Month
Y Not? BOM March
We are now on the third block! This is a really fun mosaic block. Blocks are now available in the store for pickup. You have until the 10th to pick them up for free! Don’t forget to bring in February’s block to show that you have it done.
There are several demonstration videos below. The first is on how to measure and sew a scant quarter of an inch seam. A scant quarter of an inch is a seam one thread width shy of being a quarter of an inch. The thread in a scant quarter of an inch should line up next to the quarter inch mark on your ruler when your fabric is flush with the edge of the ruler.The second video steps you through the block construction and has helpful pointers on how to match up your pieces.
This mosaic block would look great repeated through out a quilt. It has hidden pinwheels that appear when you put multiples next to each other. If you like this block and having your pieces die cut for you, contact us at wishuponaquilt@bellsouth.net or give us a call at 919-782-6363 and we can help you put your own custom quilt kit together. We’d be happy to calculate the fabric needed to produce the number of blocks you want and help you select fabric. There is a small cutting fee.
Feel free to contact us if you have questions or need help.
Happy Sewing!
Tags: Block of the Month, BOM, scant quarter inch seam, studio cutter, Y Not?
April 26th, 2010 at 8:31 am
What am I doing wrong sewing these blocks together. Each block If Iam lucky measures 12 1/4. When I sew the half sguare triangles together they are streching into a a 1/4 moon shape. I have never had this problem. Please spray the fabric with spray starch be foe you cut them out. Is any one else having this problem?
Robin Hessefort
Waunakee Wi.
April 28th, 2010 at 6:58 pm
Robin, Are you doing the Kaffe or the batik? The Kaffe fabrics do have a tendency to have more “stretch” than the batik version and are easier to distort. I would ask you to consider if you are “pulling” on the triangles any while you are feeding them through your machine? Does the fabric tend to bunch as you start sewing the seam of the half square triangle units? If so try changing your needle. Half-square triangles tend to bunch and not feed well through the machine when there is a dull needle. A single needle whole plate also helps if there is a feeding problem. Uneven feeding through the machine by the feed dogs and presser foot can stretch and distort the triangle units.
Second check that the seam is straight and even, scant quarter inch the full length of the seam. I start to get the “moon shapes” when I have a shallower seam, less than a scant 1/4 inch, at the start and stop of my seams.
If you don’t think it’s the seam consistency or feeding through your machine then I would ask you to consider how you are pressing your units. Are you twisting the iron over the piece to encourage the seam to open? (I confess to being a big culprit in distorting my blocks this way!
It is best to finger press the seam the direction you want to open the seam and then press with the iron in a straight up and down motion to prevent the distortion of the block. If the seam looks curved check to make sure it is pressed consistently open.
Now check that each half-square triangle unit measures 3 1/2 inches square.
On blocks that are measuring less than 12 1/2 inches check the seam consistency through out the block components. Make sure that they are all a scant 1/4 inch and that you haven’t increased any of the seams to a 1/4 inch. (If you missed the video about scant quarter inch verses quarter inch you can view on March’s blog post, here http://blog.wishuponaquilt.com/block-of-the-month/y-not-march-block-wish-upon-a-quilt-block-of-month.html)
Also check to make sure that all seams are pressed open. If everything looks good and the blocks are still too small consider the thread you are using. If you are using a 50 weight, 3 ply thread like Metler then consider using a 50 weight, 2 ply thread like Masterpiece or Aurifil. The finer thread can make a 1/16 inch of a difference in how your seams press open and that can add up to the 1/4 inch you seam to be loosing.
I hope this helps you with your block troubles and helps them go together smoother.
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:24 am
Good Moring Wendy
Three months have passed and Three Kaffee blocks later. This is what I have done different.
I swithched to a 50/2 ply thread. Next I moved my needle one more position to the right.
Since doing these two changes my blocks are as close to 12 1/2″ as Ican get. I can hardly wait to finish all the blocks to see how this BOM turns out