Friday, February 2, 2024

Mercantile Sampler Sew Along - Week One - Angel Star Block!!




"ANGEL STAR BLOCK"


Welcome back to week one of the 
"MERCANTILE SAMPLER"
Sew Along!

Are you ready to sew with me?

I hope that you will join me here each week 
when I will be doing two tutorials
 weekly...every Monday and Friday.



We are making the 
Mercantile Sampler Quilt
88" x 88"






The quilt is made with my fabric
 collection called Mercantile:)




We are piecing all 25 blocks 
and then turning them into a 
12" circle to applique onto a
 4-Patch Block background!

I detail all of the supplies 
that you need to make the quilt in my
 Bee Prepared post right here on my blog.


I have already posted the
 post which not only details
 all of the supplies needed but
 explains how this sew along works.
I have also given the links there 
for the free PDF Download 
of the Sew Along Guides

to download the sew along guide
if you have not downloaded yet.
to download the sampler block
 sew along guide.


As per usual for the first block in my 
new fabric collection Sew Alongs
 that FIRST tutorial is a video.

Because I now have my own  
 I have posted the 
 Birthday Cake Block
Tutorial there.
to visit my channel and watch the 
tutorial and I hope that you love it!
Pretty please leave me a comment
over there and let me know:)

If you like what you see 
and my other videos there...
click on subscribe and click on the bell
 to be notified whenever
 I post another tutorial:)


Today we are sewing the 
ANGEL STAR BLOCK



Here's mine all cut and ready to sew!



Cutting each block should be easy 
because of the sew along guide
that is provided for you.

*Take Note*
At the top of each block cutting diagram
 are the unfinished size of block
and then size that the block should be
 after the borders are added.


For the Angel Star we will be using the
 2 1/4" and the 4" Trim-It Rulers.


Let's start by making the four
 quarter square triangles first.
Each will measure 
4" x 4" unfinished and then 
3 1/2" x 3 1/2"
when sewn into the block.

I'll be showing you two different ways
 to make them and you can decide
 which way that you would 
like to make yours before you begin:)


The first way is to trace double lines 
using the marking ruler just like I 
showed you in Monday's video.

Trace onto the wrong side of
 TWO of the "E" squares.
You will sew one each to an
 "A" square and a "G" square 
with right sides together...
*Take Note*
This method uses:
 2 - E squares
1 - A square
1 - G square


And cut them apart between the sewn lines.


Press the seams open.


Now mark another set of 
double lines onto the back of the
 E/G combo lie this...


And layer it with the A/E combo
making sure that the seams 
are going the same direction...


You will sew these two together
 on both marked lines...


And before sewing check again to sew 
if the seams are lined up like this.


Sew on the double lines...



Cut apart and press like this.


Repeat with the other two 
so that you have four total.


Now it's time for trimming!
Place your 4" Trim-It on top and 
line up the diagonal lines on the ruler
 with the four pieced triangles and trim:)


Repeat for the remaining three...


This is your leftovers using this method.


Now you have 4 - Quarter Square Triangles
 that each measure 4" x 4"
This is how many you will need for the
 Angel Star Block.


Now for another method.
I have found in my teaching over the years
 that when making quarter square triangles
 many of my students prefer 
my easy corner triangle method where
 you trim the excess off
so I'm showing this method to you as well.

With this one you would be starting
 out with a single line marking.
This method uses:
4 - E squares
2 - A squares
2 - G squares
 
Trace a SINGLE LINE from corner to corner
on all four of the "E" squares
You will sew them to
 two "A" squares and two "G" squares


Cut the excess of one side off 
using an approximate 1/4" seam allowance.

Set these leftover trimmings aside and
 we will chat about them in a minute:)


Press the seams open and mark a 
DOUBLE LINE on the A/E segment.


Layer them up for sewing
 the two together like this...
lining up the seams.


After sewing on the double lines...
cut apart and press open.


And trim up using the 4" Trim-It Ruler.
Repeat with the others until 
you have a total of four!


 You will have leftovers like these that
 can be either sewn into 
half square triangles or trimmed up 
into squares to add to your scrappy stash
 just like I showed you in Monday's video.

Because we are cutting larger than needed
 and trimming down for ease and accuracy...
both methods have leftovers...
the first method leftovers are discarded
the second has usable leftovers and so
you choose which method suits you best! 


Okay... 
set aside your quarter square triangles
 and let's make 4 half square triangles
with the "H" and the "C" squares.
These are made EXACTLY like I 
showed you in Monday's video 
for the Birthday Cake Block.

I'll take photos of the steps
 to refresh your memory if needed!


We will use the two "H" and 
the two "C" squares to make the
 four half square triangles.
Each will measure 
2 1/4" x 2 1/4" unfinished
and then 1 3/4" x 1 3/4" finished 
after sewing them into the block.





Now you have 4 - half square triangles 
that measure 2 1/4" square 
and this is how many that you need
 for the Angel Star Block:)


Now let's make the four 
corner segments of the block.


Sew the HST's to "D" squares... 


Press the seams open and 
next sew them to the "B" rectangles.


Press open again:)
Each segment should measure 
4" x 4" unfinished  and then
3 1/2" x 3 1/2" finished.
You can use the 4" Trim-It to make
 sure that they all measure 4" x 4".


Now we have all of our segments
 for the block...
let's sew it together!

Lay it out on your design board like this
and sew the three rows together first.


Use the Quick Press to go over the 
seams to open them up all the way 
especially where they intersect.
Press with your iron and use 
the clappers until cool.


Sew the three rows together and 
repeat the pressing steps.
Your Angel Star Block measures
10 1/2" after you sew the border on. 


While my block was cooling 
under the clappers...
I sewed together the 4 patch background:)
I pressed those seams open as well.


This is what the back of my back looks like!
Now it's time to add the borders.


When I sew the borders on 
I like to keep the block on top 
so that I can make sure my seams stay open
 and don't flip closed during sewing...
and also to make sure that 
I don't sew any star points off:)


Press towards the borders 
and then grab your traced circle!


Line up your traced center lines 
with the center of the 
quarter square triangles and 
then pin into place:)


Sew and then trim and cut an X 
in the circle just like I showed you
 in Monday's video.


Use the Point to Point Turner and
 the Quick Press Roller to shape.
Press your circle and use the clappers!


So Cute!!!
Now let's go to the work table and 
lay out the circle onto the background.


Use a ruler to line up the seam lines in
 4-patch background with the centers 
of the quarter square triangles.


Pin and Sue Glue into place!


My Angel Star Block is ready for applique!


Afterwards I'll press from the back and
 then trim it down to 14 1/2" square
so that it can be sewn into the quilt:) 





And then there were two!!
I'm sure that you have noticed 
from the schedule in the guide 
that we are making the blocks
 in order that they are in the quilt
 so that means after you applique and trim
 you can go ahead and sew 
these two together if you want:)




I hope that you love 
sewing YOUR second sampler block
for our sampler quilt...
and then turning it into a circle!

Sew Fun!


I'll meet you right back here
on my blog this Monday for the 
Maple Leaf Block tutorial...
xx
Lori



2 comments:

  1. Thank you Lori for the detailed instructions. Having the block units measurement is very helpful. I love working on this quilt. The fabric line is beautiful and working with it puts me in a happy mood. Thank you again!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the detailed instructions love the sewalong

    ReplyDelete