Halo Star Medallion--Month 10

This is the Block of the Month 2017 from The Quilt Show. It is available free to members of TheQuiltShow.com until December 31, 2017. After that you can buy it from www.comequilt.com.

It's time for that final border: Delectable Mountains. Here I will show you tips for making them. BUT I chose to do a different outer border.  See the blog HERE for my choices.

The blocks are made in pairs, reverse mirror image. Using the printed patterns and paper piecing them makes this process very easy--just follow the words on each paper pattern to know if you are making a left or right facing block. I recommend you make ALL 6 of the RIGHT blocks then ALL 6 of the LEFT blocks, taking a break between then. It's less confusing than switching back and forth, to me.

The blocks finish at 6"--check your printed pattern to be sure yours do. If you are not paper piecing, you need to know those half square triangles are an odd size, just about 1 3/8" finished. You still need to make 6" finished blocks, however you make them.

Cut all the fabrics as listed in the cutting instructions. NOTE: There are two size small triangles for the Half Square Triangle strips in the middle of each block. If you don't mind wasting a little fabric, all of those can be cut from 2.75" squares, instead of cutting some squares 2.75" and some 2.25". You decide. I find it easier to just use the larger size so I don't have to keep track of small/large triangles--when they are cut in half  they look pretty similar.

Here are some step-by-step photos with suggestions. NOTE: I prefer to add the two outside smaller background triangles AFTER I have the 5 pairs of HST sewn in place--I find the beginning much less confusing so I start with pieces 2 and 3, a background and a color triangle.

1. So you could see it, I drew a pencil line on the back of the pattern where the Half Square Triangle (HST) appears. Line up the outside point of the triangles centered on that line. To be sure you are getting started correctly, remember--put the Butt side of the background fabric (labeled W) on the Butt side of the paper. If you start off with the color triangle first, you'll be mixed up:

After sewing the first pair of triangles, finger press them open, use the Add-A-Quarter ruler to trim the edge, ready to add the next background triangle:

Triangles 2 and 3 are sewn, the edge is trimmed, and triangle 4 is ready to be placed and sewn:

Triangle 4 ready to be sewn. TIP: when you turn the paper over, CHECK CAREFULLY by looking under the paper, to be sure the fabrics have not slipped or become folded back before you sew those tiny stitches:

 I begin and end my tiny stitches outside of the seam allowance and I trim all the threads close, on both sides. You don't want a bunch of threads on your work:

 Moving right along, here you can see there is a pin out of the way of where I will sew--the pin helps keep the pieces from shifting when you turn it all over:

The 5 HST sewn and the 2 outside background triangles in place:

Use a long postcard to fold the edge of the paper over so you can trim the seam, ready to add the big triangles:

 This is a LEFT side of the block, ready to sew the 2 big triangles. Always double check to be sure you are putting each on the correct side:

If you have trouble lining up the triangle so it fits properly, use a pencil to draw a line on the BACK side of the paper, from corner to corner. Now you an place the outer point of the triangle on the seam. Or you could fold the triangle in half and match it to the center of the block; since the block doesn't have a real center, I prefer to draw this line:

Both triangles sewn:

 Now for the important part,trimming the block so it is square. I use a 6.5" square ruler, so helpful to be sure it's square. I found that the paper had "shrunk" just a bit from the sewing since the pattern was exactly 6.5" when printed. I carefully place the ruler so all 4 corners have the diagonal line crossing the corners:

All trimmed:

 Left and Right Sides trimmed, ready to have paper removed so they can be joined together:

There are 6 fabrics coming together where the rows of HST meet. TIP: any time I have 6 or more fabrics coming together at one point, I machine baste that spot first with a LONG stitch--I use 4.5 on my machine. I stitch about a half inch before and after that point:

Take it out of the machine and check it. If you are happy, turn your stitch length BACK TO NORMAL,  then sew the entire seam, stitching right on top of those basting stitches. If you are not happy, it's a snap to pull out the basting stitches, fiddle with the join again and re-baste. After sewing the seam, if I can easily remove the basting stitches, I do. If they are really sewn in there, I simply trim the thread ends and leave the thread. I was able to easily remove these:

The "block" now consists of a Left and Right block, with the center seam pressed OPEN. It should now measure 6.5" x 12.5" unfinished size:

You will make two borders this month. Each has twelve 6" finished blocks, 6.5" unfinished. Alternate left and right facing blocks so your borders look like the diagram on page 3. When sewn together the borders should measure 6.5" x 72.5".

That's it for this month. Next month we make the other two Delectable Mountains borders, exactly the same as this month. So for those of you ready and eager to move ahead, just print another set of this month's patterns and keep  making blocks and borders.

Let's Quilt.

Barbara