Month 4: The Patchwork Barn

This is the FREE Block of the Month pattern "Patchwork Barn", designed by Edyta Sitar exclusively for The Quilt Show. You must be a Star member of this world-wide quilt guild/show/internet community to receive the free patterns each month, beginning January 1, 2018. Join today and get started on this journey.

Previous instructions are here:

IntroductionMonth 1
Month 2
Month 3
NOTE: On The Quilt Show, the Forum is the best place to ask questions, find answers, find out if there is an error on the pattern, as there was for Month 2, Block 5--as soon as I found out about the error, I posted a Topic to correct it, February 3. I recommend you check in there frequently. And there is a Show and Tell Topic--show us your blocks. Forum Patchwork Barn

Block 10

Half square triangles are the building blocks of many patchwork blocks. Combine them with two rectangles sewn into a square and you get this Monkey Wrench block.  I have written about two methods often used for HST several times--check here to see both the "squares" method and the "half square triangle ruler" method. 

Another method you may want to try is the "grid" method.  This involves cutting both fabrics the size needed, drawing lines on the back of the lighter fabric, then sewing 1/4" away from BOTH SIDES of the drawn diagonal lines to create a bunch of HSTs quickly. 

I call this a "Sew First Method". It will take longer to draw the grid than to sew it.

This grid gives you 8 HSTs

After sewing on BOTH sides of the diagonal lines, cut apart on the drawn lines

Trim to perfection. Some blocks will have more "waste" due to the extra I add to the outside edge

Mathematically, the grid would be drawn 7/8" larger than the finished size of the HST. BUT that requires that you draw the lines perfectly, sew the 1/4" seams perfectly, cut the units apart perfectly, and press perfectly. Too much "perfectly" for me. 

So I draw the grid 1" larger than the finished size--this means I don't have to sew perfectly, I just have to "Trim to Perfection"--my favorite method. The squares above create 8 HSTs, enough for two of these Monkey Wrench blocks. NOTE: I also add at least a 1/4" "border" around the outside edges--this allows me to easily turn the corners as I change directions. One start, one stop and eight HSTs are sewn. I like this method when I need a lot of HSTs that are the same. 

My slogan is "I want the fastest method that gives me the result I want."  To make the rectangle units quickly I add up the length of each fabric needed per block and cut two of those strips, one from background, one from the darker print. Sew carefully down the long side, press the seam to the darker fabric, cut the units apart, like slicing a sandwich into serving pieces, and there you have it:

Sewn and pressed

I cut the strips slightly longer than exactly needed to allow for cleaning up the edge and trimming to perfection

As there is no such thing in my life as "too much fabric" I added different backgrounds and different center squares, so each of my three Monkey Wrenches are similar but different. Do as you please, it's your quilt.

Block 11

Another block that has a lot of the same HSTs, 12 of the same in each block. The grid method is a winner here:

 I cut large rectangles of both the background and dark print fabrics and drew the grid on the back of the lighter fabric. With one start, one stop I sew 24 HSTs--cut them apart, press to the darker fabric, and trim to perfection.

For the third set of HSTs I cut rectangles half the size of the double set and again, with one start and one stop, I got 12 HSTs for the 3rd block. You could cut a very large set to do them all at once but that was more work for me than doing two separate sets:

Left = 24 HSTs     Right = 12 HSTs

Guess why I drew the line on the back of the dark fabric with a chalk pencil--on the yellow side I drew the wrong size grid! Next time I'll pay more attention.

Block 12

This is an easy one, the Spool. To avoid handling lots of pieces, I first made the pieced center square from longer strips:

I simply added up the length needed to cut for all three blocks. You may notice the purple in the middle is two lengths, one long enough for two blocks, the other for the third. Yes, the stripes are going in opposite directions. 

As I look for fabrics for each block, I start first in my two bags of Leftovers:

The left bag has pieces 3" or more, the right one has pieces less than 3". I always cut strips the width of fabric, usually about 42" from yardage and 21" from fat quarters, and then sub-cut into the size I need for each block. This generates "Leftover" strips and pieces so I look to them first before cutting more strips, even though I have gobs of fabric for this quilt ready to go. I want to use what is already cut if the fabric I want has already been used. Just my way of keeping things organized.

After sewing the 3 long strips together, they are pressed and sub-cut into the size for the center square:

Next we make the top and bottom of the spool. Follow the cutting directions very carefully. Even more importantly, place the small squares on the top and bottom spool pieces very carefully--it is VERY easy to get them going in the wrong direction. I didn't this time, but I caught myself trying to do it wrong more than once. Pin on the pencil line and check before you sew a few to be sure it's correct.

The directions say to draw a diagonal line on the back side of the small background squares. You could also fold the square in half and press, creating a fold line--if you can see it to sew, that works too. There are mats you can place on the bed of your machine with helpful lines for this process and some use a laser light aimed at the bed of their machine to place the squares. Use the method you like.

Here I have drawn a  pencil line--use a mechanical pencil--you want the finest line, accurately drawn, you can get. A tip--to make room for the thread, sew with the needle just touching the outside edge of that fine pencil line:

Here is a tip for cutting those small excess triangles away:  the part you want to protect is Under the Ruler. If you cut in the wrong direction, and everyone does at least once in their life, you have an opportunity to cut and sew a new unit:

You could save those little triangles but they are pretty small so I don't.

Please consider sharing your blocks on the Show and Tell topic in the Forum. I especially want to encourage those of you using the Crystal Farms fabrics to do that--many people will appreciate seeing the fabric choices you are making with your blocks.

Enjoy the journey and let's quilt!

Barbara