SIZZLE--BLOCK 3

This is the 2019 Block of the Month from The Quilt Show. Sizzle is designed by Becky Goldsmith and the quilt pattern is FREE to Star Members.  Join today  to be part of the fun. 

Be sure to READ ALL THE GENERAL DIRECTIONS and WATCH ALL THE VIDEOS. Each month's pattern has detailed instructions as well. 

PRIOR POSTS WITH HELPFUL INFORMATION:

Block 1
Block 2

Block 3 is straight-forward--all the pieces are straight lines--except the Wedge backgrounds.

Construction is the same as Blocks 1 and 2--Diamonds and Wedges--so the process should start to become familiar by now.

Here are a few tips that may help you with this Block:

1. FABRIC SELECTION--whether you are using a Kit or your own fabric, it really helps to keep the cut fabric organized. Becky's method seems to be the best for me. NOTE: These are the fabrics cut for my second Sizzle, a combo of Warm/Cool:

2. CUTTING--I found I could cut one LESS 1.25" strip of Fabric 1 and 4/5 for the Wedge unit--there were leftover 1.25" strips of those same fabrics from the Diamond unit. I recommend you cut one less to start with--if you need another, you can always cut it.

3. SEWING--there are a LOT of lines on the back of these patterns and they are close together. It helps to remember you are sewing on the SOLID lines. The dashed lines are placement lines for the raw edges of the fabrics being sewn.

4. CHECK FABRIC PLACEMENT: the long skinny strips like to wiggle out of place. I found it helpful to pin the first long strip on the Diamond to hold it. Be sure the pins are as far away from the sewing line as possible:

 Fabric 2 in place on top of Fabric 1:

5. CHECK WHILE SEWING: the Diamonds have long seams and the underneath strip can slip out of alignment. I checked at the beginning of the seam and about half way down, to be sure Fabric 2 is still lined up with Fabric 1:

6. PRESSING: Press each piece FIRMLY as it is added--it is easy to get wrinkles or folds in these narrow strips--you might ask me how I know...  It is no fun to have to remove a long strip and re-sew it. I found a FOLD after the first HALF was sewn together--it was a royal pain to take much of the half apart to fix it. Never again--PRESS FIRMLY, every seam, every time...

7. TRIMMING THE UNITS: These units sew pretty quickly. Press firmly, then trim 1/4" away from the SOLID LINE to create the finished units. Here is the Wedge before adding the white outside shapes, the blues have been trimmed:

 Here is the Diamond before trimming:

8. PLACEMENT OF DIAMOND: because there are pressing guidelines on the patterns, it is important you place the Diamond in the proper orientation. The Diamond is symmetrical--the Inside Point is clearly marked on the pattern. Here is how the Diamond and Wedge units look on the back when you are ready to sew the seam that joins them:

Here is the front view after the seam was sewn:

Here is what the center should look like, this is one half. Notice all the diamonds at the center are marked Inside Point :

That's all there is to this one. Make two halves just like this:

Join both halves, then add the Block Corners. If using one of the Kits, follow the pattern directions for which fabrics to use. For the Cool Kit, it is three Mist and one English Cream corners--this is explained on page 3 of the Block 3 pattern.

I hope you will share your work on the FORUM.  Lots of good information is found there.

Let's Quilt!

Barbara