LAUREL RIDGE -- MONTH 3

Laurel Ridge is the 2025 Block of the Month quilt designed by Lynn Wilder exclusively for The Quilt Show.  Star Members have FREE access to the patterns starting January 1, 2025. Made in two colorways, the complete patterns are excellent. You will love making this quilt. Lynn supports the pattern instructions with Videos too. 

This month we make Half Square Triangles--BIG ONES! We make a lot, 48 total, but the designer's method for making 8 at once makes it fast and easy.

Here are mine. Note I changed the Spiceberry Pink fabric for a deep Green from my stash:

The pattern instructions are excellent and Lynn Wilder provides a Video too, so you will find this month fun to do.

I am a math person so love to have "formulas" for making several blocks at once. Half Square Triangles, 8 at a time? Right up my alley! 

The formula is so easy:

Finished size of the HST = 5". Multiple this by 2 = 10". 

Add 2" for the seam allowances = 12". 

Lynn recommends and I was very glad I did, adding an additional 1/2". 

Cut ONE 12.5" square of BOTH FABRICS. This will give you 8 HST, that FINISH AT 5"--meaning once sewn into the quilt. The HST unit when made has to be 5.5" including Seam Allowances.  This formula works for ANY SIZE HST you want to make 8 at a time.

FIRST STEP: Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner on BOTH DIAGONALS on the back of the lightest fabric. Place fabrics RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, then sew 1/4" on BOTH SIDES OF THE LINE. If you don't use a 1/4" foot you can draw the sewing lines if you like:

SECOND STEP: Cut the large square into FOUR SMALL squares, by cutting North, South, East and West--or "make a cross" as Lynn says: 

Then it is a simple matter to press toward the darker fabric--the Floral or the Green in my case--and "trim to perfection", making the HST exactly 5.5" square:

Lynn has additional excellent Tutorials on lots of these kinds of tips in the Classroom at The Quilt Show: Easy Patchwork Math.  She has included a link to the Tutorial that applies to each month directly on the Pattern Instructions. I encourage you to take a look at those each month. Much of what she teaches in those lessons is exactly how I do the steps. 

Next month we move on to blocks that will take a good bit more time than these, the Checkerboard Blocks.

Remember you can Ask Questions and Share Your Progress on  THE FORUM.

Let's quilt.

Barbara