Welcome to Month Nine of the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild 2022 Block of the Month Sampler! Only 2 months to go (including this one) until we have all the blocks to finish our quilts! I plan to have the last tutorial posted early, by the time we're at SewMe STL in October. I'll also be at the retreat in person if you need to as me (Em Komiskey) any questions.
Remember to post your block to Instagram with the hashtag #stlmqgbom before the usual October meeting date (no meeting in October) to be entered to win this month's prize. If you don't use Instagram, you may email a photo to the guild email.
This month, we will be making TWO 12.5-inch (unfinished) string blocks! If you've been looking ahead, I originally planned a different block with a similar look, but I didn't like how it was coming out, so I pivoted at the last minute. As a result, the graphic looks slightly different than the block. I'm writing this tutorial with specific widths for the strings, but if you're familiar with this block, you can totally improv it!
CUTTING DIRECTIONS:
These directions are for ONE 12-inch string x-block. We will need 2 for the final layout of the quilt, so you will need to double the number of cut pieces here, though you may want to make each block a different color. As I mentioned in the intro, you can totally improv this block.
If you choose to improv, I suggest choosing a constant background color of the same width and then building your strips out from there. Be sure that each section extends beyond a 6.5 inch square. Each of the 2 blocks will be comprised of four (4) 6.5 inch sub-units.
If you are choosing to make the matched/measured version, here are the measurements I used (reminder: double this for 2 blocks needed):
Background: (4) 2½ x 9½
Color 1: (8) 1½ x 7½
Color 2: (8) 1¼ x 5¾
Color 3: (8) 2½ x 4¼
SEWING DIRECTIONS:
1. You will be making 4 identical 6.5 inch sections for each block. Each of the 4 sections will use one background pieces in the center and 2 of each of the 3 different fabrics, decreasing from longest to shortest out from the background.
Fold each strip in half and either press or finger crease so that you can see the midline.
2. Lining up the pressed or creased midline of each strip, sew the block together using a scant ¼ inch seam allowance. You will sew the longest strip closest to the center of the sub-unit, and the shortest strip to the outside.
3. Trim the sub-unit to 6.5 inches. Line up the center of your block with the center of your ruler and use your pressed/creased lines as guidelines to keep your sub-unit square.
4. Repeat for a total of 4 sub-units. Decided on either an x layout or a diamond layout. Sew the 4 quadrants together.
5. Repeat all steps to create a second block.
You're done! Just one month to go!!
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