Happy Scrappy Quilt along – Month 1
The Happy Scrappy quilt along for 2022 is the perfect project for someone new to patchwork, for someone who wants to build their skills or for someone who wants to use their stash.
The Happy Scrappy quilt along will help you create a sampler quilt with the finished quilt having twelve 12″ blocks and an approximate finished size of 40″ x 53″ . You could of course make it any size by duplicating or adding more blocks of your own.
Each month we will be releasing instructions for how to piece a patchwork block, starting simple and building skills along the way.All you need to get involved is some fabric, a rotary cutter, cutting board, patchwork ruler and a sewing machine with a quarter inch presser foot attached. Of course, it is up to you whether you use up your scraps (if you have some) or you buy some fabric to make the blocks with.
See notes for this QAL at the end of this post.
Step 1 Cutting out
We have prepared our corner star as a two colour block but if you are feeling brave it could be a three colour block by introducing another colour into the half square triangles in the corners.
For the two colour version you will need to cut;
6 x 4.5″ white squares
6 x 4.5″ coloured squares
1 x 6.5″ square for the centre
If you have not done much patchwork before you may find it helpful to watch our Rotary Cutting Masterclass. This was a live online session we recorded last year.a
Step 2 SEWing your Half square Triangles (HST)
There are various ways to sew a HST but I like this method which allows you to trim after and produce a more accurate result.
Start by placing a white square on top of a coloured square right sides together (RST). Repeat this 5 times.
Then draw a diagonal line across the back of the white squares, corner to corner using a fabric marker pen. Make sure that the two squares are pinned together.
You are then going to sew down each side of the drawn line keeping the edge of your quarter inch foot on the drawn line (see photos).
You can chain piece the squares together which is when you don’t cut the threads after each square but then feed the next square in straight away.(See photo). The squares are all then joined together on one chain. This is a great way to save thread.
Step 3 HST continued
Once you have sewn diagonally across all your squares, down both sides of the line, you can now cut the squares in half using the drawn line as your cut line.
When you open it out you will now see your half square triangle units.
You should now press these open pressing the seam allowance behind the coloured side.
We will now trim the squares down to our required size of 3.5″. We create over sized HST that we trim to make our HST as accurate as possible. Using your patchwork ruler place the 45 degree line along the seam line and reference the 3.5″ lines along the left and bottom edge (see photo).
Step 4 assembling the block
Next lay out your block so you can see how all the pieces will fit together.
- Sew the 4 squares along the top together. Press the seams to the right.
- Sew the 4 squares along the bottom together. Press the seams to the left.
- Sew the 2 left middle squares together. Press the seams downwards.
- Sew the 2 right middle squares together. Press the seams downwards
Step 5 sewing the block together
Sew the two middles sides to the centre square first. Press the seams to the middle.
Sew the top row to the middle section. Press the seams downwards to the middle section
Sew the bottom row to the middle section. Press the seams upwards to the middle section.
You’re all done.
Unfinished size (i.e. at the stage) 12.5″. It will become a 12″ finished block.
Like an easy to print PDF? click here
Feeling happy to share?
If you have enjoyed month 1 of our Happy Scrappy quilt along for 2022 why hot show us your block. Tag us on Instagram or Facebook using the tag @madeandmaking or drop us an email with a picture of your block.
Happy Scrappy QAL notes
When cutting don’t forget to consider the direction of the print on your fabric if this is important to you.
All seams are sewn using a quarter inch presser foot.
A good stitch length to use is 1.8 – 2 unless otherwise stated.
As a rule all seams should be pressed towards the darkest fabric unless otherwise advised. To reduce bulky seams seam allowances can be pressed open (butterly pressed)
All blocks are 12.5″ unfinished and 12″ finished
