Tuesday, March 5, 2013

SQUARE IN A SQUARE BONUS BLOCK TUTORIAL

 
This is a tutorial to help you harvest an extra block for your work and to not waste fabric.  Being a fabric stasher I can't stand to waste fabric.  The above blog site is the tutorial for the basic method of "Square in a Square" construction.  When I constructed the example for the blog I made it with a 3 1/2 inch primary square.  Working with that small you don't get a Bonus block.  This block the primary square is 6 1/2 inches and the secondary squares are 3 1/2 inches.  The main difference in te construction is you will draw two lines on each secondary square.  The first line will be just off center.  The second line will be 1/2 inch inside.  That is on the shy side of the line that would be cut off.  (You must use the 1/2 inch measurement so you will have enough fabric for your seams on both blocks.

When you begin to sew you will be stitching on both those lines. Every thing proceeds the same way as the original tutorial.   When you have all four sides sewn and pressed you turn over your square and clip off the excess fabric.
This is important:  Cut between the two sewn lines.  DO NOT CLIP YOUR FRONT TRIANGLE.  The triangles you cut off can now be taken to the ironing board.  When you press, set the seam first and then open out the triangle and press to the dark.  You now have a 1/2 squared triangle to square up.  I use my "Easy Angle Junior" for this.  Using the 3 1/2 inch secondary squares I end up with a 2 1/2 inch square. 
These are the half squares I made (one of them is not trimmed yet.)
 
 
 New Article on my blog: 
"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"
A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind
 
Other blog sites by me:
 
Where I have stories of my cats and other pets
a blog about my courtship with my husband,
and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.
A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.
 
blogs about the wildflowers on our farm
Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,
blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures
Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle
New Blog:
 
All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.
I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .
Please do not copy without permission

1 comment:

julie said...

Very good! I like the just off centre sewing line. Now I know why mine go wonky. I will certainly remember that tip.