Читать книгу Stash Buster Quilts - Lynne Edwards - Страница 12
ОглавлениеTilted Log Cabin
This is a new slant (literally) on the ever-versatile Log Cabin. Each Log Cabin block is made and trimmed to an exact square. A triangular template is used to cut off the four corners of the block which are then moved to their opposite positions and re-stitched into place (see Fig 1 overleaf). This gives an interesting tilted look to the centre of the Log Cabin block while the corners stay square. Jean Campbel1's queen-size quilt (Syncopation, opposite) accentuates the tilted angles by the use of bold contrasting colours, while Sue Fawcett's stunning lap quilt (Off-Beat Batik, overleaf) blends a fabulous range of batiks. Gill Shepherd took the technique further for her Tilting at Windmills quilt.
Syncopation
THE QUILT STORY
The principle of this tilted technique was outlined in an American magazine some while ago. I was intrigued and started to play with it to make it user-friendly for my students. Jean Campbell began her Syncopation quilt (opposite) on a one-day class for this technique, using just fabric from her stash and leftovers, but only after a really determined effort to finish up some of her UFOs (Un-Finished Objects) did she later develop a completed block into this queen-size quilt.
Sue Fawcett began Off-Beat Batik (overleaf) on her annual trip to Suffolk for a summer school, using up some of her batik collection. Every block began with a centre square of a striking yellow flower print and then moved into purples on one side and greens on the other.
Make four Log Cabin blocks at the same time before cutting them up to make the tilted blocks.
Finished block size 14in × 14in (35.5cm × 35.5cm)
Finished size of Syncopation 83in × 95½in (210.8cm × 242.6cm)
Finished size of Off-Beat Batik (overleaf) 46½in × 46½in (118.1cm × 118.1cm)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
This Log Cabin design needs two contrasting teams of fabric (A and B), which are stitched around a square of different fabric in each block centre. Sort through your stored fabrics and find as many as possible (at least six) that blend together for one team and another group for the opposing colour team.
• For Syncopation: about 3yd (3m) of each team of fabrics for the Log Cabin blocks plus ½yd (0.5m) for the centres.
• Borders: there are four – the first and last use fabric leftover from the Log Cabin blocks. The second border takes an extra ½yd (0.5m) of one of the red/purple fabrics. The third wide green border needs 1yd (1m) of fabric.
• Binding: an extra ½yd (0.5m) of one of the green fabrics.
• For Off-Beat Batik: about 1yd (1m) for each team of fabrics, plus a 9in (22.8cm) square of fabric to make all the centres of the blocks.
• Border and binding: another 1yd (1m) of fabric.
• For both quilts: wadding and backing fabric: at least 2in (5cm) larger than finished quilt size.
“I began this quilt in a class with Lynne ages ago. I went home inspired to make a full-size quilt hut, of course, it was a couple of years later that I pulled it out of its bag and carried on from the three blocks that I had made earlier. (Jean Campbell)”
Off-Beat Batik
Batiks are wonderful fabrics for patchwork. Each one has many varied patterns and colours swirling within the fabric, which provide lots of choices for patchwork layouts.
“After selecting and cutting the strips from five pink/purple and five green/turquoise batik fabrics plus squares with a cheeky gold daisy peeping out, Iassembled the Log Cabin blocks using the fabrics in rotation. This resulted in five different blocks and four duplicates. The quilting pattern evolved from the shapes created by the blocks and was continued out to the edge of the borders. (Sue Fawcett)”
Construction
The instructions that follow apply to making the Syncopation and Off-Beat Batik quilts. If you are confident about making the classic Log Cabin block, then start reading from step 12. If you require more help, start from step 1 below and refer to Fig 2.
Strips cut in the same direction as the selvedge will be far less stretchy and easier to handle than strips cut across the fabric from selvedge to selvedge. If you have to use strips cut across the fabric, do not pull on them as you stitch, to avoid stretching. Alternatively, spray starch your fabrics before you cut the strips, which will keep them firmer.
MAKING THE LOG CABIN BLOCKS
1 Cut strips 2in (5cm) wide from all the fabrics in both colour teams. Cut pieces for the centre squares each 2½in × 2½in (6.3cm × 6.3cm). The strips should be used as randomly as possible within each colour team to give a scrap effect. The block has four complete rounds of strips built out from the centre square (Fig 2). Each block needs to measure exactly 14in × 14in (35.5cm × 35.5cm) before the corners are cut off and repositioned. The block in Fig 2 should measure½in (1.2cm) more than this and will need to be trimmed to the right size before cutting the corners.
Fig 1
2 Make four blocks at once using the following speedy method. Cut four squares of fabric for the centres each 2½in × 2½in (6.3cm × 6.3cm).
Fig 2
3 Stick a small square of masking tape on to the back of one of the centre squares, avoiding the ¼in (6mm) seam allowance. Label the tape with numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 as in Fig 3. The numbers give a guide to where each strip will be stitched.
Fig 3
4 Take a cut strip from team A fabrics at least 12in (30.5cm) long. Place it right side up on the machine in the correct position for a ¼in (6mm) seam to be sewn. Lower the pressure foot and wind the needle down into the fabric. Now the pressure foot can be lifted and the centre squares added without the first strip slipping out of position.
Fig 4
5 Place the first centre square right side down on the strip with side 1 on the masking tape as the edge to be stitched. Using a short stitch and a ¼in (6mm) seam, sew the centre square on to the strip. Sew onwards a few stitches and place a second square in position, then add the third and fourth squares in the same way (Fig 4).
6 Remove the strip from the machine and carefully trim it to match the centre squares exactly (Fig 5). Finger-press the seams away from the centre squares (Fig 6).
Fig 5
Fig 6
7 In building up the Log Cabin rounds of strips, each colour team of fabrics is used twice, making an L shape. This can be of the same fabric or a different fabric from the team – your choice. So put the second fabric strip (either the same fabric or another from team A) on the sewing machine again, right side up and move the needle down into the fabric. Take the original block with its piece of masking tape and place it right side down on the strip with side 2 at the edge to be stitched (Fig 7). Sew down this edge and place the second block on the strip in the same way. The first block is your model and the next three blocks must follow the same arrangement as they are positioned on the strip. Stitch block 2 and add the third and fourth blocks to match (Fig 8).
Fig 7
Fig 8
Now trim the strip either side of the blocks to match exactly the edges of the four blocks (Fig 9), then finger-press the seams away from the centre square (Fig 10).
Fig 9
Fig 10
8 Having stitched on two strips from the first team of fabrics (A), take a strip of fabric from team B and place it on the machine again, right side up with the needle wound down into it. Position the original block right side down with side 3 on the masking tape at the sewing edge (Fig 11). Sew down this edge and add the remaining three blocks to match the first (Fig 12).
Fig 11
Fig 12
Trim the strips to match each block and finger-press the seams away from the centre (Fig 13).
Fig 13
9 Using another strip of fabric from team B, either the same as before or a different fabric from the team (remember, always use each team twice to make an L shape), follow the same procedure, stitching side 4 of each block on to the strip. You now have a complete round of strips surrounding the centre square (Fig 14).
Fig 14
Once the block has got this far there is a quick way to see at a glance which side of the block is the next one to be stitched. Look at the block and find the edge that has two seams along it – this is the side to be stitched next (Fig 15).
Fig 15
As you stitch check that the strip will be long enough for the next block to be stitched to it. If too short, just substitute another strip from any fabric from the team for the remaining blocks to be stitched on to.
10 Continue to build up the block, referring to the masking tape square to check that sides 1 and 2 always have team A fabrics against them, while sides 3 and 4 have team B fabrics against them. Remember to use strips from each team twice to make the L shape.
11 When four rounds of strips have been joined to all four blocks, check with Fig 2 that the design is correct. Press each block from the front, pressing all the seams out from the centre towards the edges of the block.
12 For those of you confident enough to make Log Cabin blocks without the previous detailed instructions, start from here by measuring the completed block – it should be about 14½in × 14½in (36.8cm × 36.8cm) before trimming. Trim each block on all sides to exactly 14in × 14in (35.5cm × 35.5cm).
13 Now make more blocks in the same arrangement of strips as in Fig 2. Thirty blocks are needed for the Syncopation quilt. Nine blocks are needed for the Off-Beat Batik quilt. Do not worry too much if the final round of strips varies in width because of the trimming – this won't be noticeable once the blocks are cut up and tilted.
Making the triangular template
14 On a piece of graph paper draw a horizontal line 11in (27.9cm) long. At the left end draw a vertical line upwards 3½in (8.9cm). Join these two lines from a to b (Fig 16) to complete the triangle.
Fig 16
15 Cut out the triangle template carefully. Use masking tape to stick the template to the underside of a rotary ruler with right side upwards and the sloping edge a-b level with one long edge of the ruler (Fig 17)
Fig 17
Cutting the blocks
16 Lay a Log Cabin block right side up on a cutting mat. Place the ruler over the block so that the template triangle is positioned exactly over one corner of the block. Cut along the edge of the ruler through the fabric block (Fig 18).
Fig 18
17 Repeat this on the opposite corner of the block. Finally, repeat this cut on the remaining two corners (Fig 19).
Fig 19
Only the first pair of opposite triangles of fabric cut from the block are completely triangular in shape. The other two have the last Vain (1.2cm) of the sharp point (b) missing and a small piece from the other corner (a) – see Fig 20.
Fig 20
18 Exchange corner 1 with its opposite corner 2 and exchange corner 3 with corner 4 (Fig 21).
Fig 21
19 Pin and stitch corner 1 to the centre block with a ¼in (6mm) seam offset along the seamline at the wide-angled end and with an overhang at the sharp-angled end (Fig 22).
Fig 22
