Step 3 - Center Blocks of Stars in the Valley QAL

This has been a great time to have a QAL 

when 

you live in the North Pole 

(Ok ...Canada)

and

there is a 3 day long blizzard!

It really piled up out there

but 

the cows pulled through with plenty of bedding!

My son, Jeremy's dog Diesel has been BORED out of him mind.

He normally is outside so this small elephant of a dog

has

taken to the couch for the last few days. 

We are on to step three - The centers of our blocks! 

You will need your 6 1/2" background squares

and

3 1/2" colored squares

I am using blue Bliss wideback by @northcottfabrics 

and

Diamond Dots wideback by @wilmingtonprints

These will be square in a square blocks. 

A little tip I got from a friend for keeping your iron board clean

and

getting crisp seams was to put a piece of freezer paper

with

the wax side down and press on this till it gets worn out. 

I find it makes a world of difference keeping the heat in your blocks

for

crisp pieces! 

Another this notion I love is Diagonal Seam Tape 

by

 @cluckclucksew

 You don't have to draw your lines on your pieces

I thought Sherri at @quiltinglife does a fabulous job showing how to use it! 

Check it out! 

I have a few rolls in stock if anyone needs one !

If you prefer to draw the lines....

No pressure! 

You sew down the center line on each square...

Or stitch corner to corner if you have the tape installed.

Either way works great! 

It's tricky to get pics sometimes as I have a supervisor named Lucy!

She is also dying for attention

and

figures if I am sitting down I should be spending it with her! 

Eventually.... 

You get your first set of corners sewn on the center block! 

I like to take the pieces cut off from the sides

and

sew them together as they are free HST's for another project! 

Do the same to the other side 

 

You will have 13 center blocks! 

It's an easy step! 

After all, it's Easter and most of us are on cooking duty! 

but seriously, I am loving all your participation in this QAL!

The blocks are looking incredible. 

All the color combinations are amazing!

Great Job, Charlene! 

This purple is a wide back by @PBTextiles called Day Dreams.

This navy and the background are two widebacks 

by 

Westrade Textiles

This quilt takes a lot of fabric so it's very efficient to use widebacks!

I loved this meme Leanne created....

There is actually 156 HST's....

so 

it's actually 87.36 years! 

LOL

You are all doing fabulous and I hope you are having fun!

Anyone can join our Facebook page to see the fun!

It is Stars in the Valley QAL

Thanks for the meme, Sylvia! 

I hope everyone had a great Easter with friends and family! 

Nice to get back to some normalcy! 

Now bring on Spring... I am ready! 

Christa 

 

Wyoming Valley Block Beginnings - Step 1

TODAY IS THE DAY!! 

It's a great day to start this quilt along! 

I have created a Stars in the Valley QAL page on FB 

It’s open so come join even if you are not participating!

I hope you will post your adventures on your project as we go along!

Love to see all the colour ways as we go! 

Hopefully you had a chance to get your pieces cut out! 

If not...no pressure! 

These posts will always be available...forever!

 

My favorite thing about this pattern is how  you make components 

that 

turn into 13 large blocks! 

If you have arranged your pieces into the Steps....

We are going to start with STEP ONE

You will need the light and the dark 8" squares

and

52 - 3 1/2” squares 

On the light 8” square, 

draw a line from corner to corner on each square

Next

 Sandwich the dark and light squares with RIGHT sides together

Take to the machine

 and

 sew a 1/4" on each side of the lines

In both directions from corner to corner 

Next you cut from corner to corner 

as well as

center to center 

This will yield 8 half square triangle units.

I like to press my blocks with the seam towards the dark side. 

You can square them up now or later

I love my Blocloc rulers for squaring up HST’s

These should measure 3 1/2” square 

and 

you will have 156 HST’S

This pattern is pretty precise 

So No one will judge you if you don’t bother to square up! 

I didn’t and it turned out just fine….

You do you! 

Next I laid out the pieces to match this…

Took them to the bed of my machine 

Put right sides together 

Stitch the two units chain pieced

(If you want to)

I pressed my seams to the dark side 

And 

Everything will nest very well when you put right sides together again to complete this unit! 

I snip the little chain stitch before taking to the iron! 

I took a class from John Flynn years ago

He told us about giving this center seam a twist to pull the stitches apart on the backside

It will open up that center and lay the four little squares to press flat! 

Works every time! 

Taaahhh daahhh! 

You have made your first step with your corner blocks complete! 

You will have 52 units of Wyoming Valley Block! 

Onward and upward….

Christa

Treat Yourself to a New Blade

 You know it....

How long has it been since you last changed your blade??

Let's get this project off to a great start with clean cuts! 

Your wrists will thank you! 

Hopefully everyone has received their packages by now! 

If you are doing it in your own fabrics - FABULOUS!

Can't wait to see all the versions!

I hear there will be some Scrappy and organized batik versions

as well as

two color quilts! 

Mom is doing hers in the teal/green Bliss

and

I am going to do it with the blue Bliss

We are using a wideback of white dot diamonds.

The pattern has you cut as you go 

so

 if any one wants the instructions for cutting ahead of time 

email me at acmarcotte@sasktel.net

I bagged my pieces according to each step

The HST's - Step 1

Flying Geese  - Step 2

Center Square in a Square - Step 3

Inner Zigzag border - Step 4

All the setting triangles, borders and binding

are in one bag. 

I can't tell you how many times I have cut out the binding for a quilt

and

can't find the safe keeping spot for it till I cut out a new one! 

Hope this is helpful in getting this party started! 

We will start Step One - HST's to make the Wyoming Block

 on

 April 11, 2022.

See you then... 

Oh yeah... NO PRESSURE! 

Work at your own pace!!

Christa