Block Party Block #55 - Cross Roads Tutorial Part 1

Block Party Block #55—Cross Roads is a simple block comprising Lemoyne Star, Square Squared, and Half Square Triangle units. You will utilize the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star, Square Squared, and Tucker Trimmer tools for this block. 

In Part 1 of this tutorial, I will cover how to create the Lemoyne Star quadrant units. Next week, Part 2 will be released, which will cover the Square Squared units and Half Square Triangles.

The fabric used in this block comes from Deb Tucker Studio 180 Design's “Bubbles, Curves and Corner” Collection by Island Batik for Lumen Fabrics. For the Lemoyne Star, you'll need two colors: one for the background (white) and one for the stars (green).

Download your block: https://bit.ly/BPB55CrossRoads

However, I will refer to the finished block size in the cutting chart. For instance, if you make 4” units, you will check the 8” finished block size on the Lemoyne Star Tool instructions cutting chart. If you divide the 8” into four quarters, those will be 4” units.

To begin, determine your block size and consult the cutting chart on your Block Party Block pattern. Next, refer to each tool-cutting chart to identify the starting squares and strip sizes needed.

Please note that you will need a standard ruler, For example, a 6 ½” x 12 ½” ruler. I'm using the new Studio 180 Design First Choice Ruler in the images below as my standard ruler. This new series of rulers features the appropriate lines, including 45-degree lines for making sub-cuts and secondary cuts. Like the other Studio 180 Design tools, these rulers are designed for left- and right-handed cutters.

Lemoyne Star Quarter Units

To create your Background and Star Strips, you will need to cut them according to the size of the block you are making. For example, if I am making a 12” Cross Roads block with 4” units, I will need to use an 8” finished block size. So, I will cut one 3 ¾” Background strip and one 2 ½” Star Strip. Since I am only making one block, I will then cut those strips in half.

Strip Sets

Place your background strip's right sides up on the cutting mat. Label the strip on the left “A” and the other “B.” This will help you as you work through the making of the Lemoyne. Now, you will need to measure the down the width of the strip. A quick way to do this is to fold the top outward, ensuring the points align as shown in the image.

Place the star strip below the marked point, with the right sides up between the background strips.

Flip the star strips on top of the background strips with the right sides together and stitch the length of the strips. 

Press the “A” Strip toward the background strip, and the “B” strip you will press toward the star strip. 

For right-handed cutters, place the “B” strip set on top of the “A” strip sets, nesting the seams together. Arrange it horizontally to cut from left to right.

For left-handed cutters, place the “A” strip set on top of the “B” strip set, nesting the seams together. Arrange it horizontally to cut right to left.

Set the 45-degree angle.

Now that we have our strip sets on our cutting mats, it’s time to make some 45-degree angle cuts. It is very important to maintain a good 45-degree angle during this process.

Right-handed cutters, position the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler so the ¼” line is on the star strip fabric (shown) or place it on the seam line. Then, line up the standard ruler next to the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler so they bump up next to each other following the 45-degree angle. Carefully remove the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star tool and make your first cut by trimming the ends of the strip sets.

Left-handed cutters position the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler on the ¼” line so it is on the seam line. Then bump up the standard ruler next to the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler to secure that 45” angle. Carefully remove the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star tool and make your first cut by trimming the ends of the strip sets.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

To continue those 45-degree cuts, use the standard ruler to make 2 ½” cuts across the strip sets. You will need four cuts for one block.

Second Cuts

Now, we need to make a second cut that will go vertically from south to north. This cut-off triangle will be placed in a triangle on our pieced units.  It is important to keep your cut going as straight as possible.

Right-handed cutters will line up with the standard ruler so that the 45-degree line is along the sub-cut and is just right of the tip of the star strip to the ruler, and the tip is touching. Cut straight up to make the triangle.

Left-handed cutters need to carefully flip the sub-cut so the “B” is now on top. Line up the standard ruler so a line crosses the top of the star strip and the end of the ruler. Cut straight up to make the triangle.

Layout

Open the sub-cuts so they are laying right sides up.  Placing the cut-off triangle on the outside short edges of the sub-cuts.

Stitch the cut-offs on the edges of the pieces. Pressing carefully, “A” will be pushed toward the star point fabric, and “B” will be pressed to the background fabric. 

Trim to Size

Trim using your Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star tool to the exact size of the finished Lemoyne block size listed on your Block Party Block Cutting Chart. For Example, for the 12” block, we are making 8” finished Lemoyne blocks, so we will use the 8” line on our tool.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place your unit's right sides up on the cutting mat. Then, Right-handed cutters position the unit with the diamond point at 2 o’clock, and left-handed cutters position it at 10 o’clock. Place and align the desired block size lines with the seams of the lines. Trim along both sides of the tool.

Stitch

Now that the piece units have been trimmed, it is time to stitch the “A” and “B” pieced units together to create the quarter unit. Place the pieced units' right sides together and match up the star point to nest the seams. Then, stitch with a reasonable ¼” seam allowance. Press the seams open.

Trim to Size

We need to trim the Lemoyne Star quadrants to size before sewing them into our block.  

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place your unit's right sides up on the cutting mat; positioning stars “dog ears” are removed first. Right-Handed cutters position so the seam runs from the upper Right-Handed Corner to the bottom Left. Left-handed cutters position so the seam runs from the upper left corner to the bottom right.  Place the edge of the Tucker Trimmer to the edge of the star points, keeping the common diagonal line down the center of the seam. Trim off the dog ears.

Now, we are going to trim the background fabric, so it is now to the exact size, giving us that good ¼” from the outer star points. This size we will be trimming to is half of the finished block size, for example, for an 8” finished block, we will be using 4 ½” lines. 

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Rotate the trimmed quadrant 180 Degrees so the previously trimmed dog ears are now in front of you. Place the Tucker Trimmer Common Diagonal down the center seam, lining up the desired size clean-up lines on the trimmed edge of the quadrant. Ensuring the ¼” seam allowance lines are lining up on the outer points of the quadrant.

Now, you have a perfectly trimmed unit for your block. This process can be used for any of the Lemoyne Star Techniques. 

Next week, we will cover the remaining units for this block.