Wow, this week has gone really fast for me. So much to get done during the week. But I didn't forget about posting my next blockbuster block #13, She Bear. She Bear is a combination of squares and Split Rectangles Units giving you a variation of the Bear Paw block.
Split Rectangle units are new this week in the Blockbuster challenge, they are reasonably easy to make, using the Studio 180 Design Split Rects® tool.
I decided to make an 8' block this week. That meant that I needed Split Rects that measure 1" x 2" finished. To do this, I needed three strips of fabric that measured 3" wide, for cutting out the rectangle pieces. After you have cut the strips you need to decide how you want to cut your strips. You can have them with right sides up, wrong sides up, or facing each other (which will give you mirrored images). For this block I laid the strips the following ways:
- Orange strips - wrongs sides up
- Blue strips - right sides up
- Cream colors - facing each other.
No matter how you place them on the mat, the cutting with Split Rects® tool is the same process. Start with lining up the end of your strip on the "Place On Cut Edge of Strip" the bold solid line. And make your first cut on the diagonal line.
To make the second cut you rotate your ruler 180 degrees to find the 2nd Trim line (short bold line). You will line up your ruler along the previously cut line, then cut straight across the ruler.
Repeat these rotating your ruler until you have all your rectangles cut out.
Now we can start the stitching process with our rectangles. You will flip your rectangles, over like I did in the image above. You will want to make sure to overlap the end a little bit and stitch along the bias edge of the fabric.
This is time to do a little bit of chain piecing to the speed up the process.
When you are finished stitching all the units together, you will take them to your iron and press the seams open.
Now, its time to trim down, the oversized units to 1 1/2" x 2 1/2". You will use the trim down side of the ruler. Lining up the diagonal line on the seam of the unit, then cut up and across.
Rotate your units 180 degrees, so the nice clean edge we did in the last step is facing you. Then line up the ruler so the diagonal line is lined up on the seam line and the 1 1/2" and 2 1/2" line is on that clean edge. And make that final cut up and across.
Now that the rectangles are made it's time to layout the blocks for assembly. I added 2 1/2" squares of cream and a multi-colored fabric to the mix. The image above was my first idea for my layout, but my not my final layout.
Now that I had my primary layout done. I began to sew my blue split rectangles units together.
Followed by the orange split rects units together.
When those were together I then layout the units again and came with my final layout. Now I can sew all the rows together.
Blockbuster #13, She Bears 8" is now complete. What a fun block to make and play with.
Two more blocks and I have completed series 1 of the Blockbuster blocks. Next week, we will be working with the Split Rects® tools.
You can check out my completed Blockbuster blocks HERE.
Have a great weekend of Creating!
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Tina
"Designing to Inspire"
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