PVQA BOM for October- "Falling Leaves"

As I mentioned to my guild meeting the other night we all have personal styles when it comes to piecing but it's important to put your best piecing practices forward when participating with BOM.  Here's a link to a post I did a while back titled "Have you checked your 1/4 inch lately?"  If you've never done this and you have trouble getting your blocks to turn out the right size try this little exercise https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=2647971298846852786#editor/target=post;postID=4779647672329847051;onPublishedMenu=posts;onClosedMenu=posts;postNum=12;src=postname .

   For the October BOM I wanted a Fall theme block,  something a little different looking than your average Maple Leaf block and I found this really pretty deciduous leaf print and I designed this  block setting to go around it.  I think it's an original block design tho' I have not done a literature search?!  How does that work?

I'm calling the design "Falling Leaves".  I like designs that tessellate and this one does! 

I think this bolck has a lot of possibilities 'cause with a little planning you could have the corners and squares be different colors which would make it a lot more interesting.  But since I was handing out fabric for the BOM I had to keep the color scheme simple.

At first glance the block might look kind of complicated but really the design is mainly 12 Triangle Half Squares arranged in a slightly different way!

The  Packets for guild members included:  One 3” strip and one lg. patch of Leaf print (L) and strips of gold fabric (Y) in 2.5” x 10" and 3” x 12". 

You could use almost any kind of novelty fabric for the centers and coordinate whatever you want for the THS and corners.

From the Leaf Print  (L) –cut 2- 3”  squares from the strip and a 6.5” square from the lg patch. Try to fussy cut the large patch so one leaf or cluster of leaves is featured in the square.  It does not have to be perfectly centered or include the entire label, just cut it so there is one main leaf of interest if possible.

From the Gold Print  (Y) -cut 4- 2.5 “ squares from the 10” strip and 4- 3” squares from the 3” wide strip/s.

From Your Stash pick a Green Print   (G)  -cut 6- 3” squares of a medium dark to dark green fabric

NOTE: The green may range from an olive or yellow/green to a blue green, it may be a print, tone on tone, batik etc.  Avoid prints with light tones such as cream, white & pastel.

Make the Triangle Half Squares (THS)

There are lots of ways to make THS.  I like this method when making small numbers, it’s easy and precise.  For a detailed explanation with pictures of this check here

Match the 2– 3” leaf print squares, right sides together with 2 of the green

3” squares.  Press these 2 units together and cut on the diagonal.  Sew along this          

diagonal to make 4 THS.  Press toward the green fabric and trim to 2.5” square.

Match the remaining 4- 3” green squares right sides together with the

4- 3” gold squares.  Repeat the above procedure to yield 8- 2.5” THS.

Assemble the THS to make the side units- 

All 4 sides have the same orientation of THS.  I always lay them out after each round of sewing  A quick visual check to make sure I have not made any errors.  

Here's the right THS flopped over the middle one ready to sew.  When there are two seams at one end it's a good idea to start on the bump of seams and sew toward the thin end.

Another quick check to make sure all patches are where they should be. 

The side units seem to be matching up with the center pretty well.  Press and sew these units with the pieced side on the bottom.

Press toward the center.

Another quick check to make sure the size is on track.  With a block like this you can adjust the seams a bit if it is to big or to small.

Sew the 2.5" gold squares on to the 2 remaining side units, one on each end and press toward the corner squares.

Add these two units to either side of the center, the seams should nest.  Sew again with the pieced units underneath, press toward the center.

One more size check and we're good to go!

On the left are 4 blocks of my first attempt at a color scheme.  I really found that leaf fabric to busy for the block design and the cream fab to bland .  I like the second color scheme much better.  I Sew, I Learn!  Hey, that sounds like a good name for a Blog?!  lol

I hope you enjoy Falling Leaves and

I hope you all have a great Fall!

Cheers, Claire W.