PVQA Block of the Month - Modern Kaleioscope!

PVQA.org November 2015 BOM- Modern Kaleidoscope                                      11.5”  Unfinished

Sorry it has taken so long to get these instructions posted but since the block is not due until our Jan. general meeting you will have plenty of time to complete it!
At first glance you might think this block is going to be tricky?!  Besides the bias edges there's really nothing tricky, all the seams are straight and if you let the feeddogs do their job, the bias edges should be OK! (view is 4 blocks together)

The inspiration for this quilt was a picture of a quilt by Katie Blakesley on the Home page of ModernQuiltGuild.com.  Checkout their website;  MQG is a worldwide Online guild that puts on QuiltCon and provides a whole lot of great info. about the Modern quilt movement!

Fabric: 

Choose the Background fabric (B= the equilateral triangles) from a variety of solids:  light grey, white and off -white (like muslin) and if your packet includes a piece of light green fabric use that for one of the triangles.

Choose one print for the star fabric (A = the four sided star shapes).  Colors can be bright, dark or medium dark; purple, green or blue or a combination of those colors.  Prints can be almost any style as long as they conform with the colors suggested.

Cutting:

Cut out the 2 templates (A & B) on the their black out-lines.  The seam allowances are included in the out line.  Match the arrows on the templates to the straight of the grain on the fabric.

Place a straight edge over the edge of the template and using your rotary cutter to cut 8 copies of the Triangle B and 4 copies of A .  Use a few dabs of glue stick to hold the templates to the fabric while you are cutting (if you need it).

For people online who are probably saying "Where's the template?!".  You can make your own by cutting a 9.5" square of paper.  Cut that in half diagonally, 

fold one of the resulting triangle in half, measure 6 3/4" from the non folded corner on the long edge and cut from that point back to the 90 degree angle.

Unfold  A and trim 1/4 inch off each side 

 check your seam allowance by checking the overlap in A and B 

Sewing:

Match one of the long sides of A to the short side of B, press and sew.  

Be sure you get the proper over lap on the ends of the seam and sew the seam with The B triangle up because that is the non-bias side. Trim the ‘dog ears’ and press the seam toward A.  

Sew a second Triangle B to the other long side of A.  Again with the B non-bias side up, trim and press toward A. Repeat with the other 3 sets of – A patches and B triangles.

Match two of the above units on the short side, press, pin at the seams and sew from the A end to the B end of the units. There will be a bit of a bump to sew over at the seams (pin) but gosew slowly and your presser foot should ride over the bump.  Repeat with the other two units.  

With the long edge of these units away from you. Press both seams to the left.   Match the two halves in the middle.  The seams should “Nest”.  

Press and pin at all seam intersections and at either end.  Don’t worry if the outer edges aren’t exactly the same length.  The triangles were draw a hair larger so they could be trimmed down after sewing. Trim to 11.5” = unfinished.  

Here are the four blocks together again nicely trimmed to 11.5".  I think the way the background goes together really adds a lot of interest to this design!?!  Now all the outside edges of each block are biased edges.  If you are worried about pulling them out of square when you sew them together give them a light spray with Spray Starch and that will help stabalize the edges as you sew!

I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday full of lots of family, friends and laughter!

Cheers, Claire W.

?? email cspoonquilt@yahoo.com or check our my blog www.cspoonquilt.blogspot.com