For the next 9 days there'll be a blog hop with Hallowe'en themed blocks and giveaways all over the blogosphere.
Wickedly Mournful Monday - 22nd of October
The Quilting Alleycat
Words & Stitches
Geema's Wonderings
Quilt Doodle Doodles
Bacon Then Eggs
Inga
Briarside Lane
Quilts And Smily Faces
Why Knot?
Quilt Matters
Mad Quilter's Disease
Susie's World
Sew Paint Create
In my case, I have a tutorial for a 12½" (unfinished) bat block!
Bat block
This started life as the logo from the recent Batman movies, but has since morphed somewhat to this:
You Will Need:
Colour 1 (Bat)
(In my example, it's grey.)
1 - 3" x 3"
3 - 2½" x 2½"
4 - 2½" x 1½"
4 - 1½" x 1½"
Colour 2 (Background)
(In my example, it's black.)
1 - 3" x 3"
2 - 3½" x 3½"
2 - 1½" x 1½"
3 - 1½" x 2½"
2 - 3½" x 2½"
1 - 3½" x 12½"
1 - 4½" x 12½"
Step 1: marking
Take a pencil or washable marker, and draw a line down the diagonals of:
1 Bat-colour square 3" x 3"
4 Bat-colour squares 1½" x 1½"
2 Background-colour squares 1½" x 1½"
Also draw a line down the diagonals of the 2 Background-colour rectangles 2½" x 1½", but make sure one runs from top right corner to lower left corner, and the other runs from top left corner to lower right corner.
Step 2: sewing the units together
(a). Take the 2 Background-colour squares 3½" x 3½" and place 2 Bat-colour squares 1½" x 1½" in the top right corner as shown in the picture, matching the edges.
(b). Take 2 Bat-colour rectangles 1½" x 2½" and place the 2 Background-colour square 1½" x 1½" at the top of them, ensuring one pencilled diagonal runs top right corner to bottom left corner, while the other runs top left corner to bottom right corner as shown in the picture matching the edges.
(c). Take 2 Bat-colour squares 1½" x 1½" and lay one of them down on the Background-colour rectangle 2½" x 1½", with the diagonal running top right corner to bottom left corner as shown in the picture, matching the edges.
(d). Take the Bat-colour square 3½" x 3½" and lay it on top of the Background-colour square 3½" x 3½" as shown in the picture, matching the edges.
Sew on the pencilled line for (a), (b), and (c). Do not sew (d) yet!
(a)
Lay your ruler down ¼" from the seam, and cut off the small corner:
Press seams open.
(b)
Lay your ruler down ¼" from the seam and cut off the small corner. Press seams open.
Lay your ruler down ¼" from the seam and cut off the small corner. Press seams open.
(c).
You should have sewn just the first Bat-colour square on the Background-colour rectangle.
Lay your ruler down ¼" from the seam and cut off the small corner. Press seams open.
Then lay down the second Bat-colour square at the other end of the Background-colour rectangle, making sure that the pencilled line forms a 'V' with the seam. Sew on the pencilled line.
Lay your ruler down ¼" from the seam and cut off the small corner. Press seams open.
Now we're going to deal with (d).
(d).
Sew the seams ¼" either side of the pencilled line:
Lay your ruler down on the pencilled line and cut in half. Press seams open.
Trim your half-square triangle units into to 2½" squares.
(e).
Remember those two Background-colour 1½" x 2½" rectangles with the diagonals on them?
Take the Background-colour rectangle with the diagonal running from the top right corner to the bottom left corner and lay it on the right side of one of Bat-colour 2½" x 2½" squares.
DO NOT SEW IT.
First, take your ruler and lay it down ¼" from the pencilled line and cut off the small corner.
Then, take the Background-colour rectangle, rotate it upside-down, and flip it over so the 'thin' end of the triangle is at the top of the unit.
NOTE: If you haven't used a solid, as I have, you'll have to cut the opposite side before sewing it, so you get the right sides of the fabric together. Read to the end of the section and it will become clearer.
Sew the seam ¼" from the edge of the fabric. Press seams open.
Now, take the other Background-colour rectangle with the diagonal running from the top left corner to the bottom right corner and lay it on the left side of the unit.
Take your ruler and lay it down ¼" from the pencilled line, cutting off the small corner.
Then take the Background-colour rectangle, rotate it upside-down, and flip it over so the 'thin' end of the triangle is at the top of the unit.
Sew the seam ¼" from the edge of the fabric and press the seams open.
Now you have all the units ready for assembly!
Step 3: Sewing the block together.
I recommend laying all the pieces out so you can see how everything goes together:
I sewed the 'wing' units together, and attached the 'bat ears' to the 'head' and 'body' units to start with.
Then sew the backgrounds onto the 'wingtip' units.
Then sew all the vertical seams.
Don't forget to sew ¼" seams all the way!
Add the top and the bottom pieces and we're done!
One bat block 12½" x 12½", suitable for that wonderfully WICKED Halloween quilt or cushion!
Thanks so much for coming by, and I hope that you've enjoyed the WICKED blog hop! Don't forget to drop by the other blogs and check out their tutorials and giveaways!
I don't usually do much for Hallowe'en - living in Australia, it barely makes a peep on our holiday radar. However, in the last couple of years I have acquired an American friend in Penny Poppleton who enjoys throwing a party right around Halloween, complete with decorations and dress-ups. So, come Saturday night, I'll be putting on a costume and heading off to Penny's house! There probably won't be any trick-or-treating, but we're going to have a great time all the same!
What are you doing for Hallowe'en? Do you do anything at all?
