STATE BLOCK CHALLENGE COLORADO 6A AND B

First I want to thank everyone for their patience with my postings. I did not realize how time consuming doing this challenge would be! It is good though because it does force me to write my blog more often. Also thank you to those who sympathized with my loss. Every pet owner knows what that is like and how it affects us.

First to the winners of the Arizona blocks. 

Mary Steimle won again with her wonderful Block 4A. Her use of fabrics is amazing!

Block 4B was won by Rosemary Krupski. She is using a Tula Pink fabric collection and really knows how to use them.

The state this week is Colorado. I had quite a time looking for blocks for this state! I found one but that second one was more difficult to find. Neither of the blocks were very difficult so if you don't do both blocks each week, either block should not be a problem to do. The more blocks you make the more you will be using some of the same size templates. So check with your previous templates to see if you already have one the same size as in the new blocks.

I hope more of you send me your finished blocks. I started getting quite a few at first and now it is down to only 3 per block. Remember you will get a chance to win one of my pattern downloads if yours is picked. Don't ever think that it is not good enough. You never know if your block will be picked. If you would prefer that I randomly pick a winner instead of a vote, I will be happy to do that in case you are too intimidated to enter yours. I will hold off picking a winner for Blocks 5A and 5B until Wednesday so I can get more entries.

BLOCK 6A

For this block I chose only the focus fabric and a light background. The whole block is made up of only half-square triangles. I cut two different areas in my focus fabric for the opposite sides of the block. It is difficult to see but if you look close you will see an orange flower and a blue flower. You can cut them all the same or two different areas. The inside pinwheel had to be cut in a different way in order for them to match the other triangles and I will show how to do that in the following illustrations. You do not have to be this fussy if you do not want to.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS

Fabric 1 Focus fabric with Template A:
*Fussy cut either (16) of the same designs  OR
*Fussy cut (8) each of two different designs OR
*Fussy cut (6) each of two different designs and (2) each of coordinating designs.
Fabric 2 light background:
*Cut (16) Template A OR (8) 3-7/8" squares cut once diagonally into (16) HST.

To figure out how to cut the inside pinwheel pieces I laid the original cut piece on top of the template as illustrated:

Here is what the original cut looks like:

Here is what I did with that piece to determine how to cut the pinwheel section:
Can you see how I put the original triangle on the template sideways to match the fabric design underneath? You have to look really close.

Here is the resulting placement for the cut:

Background fabric with Template A:
*Cut (16) triangles.

PIECING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make (16) Half-square triangle squares. You will press (6) of the regular cut squares to the background fabric and the remaining squares to the focus fabric.

2. Layout the half-square triangle squares following the illustration paying attention to the pressing of the triangles.

3. Sew sections together. Press rows in opposite directions.
4. Sew rows together. Press the top and bottom seams to the center and the center seam in either direction.

BLOCK 6B

For this block I chose two different colors of the focus fabric flowers, a light background, and two different dark fabrics. You could use the same dark fabric for the center as you did for the strips sets and you can cut the same area for all of the quarter-square triangles.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS
You will only need to make a template for the quarter-square triangles, but of course you can make them for all the patches. I include cutting with or without the templates. 

Fabric 1 Focus fabric:
*With template A fussy cut (8) each of two different designs or (16) of one design.
Fabric 2 light: 
*Cut (8) template B OR (8) 4-1/2" x 1-3/4" rectangles.
Fabric 3 dark #1:
*Cut (4) template C OR (4) 4-1/2" x 2" rectangles.
Fabric 4 dark #2
*Cut (1) template D OR (4) 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" square.

PIECING INSTRUCTIONS.

1. Sew the quarter-square triangles together. Make (4).

2. Sew a 4-1/2" x 1-3/4" Fabric 2 to each side of a 4-1/2" x 2" Fabric 3 strip. Press to dark fabric. Make (4).














3. Layout the four quarter-square triangle sections, four strip sections, and the 4-1/2" Fabric 4 square as illustrated.

4. Sew sections across. Press to strip sets.
5. Sew rows together. Press to center.

Here are the templates for the two blocks. Click on the links. Then save the files to your folder and open with Acrobat Reader. Check the 1" box to make sure that the scale is correct after printing with "no scale" or at 100%. The lines on the templates are fairly thick so check to see if you need to cut them out on or in the lines.

Block 6A
Block 6B