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Monday, November 7, 2016

STATE BLOCK CHALLENGE CONNECTICUT BLOCKS 7A AND 7B

I love when the air gets cooler and I get to get my sweaters out! I especially like those new type fabrics that have a very soft feel against my skin. As I get older I can't stand anything scratchy on my skin. I have to cut off the tags on the inside of the neckline on anything because it drives me crazy!

I have been getting very little sleep lately. The puppies are keeping my husband and I very busy! I forgot what it is like training a puppy and we have double the trouble. The great thing is they are very smart and learn quickly. We almost have house training done. They still have an occasional accident but that is more due to us not paying attention to the signs. (This is a short video. Please let me know if it works.)




So on to the next blocks. But first the winners of Blocks 5A and 5B.

Block 5A was won by Rosemary Krupski again! Congratulations Rosemary!



Block 5B was a tie! Jeannie Schultz and Rosemary Krupski both got the same number of votes. So they both get a pattern. Congratulations ladies.


To encourage more people to send me images of their blocks I am going to do a random drawing instead of voting. That way more people have an opportunity to win one of my patterns and increases the odds of other people winning.


This week's block represent the state of Connecticut. Neither of the blocks are difficult to piece but block A has more fussy cutting in it.

BLOCK 7A


For this block I chose just two fabrics. The focus fabric and a contrast. I fussy cut all of the light sections of the block, the half-square triangles, flying geese and diamond in a square. You can use some of the templates that you made for some of the previous blocks.

CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS




Focus fabric:
*Fussy cut (4) template A from one design, (4) template A from another design, and (4) template B.
You can always cut more or less of a design than I did.
Contrast fabric:
*Cut (16) template A OR (8) 3-7/8" squares cut once diagonally into (16) HST.

PIECING INSTRUCTIONS

Center section
1. Sew the (4) fussy cut template A pieces. Press seams in a clockwise manner.



2. Sew a contrast fabric HST to each side. Sew opposite sides first. Press to contrast fabric. Section should equal 6-1/2" square.

 


Flying Geese Units
3. Sew a contrast fabric HST to the short sides of the focus fabric template B. Press to contrast fabric. Make (4). Sections should equal 3-1/2" x 6-1/2".



Half-Square triangle units.
4. Sew a contrast fabric HST to a focus fabric template A. Press to contrast fabric. Make (4). HST should equal 3-1/2" square.



5. Layout the (4) HST units, (4) Flying Geese units, and center units as illustrated. Sew across. Press to Flying Geese units. Sew rows together. Press to Flying Geese units.



BLOCK 7B

For this block I chose a dark and light focus fabric and then a dark and light contrast fabric. You can use the same template A from block 7A for this block.


CUTTING INSTRUCTIONS
Focus fabric light
*Cut (2) template D.
Focus fabric dark
*Cut (2) template D.
Contrast light
*Fold fabric wrong sides together and cut (2) B and (2) C. (B and C will be cut at the same time.)
*Cut (2) template A. 

Contrast dark
 *Fold fabric wrong sides together and cut (2) B and (2) C. (B and C will be cut at the same time.)
*Cut (2) template A. 


PIECING INSTRUCTIONS
1. Sew a light contrast B and C to a dark D and a dark contrast B and C to a light D. Press seams in the same direction. (Both left or right.) Make (2) of each.



2. Sew a light template A to the light matching sections and a dark template A to the dark matching sections. Press to HST. Section should equal 6-1/2" square.


3. Sew the four squares together. pressing seams in the same direction as the sections. All seams should go either clockwise or counter clockwise.


Here are the links to the template PDFs. Don't forget to save it and then open with Acrobat Reader.

Template 7A

Template 7B

Remember; Always do what you love and love what you do. Please share your finished blocks with me. No matter what they look like, I love to see what everyone is doing. Plus you will be eligible for a drawing for one of my patterns so the more you do and send me, the better your chances.