Betsy's Blessing Tutorial

Hello Everyone,

As promised, here is the tutorial to make this adorable block.  I'll be posting my blocks over the next couple of weeks so you can see what I've been up to.  So why don't you join in and start churning out Churn Dash blocks?  

If you are like me, I know you have a ton of scraps.  I also know during our Shelter in Place, you may have been cleaning out your sewing room, and found a lot more scraps.  The largest piece of fabric you need for this block is 5" x 5".  The strips used in the strip set for the Churn Dash block are only 1" x 24".

I love fabrics designed by Betsy Chutchian for Moda.  I put all of my Betsy fabrics in one spot, and I named it "Betsy's Bin".  This way I can see exactly what I have.  When dealing with scraps, you have to be organized from the get go.  You can't use a fabric if you can't see it or find it!  How many times have you looked for a fabric that you know you have, but you can't find it?  Welcome to my world!

So let's begin making this cute block.  They go together very quickly.

Here are the cutting directions:

Center - 2" x 2"

Cut (3) 1" strips by 24" to make the strip set

Half-Square-Triangles - Cut (1) 5" x 5" light and cut (1) 5" x 5" dark

STEP ONE: I began by selecting a center that has more than 3 colors in it.  In my center, I see red, brown. blue, and cream.  I use this as my key to the selection of the 1" x 24" strips for the strip set, and the fabric for the half-square triangles (HST).

STEP TWO: Sew the 1" strips together to make the strip set. The 24" length will make enough 2" x 2" sections for 3 blocks.  Set the extras aside to make 2 more blocks.  You can change up the center and the half-square triangles to get an entirely different look.  Press in the direction of the arrow.

                                  Not to scale, but you get the idea.

I'm left-handed, as you can tell by the placement of the ruler.  Actually I can cut with either hand, but I prefer this orientation.

STEP THREE: You will make the HST (8) at a time.  Follow my tutorial to make HST by clicking HERE.  This will take you to a tutorial in my virtual classroom.  Or you can go HERE to The Quilt Show, and watch my video on how I make HST (8) at a time.  All of my classes are available for free on The Quilt Show.  You will be making (8) HST at a time, enough for two blocks.  Set your extra HST's aside for another block.

TRIM EACH OF YOUR HST TO 2" X 2"  - THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!

STEP FOUR:  Putting the block together.  Press in the direction of the arrows. When sewn together, the block will measure 5" x 5".  The finished size when sewn into the quilt is 4-1/2" x 4-1/2".

I have a basket where I keep my extra parts and pieces.  I have about 20 blocks that are ready to be stitched.  It's been fun watching this basket fill up.

I'm playing around with a setting idea, and really like this one.  A wonderful tool that I use is EQ8.  (Electric Quilt).  I imported images from Moda of all of the fabric lines I used. I made, and filled all of the blocks with fabric in EQ, so I could get a good idea of what the finished quilt would look like.  You can see that I have used all different colors in this quilt,  and all works together.  My eyes dance across the quilt looking at each and every block.  This quilt is happy, and cheerful.  I don't usually use a lot of yellow in a quilt, but I'm going to use it in this one!

I'll be making blocks today, and I'll post them tomorrow.  Once you get the strip sets made, and the HST, the blocks fly together.

Start digging through those scraps and put them to good use.  They are just begging to become a beautiful quilt for all to see.  If you make some blocks, send me pictures and I'll post them on my blog.  My email address is:  sewnwildoaks@gmail.com  

Start churning out those Churn Dash blocks!

Soon,

Lynn