At our guild meeting our BOM queen was talking about the next block and mentioned that the checkerboard border was difficult until another member told her about a trick she knew for 4 patches. You may know this one and even who came up with it (if you know please let me know so I can give her credit). You make two sets of your fabrics as photo one. Iron them with the seam to the dark fabric
. Now lay one strip on top of the other - right sides together, so the seams nestle (will look like the second photo- here the top strip is turned back to see what the 4 patch will look like ).
Normally now I would cut the strips into sets to then pin and sew together in assembly line. Instead I draw a line on the strip to make the patch the size I want. In this case 2" . You see a dotted second line 1/4" to the right of the 2" line - only needed if you don't have an accurate 1/4" foot. I do, so I drew only a 2" line to mark my segments. (this is a little different than shown with the block but works for me.)
When I had sewn all the seams on the strip this way, I then began to cut the segments apart at the 2" line I drew. Pressed the segments open and got 4 patches with a perfect join in the middle. Love it!
Now off to finish the few four-patches I need doing to finish my Easy Street tomorrow.
I'm linking with Esther's Wow and Connies Free Motion Quilting by the River. So see their goodies.
Wow! That's new to me Angie. Thanks for the tute and I love those fabrics.
ReplyDeleteOoooo - great trick!!! Gotta try that soon :*)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Angie, that is always a great way to do them! Thanks for sharing.
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I really like the tutorial you did with the 4 patch. I will have to try it out sometime. Cool pictures as well.
ReplyDeleteRuth from Stitching IMpressions