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.)
I then sewed 1/4" in from the two inch line for a scant 1/4" seam.
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.
