Tea anyone? It’s time to make the next block, so make yourself a cup of tea, or coffee if you’d rather and get ready for Block 3, a Cup and Saucer block to go with your beverage of choice.
CUPS AND SAUCERS QUILT BLOCK
Finished Size 12″ (Unfinished 12-1/2″)
The Cups and Saucers quilt block is our third block. This block uses three techniques, ‘Flying Geese’, you will be getting really good at these by now, ‘Half Square Triangles’, we are going to make them using the ‘four at a time’ method and a ‘Square in a Square’ unit. This is a great nine patch quilt block to work with.
CUTTING
There are a few super stretch triangles in this block so if you have trouble with them stretching, I would recommend using a quilter’s spray starch like Best Press to stiffen them up, as it won’t leave any nasty residue behind. Make sure you use it before you start cutting your fabrics. You will need three, contrasting fabrics for this block – I have used blues and mauvy-purples for mine.
A. One 7-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ square (white)
B. One 7-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ square (blue)
C. Four 4-3/4″ x 2-3/4″ rectangles (purple)
D. Four 4-3/4″ x 2-3/4″ rectangles (light purple)
E. Sixteen 2-3/4″ x 2-3/4″ squares (white)
F. One 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ square (blue)
G. Four 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ squares (white)
The background fabrics for this block are A, E & G.
BLOCK ASSEMBLY:
- All seams are 1/4″ and I use a stitch length of 1.8.
- As a rule, you would press your fabric seams towards the dark side (darker fabric) but not always. I finger press my seams before pressing with an iron. This allows me to change the seams’ direction if needed without stretching my fabrics.
- In bulky areas press your seams open as this will help reduce thickness.
We are going to start by making all four of our Half Square Triangle (HST) corner units at once using the ‘Four at a Time’ method. These HST are super stretchy as they are cut on the bias but by stitching them all at once it will speed up the process. We are going to make them slightly larger and trim them to size for accuracy. This is a great method for making multiple HSTs when you have lots to make for a quilt.
You will need your 7-1/2″ x 7-1/2″ fabric squares A and B to make four HST. Place both fabrics with right sides together (RST) lining up all the edges then stitch all the way around the square with a 1/4″ seam being careful to turn accurately at the corners. If you are not sure when to turn at the corners draw diagonal lines on your lightest fabric square and turn when your needle reaches each of the lines.
Now cut the unit diagonally (on your drawn line) from corner to corner in both directions cutting the unit into four triangles.
Open your HST and finger press your seam to the dark side then set with an iron. Next trim your HST to 4-1/2″ by placing your ruler’s 45° diagonal line along your seam line, squaring up your block, and trimming away the excess fabric. You should now have four perfect HST.
Next are the flying geese units. You should be quite comfortable with these now, but I’ll run through them again for you just to make sure. We will be making them a little oversized, then trimming them to size.
You are going to need two of your 2-3/4″ fabric squares E and a 4-3/4 x 2-3/4″ fabric rectangle C. Now draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of your two fabric E squares.
Then place one of them right sides together (RST) on top of your fabric C rectangle, lining up the left-hand top and side. Stitch on the line.
Trim away the excess corner fabric leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance. Now finger press the seam to the light side (fabric E), then press with your iron to fix.
Repeat for the right-hand corner by placing the other fabric E square RST on top of fabric C, lining up the right-hand top and side. Stitch on the line. Trim away the excess corner fabric leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance. Then finger press your seam to the light side, next fix with your iron.
Now it’s time to trim your Flying Geese unit to the correct size 4-1/2″ x 2-1/2″. Line up your ruler so that it sits 1/4″ away from your white triangle point making sure your ruler is aligned as straight as possible. I have used the 45° diagonal lines on my ruler to line up my block before trimming away the excess fabric, but if your ruler doesn’t have 45° diagonal lines make sure your ruler is as straight as possible by using its line markings to help you. When you are happy it’s straight, trim!
Now trim away all the remaining excess fabric so your flying geese unit measures 4-1/2″ x 2-1/2″. I used the 45° lines on my ruler to square my flying geese unit up before trimming but if you don’t have these markings line up your ruler so that its 2-1/4″ line runs through the centre of your block.
Now make three more flying geese units in the same way.
Repeat with your remaining 2-1/2″ white squares and your fabric D rectangles to make four more flying geese. You should now have a total of eight flying geese.
Take one of each of your flying geese units and lay them out in the order they are to be sewn together (see right image). Then flip the right-hand flying geese unit on top of the one on the left RST. Now sew a seam on the right-hand side, being careful to intersect with your sewn point as you go (see left image).
Then open and finger press your seam to the dark side before fixing with your iron.
Now make three more.
We are now going to use the ‘stitch and flip’ method to make the centre on point ‘square in a square’ unit. Take your four white 2-1/2″ squares G and draw diagonal lines on the wrong side of them. Now take one white square and place RST in the top left hand top corner of your 4-1/2″ square F, align your edges and sew on top of your diagonal line.
Then trim away the excess fabric leaving a 1/4″ seam allowance. Now open out your fabric just like your flying geese unit and finger press your seam open towards the white fabric, being careful not to stretch your fabric, then fix with an iron.
Then repeat this process with another white square, trimming away the excess fabric and finger pressing open before fixing with the iron. Now repeat with the remaining two white squares on the opposite corners of the unit.
Now lay out all your units to form the Cups and Saucers block. Make sure that everything is pointing in the right direction.
Keeping your fabrics in order, sew them together one row at a time, taking care to nest your seams and match your points. Finger press your seams in the direction of the arrows before fixing with an iron.
Finally sew your completed rows together pressing your seams away from the centre. Don’t forget to match your points and nest your seams together as you go.
If you have sewn your block together accurately it should measure 12-1/2″ square but if you need to trim it make sure you leave 1/4″ seam allowance on all your points.
That’s block three, you’re on your way!