We’re on the home stretch now, with just three more blocks to go. What better way to mark this milestone than with a delightful Honeymoon block.
BLOCK 10: Honeymoon
Finished Size 12″ (Unfinished 12-1/2″)
I have chosen the Honeymoon quilt block this month. This nine-patch star block has been made using Half Square Triangles, Quarter Square Triangles (also known as Hourglass units) and Squares. I’m going to show you how to sew this block together using techniques that will help you make it much more quickly than with conventional methods.
CUTTING
We are going to cut a few triangles on the bias in this block so you may want to use a spray starch like Best Press to help stiffen and stabilise your fabric before you start cutting the pieces for your block. Also take care when finger pressing and pressing with your iron not to stretch and distort your fabrics. You will need three, contrasting fabrics for this block and a background, I chose dark, medium and light blues for mine. Using non-directional fabrics works best for this block.
A. One 6-1/4″ x 6-1/4″ square (White)
B. One 6-1/4″ x 6-1/4″ square (Multi Spot)
C. Four 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ squares (White)
D. Four 2-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ squares (Light Blue)
E. Two 5-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ squares (White)
F. Two 5-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ squares (Diamond)
G. One 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ square (Light Blue)
In this block the background fabrics are A, C & E.
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). I finger press my seams before pressing with an iron. This allows you to change the seams’ direction if needed without stretching your fabrics.
- In bulky areas press your seams open as this will help reduce thickness.
We are going to start by making all eight of our block’s half square triangles at once. We are going to make them slightly larger and trim to size for accuracy, as usual. This is a super quick method especially if you have hundreds to do for a quilt. By stitching them all at once it will speed up the process.
EIGHT AT A TIME HALF SQUARE TRIANGLES
You will need your 6-1/4″ x 6-1/4″ fabric squares A and B to make eight HST’s. Take fabric A and draw two diagonal lines on the wrong side from corner to corner. Then take your fabric B square and place it right sides together (RST) with your fabric A.
Sew 1/4″ away from each side of both your diagonal lines. You should have four stitched lines.
Next cut your 6-1/4″ unit in half through its centre point. Your rulers 3-1/8″ line should run along its edge.
Then repeat Horizontally. Check your ruler is straight and central before cutting.
Finally cut along your drawn diagonal lines. You should now have eight HST’s.
Open your HST’s and finger press your seam to the dark side and set with an iron. Then trim your HST’s to 2-1/2″ by placing your ruler’s 45° diagonal line along your seam line, squaring up your block, and trimming away the excess fabric.
Now we are going to make the corner units.
Lay out the top left-hand corner of your unit using two 2-1/2″ HST’s and one fabric C and D 2-1/2″ squares as it will help you sew everything together correctly.
Then sew the top two squares together and then the bottom two together to form two rows. Make sure that your seams are pressed in the right direction – see image above.
Then nestle the centre seams together and sew both rows together. Finger press your seams open then set with your iron. Now make three more.
We will now make the remaining outer units.
TWO AT A TIME QUARTER SQUARE TRIANGLES
You will need one of your 5-3/4″ x 5-3/4″ fabric squares E and F to make these. Take fabric E and draw a diagonal line on the wrong side from corner to corner. Then take your fabric F square and place it RST with your fabric E square.
Sew 1/4″ away from each side of your diagonal line.
Then cut the unit apart along your drawn line.
Open your HST’s and finger press your seam to the dark side and set with an iron.
Then on one of your HST’s draw a diagonal line down the centre on the wrong side, making sure your ruler is aligned along your seam line. This will give you a 90-deg. angle.
Then place fabrics E and F with RST and nest your seams (use pins if needed to keep everything in place) and sew 1/4″ away from each side of your diagonal line. Then cut apart along your drawn line.
Before you open your QST take your seam ripper and unpick the two or three stitches that lie above your horizontal seam. Don’t cut them just unpick them. Do the same on the other side.
Turn your pinwheel over and twirl your centre seam by finger pressing your seams in an anti-clockwise direction before setting with an iron. You should see a little four patch in the centre.
Then trim your QST’s to 4-1/2″ by placing your ruler’s 45° diagonal line along the diagonal seam line of your block and make sure your rulers 2-1/4″ lines are aligned with the centre of your unit (see image above). Now trim away excess fabric from the top and right.
Finally turn your unit, place your ruler’s 4-1/2″ lines along the bottom and left side and you should see the 2-1/4″ lines running through the centre of your unit. Now trim.
Now repeat to make two more QST’s.
Now lay out all your units to make the Honeymoon Block. Make sure that everything is pointing in the right direction.
Keeping your fabrics in order, sew them together one row at a time. Take care to match your points. Finger press your seams open before fixing with an iron. Finally join your rows together matching your points as you go and again pressing your seams open.
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.
Super job!… you have finished your tenth block.