Congratulations to Lorna LJ for winning the Pitcher Blocks. Thanks to all who brought in blocks.
This month a bit of flair on an old block. The Churn Dash is one of my favourite blocks. It is easy and versatile. It can look different just by varying sizes and colours of components. For the May block make the background white and the foreground a print in saturated colour. The white may be solid or white-on-white. The print may have various colours or one colour. The directions below are for a 9 1/2″ unfinished block.
MATERIALS
- 1 – white 3 1/2″ square for the centre
- 2 – white 4″ squares for the corner HSTs
- 2 – print 4″ squares for the corner HSTs
- 4 – white 2″ x 3 1/2″ pieces for the bars
- 4 – print 2″ x 3 1/2″ pieces for the bars
If you want to cut the bars using strip quilting, cut a 2″ x 14 1/2″ strip of white and a 2″ x 14 1/2″ strip of the print. Cross cut 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″ pieces for the bars.
If you want to make two blocks at once, you could do the 8 HSTs-at-once using 8″ squares. Directions are in Bloc Loc 8 at a Time.
ASSEMBLY
Using the white and print 4″ squares make four HSTs. Trim to generous 3 1/2″ squares.
Make the bars. You may be sewing the pieces together or sewing strips and cross cutting. Arrange the pieces into a nine-patch.
Assemble by your favourite method.
Using chain piecing I sew the top left to middle, the left middle to the middle, and the bottom left to the middle. Then I sew the right pieces onto the pairs. Press carefully. Sew the rows together.
In the Craftsy directions the top and bottom rows are pressed out and the middle row is pressed in. That is what I did here.
Trim and voilà, a 9 1/2″ block. If you find your blocks turn out small, you can make seams a scant 1/4″ and/or cut your 3 1/2″ squares generously.
RELEVANT WEBSITES
- Classic Churn Dash Quilt Block directions from Craftsy – also shows another placement of pieces
- Churn Dash Quilt Block from Generations Quilt Patterns – also includes other names for this block, a chart for different sizes, and different arrangements of colour placement
- Churn Dash Quilt Block from Missouri Star – Jenny Doan shows the making of the block and a quilt.
- Bloc Loc 8 at a Time – has directions and a chart showing sizes of large squares for different sizes of HSTs.
Bring your blocks to the June meeting for a chance to win the lotto!
Have fun,
Marilyn
Seymour Quilters Guild 