DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 7

Block 7

This is the Plus Banner Block. I can take no credit for this block, this is the brain child of Yvonne from Quilting Jet Quilt. She came up with it for the Stash Bee and you can see her original tutorial for a 14" block here.

Cutting Instructions

Block 7:

Queen Sized:
Background - (2) 9"x9"
Background - (4) 5"x5"
Background - (4) 4.5"x8.5"
Background - (12) 4.5"x4.5"
Print 1 (Cross) - (1) 4.5"x12.5"
Print 1 - (2) 4.5"x4.5"
Print 2 (Corners) - (1) 9"x9"
Print 2 - (2) 5"x5"
Print 3 (Corners) - (1) 9"x9"
Print 3 - (2) 5"x5"
OR
Print 2 - (2) 9"x9" (if you cut carefully from the long side of a FQ, you can get (2) 9"x9" and (4) 5"x5" pieces from one print and do all four corners in the same fabric)
Print 2 - (4) 5"x5"

Baby Sized:

Background - (2) 5"x5"
Background - (4) 3"x3"
Background - (4) 2.5"x4.5"
Background - (12) 2.5"x2.5"
Print 1 (Cross) - (1) 2.5"x6.5"
Print 1 - (2) 2.5"x2.5"
Print 2 (Corners) - (1) 5"x5"
Print 2 - (2) 3"x3"
Print 3 (Corners) - (1) 5"x5"
Print 3 - (2) 3"x3"
OR
Print 2 - (2) 5"x5"
Print 2 - (4) 3"x3

Piecing Instructions

Block 7:

Draw lines down the diagonals of your background 9" (5") and 5" (3") squares and pair them with the prints of the same size. Pin and sew 1/4" from each side of the diagonal line.

Carefully cut the two halves apart along the center line, press them with seams open, and trim them up to 8.5" (4.5") and 4.5" (2.5") respectively. I prefer to trim my squares with my 12.5" ruler, lining up the center seam along the diagonal, making sure that the squares overhangs the 8.5" (4.5") lines by as much as possible, while still seeing some edges along the outside of the ruler. Then I trim both sides.

Next, I flip the square and trim the other two sides, once again lining up the center seam and making sure that the sides line up neatly along the 8.5" (4.5") marks.

You will end up with (4) 8.5" (4.5") squares and (8) 4.5" (2.5") squares.

Lay out the block (if you are doing the queen sized block, be prepared that this thing is massive). Excuse my mess, it wasn't possible to crop it all out of my pictures for this one. :)

You can sew this block together in any order you see fit, but here's the order I sewed it in (remember to pin at each seam!): first, I sewed together one of the background squares and to each of the smaller HSTs flanking the larger HSTs.

Then, I sewed one of the HST/background squares combos to the larger HST and a second background square to the other HST/background square combo in each corner.

Next, I sewed each "cross" square to one of the long background strips and two background strips to the center "cross" strip. And added the background/small HST/background strips to the large HST units.

Then, I added the short "cross" sections to the bottom large HST units. And then added the top HSTs units onto the resulting units.

Finally, I sewed the center "cross" section first to one side and then added the other side to it.

And here is the completed queen sized Block 7:

And here is the baby quilt version:

Completed Block Size:
Queen Sized: 28.5"x28.5"
Baby Quilt: 14.5"x14.5"

Several other options: 

• Make each of the corner sections a different color. To do so, cut (1) larger squares from each of the four fabrics, (4) larger squares from your background fabric, (1) smaller square from each of the four fabrics, and (4) smaller squares from your background fabric. You will end up with (4) extra large HSTs, just set these aside.
• Make the block scrappy, use Low Volume for the background pieces.
• Play with solids and prints.
• Make wonky corner sections, i.e. stitch and flip HSTs.
• Cut (3) 4.5" (2.5") squares for the long part of the cross instead of one long strip.
• Create fun colored strips with a solid background for the cross middle, you'll want (4) strips that are 4.5"x12.5" (2.5"x6.5") in size, plus one 4.5" (2.5") square for the center. This replaces the (4) long Background strips and Print 1 from the cutting instructions above.
• Use a solid in the center and make (6) 2.5"x4.5" flying geese blocks for each of the sides.

• Turn the center section into a granny square.