Quilty Train - September 2014 - Beacon

Beacon

I love the summer time.  I love the lazy, wildness of it.  You can do anything and be anyone for three months out of the year.  You can vacation in far away places or stay home...either way you are allowed to partake of adventures that can only happen during a vacation.

Even so, there is something settling about returning to the routines of fall.  Kids go back to school, our favorite programs are on TV, comfort food and casseroles become our main fare.  This months block is Beacon - calling you back to the comforts and safety of home.

General Descriptions:

• The Quilt:
• Measures 62" x 86" as described
• Is made of 24, 12" finished blocks arranged in a 4 x 6 block grid.
• Has 2 borders
• Inner border is 1" finished
• Outer border is 6" finished
• The Block:
• Measures 12" finished (actually measures 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" before incorporation into the quilt)
• 4 patch construction
• 2, "woven" units
• 2, "beacon" units

FQG:  Angie has provided fabric for the accents.  You need to add fall prints/colors and cream/gold to blend with the accent.

Cutting Directions:

• Background - (FQG: golds, creams to blend with accent fabric)
• 2, 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" squares
• Accent - (FQG: kit)
• 2, 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares
• 4, 1 1/2" x 6" rectangles
• Knots (FQG: fall colors and prints)
• 2, 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares
• 2, 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles

Sewing Directions:

• "Woven" units
• Gather
• 2, 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" accent squares
• 2, 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" knots squares
• 2, 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" knots rectangles
• With right sides together sew 1 accent square to 1 knots square.
• Iron seam allowance open.
• Trim to 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangle
• With right sides together sew rectangle unit to knots rectangle.
• Irons seam allowance towards the knots rectangle.
• Trim unit to 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" square
• Repeat with remaining pieces for 2 "woven" units
• "Beacon" units
• Gather
• 2, 6 1/2" x 6 1/2 background squares
• 4, 1 1/2" x 6" accent rectangles
• On RIGHT side of background squares mark the following:
• 1" from each side of one corner
• 1" from each adjacent corner on the subsequent side

•  With right sides together, align the long edge of an accent rectangle with a drawn line so that the rectangle falls in the beacon shape created by your drawing.
• Sew 1/4" to the inside (on the beacon side) of the drawn line.
• Iron rectangle open.  It should cover the tiny triangle created by your drawing.
• Trim back to 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" square (if it helps to keep your shape square leave the excess fabric in the seam allowance.)
• Repeat process on other side of the square to finish unit.
• Repeat with remaining pieces for 2 "beacon" units.

• Block:
• Gather
• 2 "woven" units
• 2 "beacon" units
• Arrange units on design wall (table) in front of you.
• Make sure that the accent squares are in the center
• Make sure that the skinny end of the beacon is in the center
• With right sides together sew 1 beacon unit to 1 woven unit.
• Iron seam allowances towards the woven unit.
• Trim to 6 1/2" x 12 1/2"
• With right sides together sew rectangles together to make block.
• Pop center seam and iron in a spiral.

FQG - Return your finished block to Angie by September 23, 2014, or bring it to the meeting on that night to be eligible to win all of the blocks.  If you have not finished your block by that time, bring the kit to the meeting and no questions will be asked.

If you make this quilt, please send me a picture, or add it to the Tops to Treasures group on Flickr.  I would love to see it.