Month 6 - December 2013 - Broken Toys

Broken Toys block

 

Broken Toys is based on the traditional pinwheel block.  I didn't bother researching the origin of the original....it would be like researching the origin of air.  There is no debate....this block is a classic.

 

Traditional Pinwheel block

 

 

It is a simple, four patch block made of half square triangles.  It would be incredibly easy to piece this block incorrectly....which is exactly why I chose it.  (Anyone else recognize last months block?!  How I love half square triangles.)

 

General Description:  Look what our broken block can do!!!

I had a lot of fun playing with layouts of this block.  I found two that I liked.

"Pinball Wizard!"

Pinball Wizard reminds me of levers and wheels that compose an old time pinball machine.  It might even be fun to add some applique to further the semblance.  I can totally imagine a shiny marble bouncing around the triangles.

"Pinwheel Shards"

Pinwheel Shards is more traditional looking....kind of reminds me of a sink full of broken dishes...with a few guilty but happy pinwheels  telling me, "They are just things.  Didn't we have fun?!"

Both quilts use exactly the same pieces.

• The Quilt: "Pinball Wizard" and "Pinwheel Shards"
• 36, 12" finished "Broken Toy" blocks in a 6 x 6 grid
• 2 borders
• 1" finished inner border
• 6" finished outer border
• As described the quilt finished out at 86" square

 

Fabric Requirements rounded up to the nearest 1/4 yard
# Blocks	Finished Size	Red	White	Blue
36 6 x 6 grid	86" x 86" Twin/Full	1 1/4 yard	3 yards	4 yards
16 4 x 4 grid	62" x 62" Throw/Crib	3/4 yard	1 1/2 yards	2 3/4 yards
64 8 x 8 grid	110" x 110" Queen/King	1 3/4 yards	5 yards	6 yards

 If you choose to make  one of these quilts please take a picture and add it to the Tops to Treasures Flickr Group.  I'd love to see your quilt.

 



• The Block: Broken Toys
•  Finishes at 12" square (actually measures 12 1/2" x 12 1/2")
• 4 patch construction
• Made from 4 half square triangles.

FQG - This months kit features Pam Kitty Love Multi on Red Polka Dots

 

I purchased it from the Fat Quarter Shop

 

Please add coordinating cool brights (blues and greens) for the traditional portions of this quilt and low volume/creams for the background.

"Low volume" is a trending phrase at the moment.    At it's simplest, it refers to fabric that is neutral (white, beige, or grey) with a graphic print on it.   Any of the fabrics in the photo below would be an example. 

   

 

For our purposes please select a LV fabric that have a cream or off white background and coordinate with the dots in the kit fabric.

 

Because of the nature of half square triangles this pattern works best when you make two blocks at one time.  You only need one for the Oops block of the month quilt...but if you are making it for the guild, or are making one of the quilts the directions below will make two blocks.

 

Cutting Directions: (8 pieces, makes 2 blocks)

• Background (low volume/creams)
• cut 4, 7" x 7" squares
• Traditional (cool brights)
• cut 3, 7" x 7" squares
• Oops portion of the block (dots on red)
• cut 1,  7" x 7" square

Sewing Directions:

• Half Square Triangles (HSTs)
• Gather:
• 4, 7"x 7" background squares
• 3, 7" x 7" traditional portion squares
• 1, 7" x 7" Oops square
• Draw a line diagonally across the wrong side of each background square.
• Layer background square with traditional portion square, right sides together.
• Sew 1/4" to each side of the diagonal line (Yes, sew twice!  Once on each side and 1/4" from the diagonal line)
• Cut on diagonal line
• Open resulting triangles into squares
• Iron seam allowances open.
• Trim HSTs to 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" squares

 

• Broken Toys block
• Gather
• 3, traditional/background hsts
• 1, oops/background hst
• Assemble pieces to look like the picture -
• Pay attention to the Oops patch.  It needs to be wrong!
• Make sure that your pinwheel is turning in the right direction.
• Iron seam allowances towards the traditional fabric so that they will nest nicely.
• Pop final seam and iron flat
• Trim block to 12 1/2" x 12 1/2"
• Repeat with remaining pieces for the second block.

FQG:  Return  your completed block(s) to me by December 17, 2013, or bring it to the general meeting on that night to be eligible to win.  The prize package will contain all of the completed blocks, unfinished kits, and a coupon for free edge to edge quilting.