Block Construction Techniques: The Gospel and the Optional.

 I'm still a new quilter with 18 months under my belt.  My best advice to new quilters is to really focus on the basics.  These are going to sound so obvious; these are going to seem so simple; but if you've never done it before you are building skills and muscle memory.  Muscle memory ensures that you can both enjoy your favorite beverage (or 2) and binge watch your favorite shows and have good results.  

BASICS:  There are a few things that are not up for discussion in terms of needful things to do to construct a perfect block.  It was confusing to me at first because everyone had their own tips and tricks.  This is what I consider gospel.

1. Understand how to straighten fabric from a bolt.  
2. Master using your rulers, cutting mat and rotary cutter.  
3. Choose a cutting method that makes sense for you. There is no one right way other than to (1) ensure fabric lengthwise and crosswise grains are SQUARE ON YOUR MAT AND AT ANY FOLD; (2) you measure correctly; (3) cut straight. 
   
4. Sew straight--from beginning to end
5. Understand how you will press your seams which depends on how you will be joining with adjoining blocks.  I think that it also makes a difference in whether you employ a scant 1/4" seam or a perfect 1/4" seam.
6. Sew a perfect 1/4" seam from beginning to end (goes with 1 above)
   
7. Sew a perfect 1/4" scant seam (one needle position to the right if you have a moveable needle).  This helps with a fold over for seams that will not be pressed open.
   
8. Understand pressing techniques.  Set your seams on the wrong side every seam, every time.  Press the seam open on the front, every time. 
   
9.  For blocks with lots of seams, when you press from the front, use a pressing cloth to guard against shine.
10. Understand that fabric is a textile and will do wonky things.
11. Understand that because fabric is a textile, you and your iron can bend it to your will.
12. Understand bias--where it is good--any place but the OUTSIDE of a block.
13. Sometimes you have to ease pieces together to make them fit--if you are too lax or too forceful you will have a less than optimum result.  Find the zen middle.

 They say there are no quilt police, but there ought to be to enforce the above!  If you master those 13 things, then there is nothing that you cannot accomplish.  I feel like I have finally mastered them, though honestly for a long time, I thought there was a conspiracy afoot in my sewing room among my machine and fabric.

 

 BEYOND BASICS:  As you master the items above, then you begin to see that there are many ways to skin the cat on basic block construction. You can see this through all of the specialty rulers and other methods.  Quilting in many ways is basic geometry.  If you want to have more freedom to design/build, then you have to understand some basic techniques that take into account cut sizes and finished sizes.  You need to begin with the end in mind.  Your brain needs to develop muscle memory to build the necessary foundation.  Additionally, during this stage, there are methods that build larger and then cut down.  There are some places where this is desirable, and some places (in my view) where it is just a waste.  Your job is to investigate and adopt a way that is pleasing to your skills and sensibilities.

Half-Square Triangles:  There are so many ways to do these things.  First you have to understand that there is math involved that you don't need to know.  Just a simple calculation. Second you need to know if you are trying to oversize you block and cut down. Third thing that  you need to know:  bias ideally should only be on diagonal.  There are methods that have you do 4 at a time that creates bias.  

If you want a 2" FINISHED block (sewn in your quilt with all seam allowances around the sides and through the diagonal join), you will create a HST that when put together is 2.5" square (and sewn into your quilt is 2").  To get that, you will need to add 7/8ths of an inch to your FINISHED block size.  Yes, it is that simple.  There are charts that are available for free.  You don't need them.  Put it on an index card put it in a handy reference place (design board, bulletin board, needful thing binder).  When you see methods that cut cut a square in 4 pieces, understand that you are creating bias where it is not intended.  I avoid those methods.  Methods that cut a larger square into 8 pieces, create straight of grain on EACH outer side which I believe is preferable.  My favorite way to make lots of HST's is using Lee Heinrich's pdf which I print on newsprint.  I create perfect HSTs every time.

I'll share more of my learnings in future posts.