E-11

Applique.
I didn't want to applique 8 little melons so I came up with a different way. I think it worked pretty well.

Cut a 6" square out of background fabric.

Print or trace the block diagram onto the dull side of freezer paper. Cut out as below and iron to the right side of the background fabric square. Cut out the inner section as in the photo. Clip the sharp inside corners.

Cut a 5" x 5" square out of main block fabric. Place it right side up on the table. Center the background fabric section right side up on top of it. Baste securely through all layers.

Turning the seam allowance under, reverse applique the center shape.
Remove the freezer paper and press. Cut away the excess fabric from the back of the block.

Reuse the freezer paper you just used or trace a new block diagram onto the dull side of freezer paper. Cut out the center circle and corner quarter circles.
Out of main block fabric, cut a 6" x 6" square.
Iron the freezer paper onto the right side of the fabric square and cut out as below.
Clip all the curves every 1/4" or so.

Place this block section right side up on top of the first section you made, carefully centering it.
Baste securely through all layers.

Turning the seam allowances under, reverse applique the circle and corners.

Trim the block to 5" x 5", remove the freezer paper and press.

LS-12

This one took a little longer than I expected.

I studied Jane's block closely and I'm pretty sure her center bottom block section is one solid main fabric triangle. I'm not sure why the diagram was drawn up with all those little pieces but, because this is the way it is in the book, this is the way I made it.

Print or trace the block diagram onto foundation paper, number, and cut out as in the photo.
Important! You have to mirror this diagram.

Foundation piece all the numbered sections and trim their seam allowances to 1/4".

Cut a piece of background fabric large enough to cover the top block section plus seam allowances. Using a light table or window, mark the lines of the top block section onto the fabric using a disappearing or washable marker.
Applique the two kites. I tried the back basting technique for this one and definitely liked it for the smaller shape.
Cut the section out 1/4" beyond the marked seam lines.

Sew together the first two sections as below.

Complete the entire diagonal section.

Following the block diagram, complete the block.

G-4

All in one piece!
Print or trace the block diagram onto foundation paper, number as below, and cut out.

Foundation piece following the numbers. Trim the seam allowance to 1/4".

Voila!

D-8

As quick and easy as this looks, it was a major pain and I'm not really happy with it. I think it's a redo.

All applique.

Cut a 6" square out of background fabric and mark the positions of the shapes on it.
Applique the shapes on. It helps to applique opposing shapes first.
I did all the melons and then added in the kites.
Trim the block to 5" x 5".

F-7

My fall cleaning seems to be taking over my life over right now, so I apologize for the tardiness of this block. It's becoming a habit, but there are still two blocks a week. I hope you don't mind.

Print or trace the block diagram onto foundation paper, number, and cut out as in the photo.

Foundation piece all the numbered sections. Trim the seam allowances to 1/4".
Out of main block fabric cut:
1 strip 5" x 1"
2 strips 4.5" x 1"

Sew the two center block sections together.

Attach the top and bottom section.

Referring to the block diagram sew on the border strips log cabin style.

D-9

Print or trace the block diagram onto foundation paper, number, and cut out as below.

Foundation piece all the numbered sections and trim the seam allowances to 1/4".

Sew the three center sections together as in the photo.

Attach the two triangular side sections.
Out of background fabric, cut:
1 rectangle 3/4" x 4.5"
2 rectangles 3/4" x 4.75"
1 rectangle 3/4" x 5"

Referring to the block diagram, sew these rectangles to the block sides log cabin style.
Note the sequence of the rectangles and the direction of the center background fabric section.

RS-6

If you've been following this blog for a while, you know that I have a serious aversion to set in seams.
Well, yesterday I met my nemesis. There was no avoiding them. This would have been a lot of applique...

Trace or print the block diagram onto foundation paper, number, and cut out as below.
If you're printing, remember to change the block size to 5"x8"!
(Do not foundation piece number 7 (the diamond) in the bottom right section. It won't work. Cut the diamond out separately. I only realized this when I started piecing.)

Foundation piece all the sections and trim the seam allowances to 1/4". It is important to be accurate on this when sewing inset seams. I marked some of my seam allowances with a disappearing marker and then cut on the line.

Complete the center section of the block by sewing the three pieced sections together.
TIP: One secret of set in seams is not to sew into the seam allowance when piecing the individual sections. When foundation piecing this is hard to do, so I just used my seam ripper to undo where I'd sewn into the seam allowances.
I'm planning a tutorial on set in seams and will update this post when I do, but in the mean time, the instructions for block B-9 may help a little.

Sew the top block section to the center section.

Cut the center bottom diamond out of background fabric and sew it in between the two bottom sections. Attach it to the one section first and then the second.

Sew the two block sections together.

F-1

Out of main block fabric, cut four squares 3" x 3".
Out of background fabric, cut four squares 3" x 3".
With a pencil or marker, draw a diagonal line corner to corner on the wrong side of all four background fabric squares.

Pair up each background fabric square with a main fabric square and place them right sides together. Sew a seam 1/4" from the diagonal line on each side of the line.
Cut on the diagonal line. Press open.

You will now have eight half square triangles. Lay them out as in the photo below.

Sew them together to form two pinwheel blocks.

Cut out a 1" square from the center of one of the pinwheel blocks to reduce bulk.
Trace or print the center shape of the block onto the dull side of freezer paper and cut out. Iron this shape onto the right side of one of the pinwheel blocks, carefully lining up the seam lines on the shape with the actual seams on the block.
Cut out, leaving a seam allowance of about 1/4".

Place the shape section right side up onto the right side of the pinwheel block, lining up all the seam lines.
Baste through all layers. (I forgot to take a photo here.)
Turning the seam allowance under, applique the shape to the block.
Trim the resulting block to 3 5/8" square.
Out of background fabric, cut two squares 3 1/8" x 3 1/8" and cut each in half on the diagonal.

Sew the background fabric triangles to the center section as below. Sew opposing triangles first and then the remaining two.

Use your preferred applique method to applique the diamond shapes to the block.

Tardy

All the giveaways over on my other blog have me running around like a chicken with its head cut off this week.
I will post yesterday's block either later today or early tomorrow morning.
In the mean time I thought I'd show you what I had been up to before other things took over.
The first three rows of Rainbow Jane are almost assembled.

Because it's such a long photo, it's not very big. Click on the photo (and then on "all sizes" above the photo in Flickr) to see more details.
I have revived the Rainbow Jane blog, by the way. I'll be chronicling (is that a word?) my progress on her over there.

A great little tool

I've started putting together my quilt top! It's turning out so much better that I could ever have hoped for. I haven't seen many photos of tops in progress on Flickr. Have you started yet?
I'm putting together the Rainbow Jane top too. It's lovely as well.
Jane was such a talented lady.

My new favorite tool for squaring up the little baby blocks.
A 5" square!

I have three of them in the store if you're interested.