Finishing The Halloween Placemats
We’re in that changing time of year for weather. One day it’s in the 80s and the next it’s in the 60s. Of course, it means intermittent storms as well. I’m bobbing between quilts on the long arm and bindings this weekend.
The Placemats
Two more placemat blocks before I move onto my other long arm projects. The last two styles are a Nine Patch block and a Shoo-Fly Block. The Nine Patch is one of the most basic blocks in quilting. It remains popular over the years because it is so amazingly versatile. Whether using it as the feature block, the border block, cornerstones in a sashing or part within a block, the Nine Patch won’t let you down.
The Shoo-Fly block is another basic block. If you compare it to the Friendship block, you can see they are made from the same unit pieces. There are five squares and four half-squares. It is how the units are arranged that changes the style of block.
The Project
If you recall from last week, you can read those posts here and here. I’m working on the Skill Builder lesson from August 2019. I finished the Sawtooth star block and Friendship star blocks. Today I’m finishing the Nine Patch and Shoo-fly blocks. The skills I’m learning are:
- Apply
- Concatenating Draw Patterns
- Placing background patterns using Draw Pattern to stitch continuous
- Creating border patterns from P2P Square patterns
- Saving Patterns
- Multi-use of patterns
Easy Placemat Pattern
The pattern for this project is quite simple. Select four of your favorite block patterns in a 12” finished block size. Add 3” finished borders to each side of the block. That’s it. Easy-Peasy.
Nine Patch Placemat
The border for this placemat is created by using the same pattern used in the corner. By combining two copies clicked out on an angle, it creates a rectangular pattern. This is one of the tools I love the most about the Creative Studio Software. While there are thousands of patterns available, you have the flexibility to get creative with the software.
For the Nine Patch squares, I used the Pearl and Key pattern as a block pattern with the same square spiral pattern I used in the center of the Friendship star. In the center of this block, I placed two of the half-square triangle patterns as a single block pattern.
Shoo-Fly Placemat
I used the same trick for the border on this placemat that I used on the Nine Patch. The new border block pattern is created from a different corner block pattern. Once again, I used the Piano Key pattern in the squares. Then, two different half-square patterns in the half-square triangles.
A total of eight placemats packed with a lot of learning and practice. I had fun working on this project and I'm happy with the results. I have new skills to use in future quilts and I'm looking forward to the next project on my long arm.
What are you working on?
Until till next time,