This is week 9 of the Riley Blake block challenge and up this week is a Maple Star quilt block tutorial. Another block this week that I’m making for the first time. I love the way it looks and is much quicker to piece that it looks.
As with all of the blocks each week, I’m making a 12″ x 12″ (finished) and 6″ x 6″ (finished) version using fabric from my Sugarhouse Park fabric collection for Riley Blake Designs (as well as mixing in a few prints from collections past).
Scroll down below to find the list of blocks from the past 8 weeks as well as links to instructions for each block.
image from Hello Melly Designs
This week’s block tutorial is hosted by Melanie Collette of Hello Melly Designs. I love her cheerful fabric choices!
CLICK HERE for Maple Star Quilt Block Tutorial
I have a couple of tips for piecing these blocks. First of all, I used my fast flying geese method for making the 4 flying geese units needed for each block. Just another option.
My Most Important Quilting Tip
Second: I highly recommend using a scant ¼″ seam allowance. Would you believe I unpicked my 12″ block after it was all pieced and resewed it? I measured my block after it was done and realized it was almost a ½″ too small.
And then I realized I’d forgot to set my needle to sew with a scant ¼″ seam allowance.
A seam allowance that is just slightly too wide, repeated when sewing multiple rows together, will cumulatively mean a block that is a lot smaller that planned.
And sewing the 6″ block version, I moved my needle to the right just a hair more so that technically my seam allowance was more like 3/16th of an inch. This will minor adjustment will make a big difference in the finished accuracy when piecing smaller blocks with lots of little pieces and seams.
Here are all of my 6″ blocks. (My design wall is occupied right now, so I didn’t put them up with the 12″ blocks.) I haven’t laid them all out for a while and it made me happy to see how they’re all working together. I think I’m going to like this quilt. 🙂
After 3 more weeks of classic block tutorials, I’ll be piecing my blocks together into a throw size quilt and sharing all of the details. Other Riley Blake designers will be sharing their layouts as well, so there will be options to choose from!
If you are looking for the previous blocks for the quilt along you can find all of them linked below If you’re sharing on social media use the hashtag #RBDBlockChallenge.
Marsha Livingstone
In the photo of your block in your sewing machine, you have an implement that helps you maintain your seam size. I have just become aware of these additions to the machine (I’ve only been sewing for 55 years! !). Which brand do you suggest and why? Does it really make a difference??
Amy
It’s a quarter-inch foot for my machine (I sew on a Baby Lock and it’s a universal foot attachment for all of their machines.) Most sewing machine brands do make specific 1/4″ feet – some with a guide like pictured in my post – some with out a guide. I think they’re helpful! That said, I still measure my seam allowance and adjust the needle to the right if necessary to make sure I’m getting a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. 🙂