Autumn Splendor - Clue 2

Week two has arrived and with it, even more color.  The logo picture says it all this week.  Truth!  So, so pretty.  We do have a couple from our yard that are fitting as well, so I'll share.

Autumn in Texas comes much later than it did when I lived in Montana, but it is every bit as beautiful.  We have lovely oaks, pecans, and maples in our yard that give such beauty in the dark colors.  Ahh, my soul is so happy when all the color is out.  It also means the scarecrows come out and I decorate the house in colors that two redheads are oh so comfortable living in.



Enough, you say.  Get with the clue.  Okie dokie --- here we go.  As always, READ ALL THE WORDS and the whole clue before starting.  Save yourself some grief, have some fun and remember that I am on retreat at the beach and if you have questions I will be checking a couple of times a day.  Please be patient.

Cutting is first - get your mat and rotary tool --- we are going to do some more stripping.  IF you are choosing to do the smaller quilt, the SECOND set of cutting directions are for you.

All strips are assumed to be WOF (width of fabric).

Full Size:

Color 1 (Wine/Red) - 8 (eight) - 1 1/2" strips

Color 3 (Brown) - 3 (three) - 1 1/2" strips AND 4 (four) 2" strips (These 2" strips are for HST's that will finish at 1 1/2".  If you are using traditional rotary cutting methods and not the Easy Angle Ruler, cut these 2 3/8")

Color 4 (Orange) - 3 (three) - 1 1/2" strips

Color 5 (Neutrals) - 8 (eight) - 1 1/2" strips AND  9 (nine) - 2 1/2" strips AND 4 (four) 2" strips (These 2" strips are for HST's that will finish at 1 1/2".  If you are using traditional rotary cutting methods and not the Easy Angle Ruler, cut these 2 3/8")

Smaller Size:

Color 1 (Wine/Red) - 1 (one ) - 1 1/2" strip and then sub cut into 26" and 16" lengths

Color 3 (Brown) - 1 (one) - 1 1/2" strip and then sub cut into 26" and 16" lengths AND 2 (two) 2" strips (These 2" strips are for HST's that will finish at 1 1/2".  If you are using traditional rotary cutting methods and not the Easy Angle Ruler, cut these 2 3/8")

Color 4 (Orange) - 1 (one) - 1 1/2" strip and then sub cut into 26" and 16" lengths

Color 5 (Neutral) - 3 (three) - 1 1/2" strips and then sub cut all THREE of them into 26" and 16" lengths  AND - 2 (two) - 2 1/2" strips sub cut into THREE 16" lengths (2 from one and one from the other) and the remainder will also be used AND  2 (two) 2" strips (These 2" strips are for HST's that will finish at 1 1/2".  If you are using traditional rotary cutting methods and not the Easy Angle Ruler, cut these 2 3/8")

Whew!  I'm pretty sure I spent more time cutting on this clue than actual sewing. (2" strips not shown as I added them after this picture - they are shown below.)

Okay, here we go.  A variation on a nine-patch and if you really want to use up scraps, go right ahead and use 1 1/2" squares instead of the bricks.  Your quilt, your way.

Unit 3 (make 64 for large/8 for small)

Unit 4 (make 20 for large/8 for small)

Unit 5 (make 20 for large/8 for small)

Lay out five 2 1/2" strips as shown and match up with three wine and one of each brown and orange 1 1/2" strips.  For the smaller quilt, you will need one of each color in the 16" lengths.  I WILL press before sewing.

Sew the strip sets together and you will need to achieve a 3 1/2" strip when finished. Press to the dark.

Now, subcut these strips into 1 1/2" segments  as you see below.

I actually layered my strips with seams on opposite sides and cut more than one strip at a time.

Keep cutting until you have 64 wine, 20 orange, and 20 brown units.  (8/8/8 for smaller version.)

Next, take the remaining 2 1/2" strips and they will be subcut into 1 1/2" bricks.  You are already at the cutting table anyway, right?  Cut 104 for the larger quilt and 24 for the smaller.  (The smaller quilt will not quite have enough, you will make it up with leftovers from the 1 1/2" strips after the next step.)

Uh oh --- I didn't even realize I had cut myself earlier.  A quick body check shows a tiny nick on my index finger -- just enough to have dotted one of my strips.  Yay.

Cute little stacks of bricks.  Remember how I said it seemed like I cut more on this clue than sewed.  Well, now you're beginning to see it.

Onto the remaining 1 1/2" strips.  Match them up as twosies.  Yep, all of them.

And sew them together., PRESS TO THE LIGHT!  If this makes you twitch, do it the other way - either way makes one seam not nest quite right, but I found this way easier.

Are you 2 1/2"????

Using two strips sets of a color, place them right sides together, nesting seams.  (For the smaller quilt -- you really don't have that many cuts to do this but you CAN cut your strip in half and do the same.)

Trim the ends and cut into 1 1/2" segments so that you have 20 pair of each orange and brown and 64 pair of wine.  (Smaller will have 8 pair of each.)  Guess what???  You are almost done cutting this week.

Chaining away, stitch up those twosies into cute little four-patches.  They should measure 2 1/2" square.  I find that if I feed with the top seam pressed toward the top that the feed dogs work with me and the nest is beautiful, just use your finger to hold the nest as you go and no need to pin.

If you're doing the larger quilt, it will seem like 104 is a lot but they go so quick since they are short seams and already matched up.  Soon, you will have a lovely chain of fun little blocks and once again, you never touched a 1 1/2" square.

Press and look how cute they are.  No, we are not done --- keep going.

Here is the layout with the remaining pieces that have been either sewn or laying in wait.

Start with the 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" bricks.  Attach one to each four-patch, making sure that the dark color is in the upper left corner.

Go, go, go ---- one after another through all three colors.

Check your measurement --- perhaps even check how you set the ruler.  Hahahaha.  I KNOW that it is right but well, it's not easy to read this way.  Let's just say it is 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".

Press towards the four-patch.  I know -- twitchy again.

With the last segment, let's finish these units.  Again, if you feed with your seam facing up as shown, the feed dogs will help you to have nice neat corner seams.  Soon, you'll have a wonderful mountain of units -- all ready for the final press.

 Press towards the segment you just added and  . . .

Onto the last part of this weeks clue.  Hmmm.  Does this  look familiar?  You should have this process down pat now.

Unit 2A - Make 102 for large/54 for small

Gather the remaining 2"  strips from today's cutting.

Just as in clue 1, lay your right sides together of a brown and a neutral.

Using the Easy Angle ruler, once again cut your HST pairs.  You need 102 pair for the large size and 54 pair for the smaller.

You will have part of some strips left.  It's okay, they will be used in a future clue.  Always keep your bits -- I am a frugal quilter and will send you looking for them if I can.

Now, chain away.  Last week a couple of people mentioned wanting to see how these units nest together without being eaten by the feed dogs.

Shown below is one unit sewn almost to the edge and then another starting to slide into place.  See how the angle matches right up?

Just snug it (good grammar?) right up to the first one and continue on.

Stop after the first couple and make sure you have achieved a 2" square.

If you're good to go --- let that chain grow.

You MAY want to press these seams open.  I sure wished I had and went back to do that.  Press and trim.

Guess what?  You can put that Easy Angle ruler away.  No more HST's AND this particular clue was the BIG number one.  So, so easy from here on out.

Voila --- TA-DA -- another clue is behind you.  Aren't they wonderful?  I am already looking forward to next week.  We will be using the Tri-Recs ruler set next week.  Just a heads up.  (If you do not have them, but have another method to produce a triangle in a square, feel free to use it.)

For now, it's time to go walk on the beach and watch the sunrise.  See ya next week.  Oh, please share your fun -- here is the Facebook group just for us and your LINK TO JOIN.