Sapphire Blues - Clue 2

Hello there.  I am back on land after a week long cruise with friends and I have to say that it's been blue, blue, blue everywhere.  The color -- not the emotion.  We had such a great time and plans are already underway for a repeat performance next year.  I know, I know -- that's not why you are here -- ready for a clue?

As always, please READ ALL THE WORDS before starting.  Ya just never know if I've screwed up a picture or something.  I'm human -- shocked ya didn't I?  Here we go.





Cutting -

Unit 3

1.  White -  From 2" strips, cut 166 squares - 2" x 2" 
2.  Light Blue - I'll give you two methods to cut these.  If you have the Easy Angle Ruler -- Using 2" strips, cut 100 PAIR of triangles OR using traditional rotary cutting of triangles, cut 100 - 2 3/8" squares and then cut in half on the diagonal as show below.  (I AM an Easy Angle person so my pictures show the square missing a corner due to using pieces cut with that ruler.  Imagine that the point goes all the way to the end.)  IF YOU WISH TO LEARN HOW TO USE THE EASY ANGLE RULER, PLEASE CONTINUE READING AS I DETAIL IT IN THE NEXT SECTION.  I have used this method for years and it saves fabric along with letting us leave those horrid "eighths" behind. 

Unit 4

3.  Dark Blue - From 3 1/2" strips cut 50 squares - 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"
4.  Light Blue -- This is handled the exact same as for cutting direction 2 EXCEPT if using the easy angle ruler, you need to cut 3" strips and 100 pair of triangles.  For regular rotary, start with 100 - 3 3/8" squares and cut in half to yield 100 pair.

For Easy Angle - Start with two 3" strips, right sides together, and lay the ruler on as shown here.  Since it is a 3" strip, use the 3" line.

Cut and then flip the ruler to look like this --- the black triangle WILL hang below the strip.  (I know it's not aligned properly, it shifted when I moved my hand to take the picture -

If you move the cut triangles out of the way as you go, the sight line is clearer.  Continue in this manner down the entire strip.  (shift happened again)

Regular cutting --- 3 3/8" square and then cut in half diagonally.

Whew! Let's sew something.

Unit 3 - Make 50

First, set aside 116 of your white squares.  You will not be using them during this clue.  We are making square in a square units and it's likely that you have your favorite method for doing so.  I'll share mine.

Finding the center of both the square and one of the triangles, lay them together as shown, lining up centers.

Stitch 1/4" seam and you can chain as you go.

Using the same method, add a triangle to the opposite side.

These can be chained as well.

Press to the dark.

Trim

Now, we'll add the third triangle.  IF you used the Easy Angle ruler, a little help comes your way and you don't have to locate the center.  The end of the triangle without a dog ear will lay in the perfect spot.  It may be on the right or the left -- that doesn't matter.  If you used traditional cutting methods, you will need to locate centers again.

Zoom, zoom, zoom.

Getting there now

Let's add that last triangle

Once they are pressed, you have a bunch of cute little units

Trim to 2 5/8".  I know -- those pesky eighths, but ya gotta do it.  Make sure to keep your points centered and with a 1/4" allowance around them.

TA-DA----  They're just so cute.  Time to move on.

UNIT 4 - Make 50

We are going to duplicate the same process entirely, only with larger pieces.  First triangle  (My triangles may look more over-sized than the ones I had you cut.  They are.  I originally cut them with 3 1/2" strips and discovered that I was trimming a TON, but my pictures had were already taken and developed so I kept them.)

Lined up and ready to go

Chaining away.

Second triangle -

Loving this process

Press to the light -

Trim

Add the third triangle

We're almost there now

Last triangle going on.

Press

Trim to 4 3/4" - another odd size, I know.  Watch those points once again.

And with that -- we've got nice units ready to go.

That's it for week 2.  I'm so loving these and hope you are too.  See how huge my trim stack is?  That's why I reduced the size of the triangles for y'all.  Take care everyone and please share in the new Facebook group created especially for this mystery.  Here is your LINK.  I hope to see you there.