I have nothing to show for today! I spent some time on my laptop finalizing Block Nine of the Block of the month quilt, Round the Year, which will be posted on January 1st. I also cut the fabric for the Dusk version of Block Four, Sapphire Fire. Just to remind you, I had made this block in only the Rainbow colourway.
The Rainbow Sapphire – ready, but for one piece!
This is a fairly simple block, though a bit tedious to piece. The results, though, can be quite stunning!
Anuradha Ramesh’s AmetrineSapphire – Block Four Round the Year – Aurora BorealisVicki’s Sapphire Fire – actually, her Amethyst block!
What gemstone will your block depict? A garnet, a golden topaz or an emerald, perhaps?
We are already halfway through in this Block of the Month quilt!?! This Spiked Dresden is the eighth of the sixteen blocks that will make up the Round the Year Quilt. The block is 18″ square with a 15″ inset circle, like the other blocks of this quilt,
When I was designing this quilt, I wanted to include all the blocks that I loved, but was too lazy to make a whole quilt with. One on that list was this Spiked Dresden that I encountered on pinterest. When drafting the block for the quilt, I modified it a bit, including the wedges on which the blade points rest. I also thought this was a great block to introduce you to foundation paper piecing with freezer paper. You can also piece it with regular foundation paper and even without a foundation paper piecing template. Complicated as it looks, this particular Dresden needs only as many seams as a regular Dresden! The blade, the spike and the wedge are all attached in one go. Those of you who are still apprehensive of attempting these blocks – this really is a piece of cake! This block was tested by fellow Desi Quilter Caroline Nagar and she had a lot of useful suggestions, which I have tried to incorporate here! Thanks, Caroline!
The downloadable Template files ( two this time) and the Instructions File can be found at the end of this post. So here we go!
Fabric requirement ( For Orange petalled Dresden)
Fabric
Blades
Spikes
Outer Ring
Centre
Background**
#1 Dark grey
11” x 13”
#2 Light Grey
11” x 13”
#4,5,6,7 Blues
4” x 10” each
2” X 17” each
8” square
#8,9,10,11 Yellow, gold, light orange, deep orange
5” x 18” each
**For background – Use 11” x 25” if using single fabric.
You could also use a 19.5” square ( will be trimmed to 18.5″ after appliquéing circle).
Cut all fabric strips from width of fabric.
Step by Step Instructions
Templates and Printing
Print the Instructions file.
Print the two templates files at 100% or actual size in portrait mode on A4 size freezer paper.
For printing on freezer paper, refer to this link.
Template File 1 :
For the Template A Circle, please add an additional ¼” seam allowance to make total of ½” seam allowance.
For the Template B (Pieced Dresden quadrant), cut exactly to size. Use a scale and score lines on the printed lines on the semi circular template with a paper knife or any sharp edged object, to get sharp creases at each seam. I used my trusted friend Jack (the Ripper) for this. Take care so that you do not tear the paper. Sobana of thequiltbug.blogspot.com recently used the freezer paper method for piecing the Dresdens in her quilt. She recommends needle punching the seam lines – I am quite happy with creases!
Important! We piece this Dresden using the freezer paper technique. If freezer paper is not available, regular foundation paper piecing may be done, in which case, you would need to print/trace the Template B to get 4 copies of it.
Template C (background) glue the two parts of the template on edge as indicated. You need four fabric pieces using this template.
Template File 2 –
Contains the templates D ( blade/ petal), E (spike) and F (outer ring piece).
Cutting Instructions
We cut:
6 petals/ blades from each of 4 fabric strips (5”x 18”) using Template D= Total 24
6 spikes from each of 4 fabric strips (4”x 10”) using Template E = Total 24
6 outer ring pieces (wedges at base of petal point ) from each of 4 fabric strips ( 2” x 17” ) using Template F= Total 24
Placing the freezer paper template to cut fabric…
I cut 4 layers of fabric using the rotary cutter. I pressed the freezer paper template to the top layer and cut the fabric so…
Cutting through four layers of fabric – 6 times to get 24 spikes
You could iron the freezer paper templates D, E, F (for the petal/ blade, spike and outer ring piece) on card / stiff paper and cut it out to make sturdier, reusable templates.
Glue or iron the template to thisk card paper.Cut out the template accurately.
Or you could use template plastic to trace and make stencils!
For the Spikes
Use template E and cut like you did the petals. Press the pieces into half lengthwise, right side outside.
For the inner circle
A reminder! Cut a circle from the 8” square – use template A, add an additional ¼” allowance all around – the template gives only ¼” allowance and cut circle.
Template A – remember you need a 1/2″ seam allowance instead of the 1/4″ given here!
Background.
11” x 25” if using single fabric.
You could also use a 19.5” square ( will be trimmed to 18.5after appliquéing circle).
Fold the petals lengthwise, right side inside and sew ¼” seam along the top edge.
Fold into halfway and sew 1/4″ seam to form the pointed blade.
Remember to lock your stitch when you begin and end each seam, if your machine gives you the option, or you may end up with what happened here.
Unlocking equals unravelling!
If your machine does not have the locking option, reduce the stitch length. I do not recommend a back-stitch, as it adds bulk.
Reduce stitch length to prevent unravelling.
2. You can chain stitch all the petals at one go!
I chain stitched the blades/ petals……and garlanded my old Singer (circa 1935) with it!
Clip apart the blades. Trim the seam to about 1/6” and clip the `pointy’ corner.
Clip seam and point to reduce bulk and turn inside out
Turn inside out. Use a toothpick or even your embroidery scissors to get a nice point.
Use a toothpick to get a nice, neat `point’!
5. Now comes the last step in getting the blades ready for piecing. Press them to ‘centre the point’. Lightly crease the blade on the vertical centre line as shown and align the centre seam line with it. Press ( not iron). A bit of spray starch does great here.
Align the `point’ with the centre line.
Preparing the Spikes
Fold the spikes along the central vertical `spine’, right side outside, aligning the longer edges. I do not recommend using your iron, you do not want a crease down the centre.
Piecing with Freezer Paper Template B
Arrange all the petals, spikes and wedges in a circle for an auditioning. I am sorry I forgot to take a picture of this stage!
Mirror Image of the block to aid in freezer paper piecing.
Any kind of foundation paper piecing can be confusing, as the final picture is a mirror image of what you began piecing with! I had this mirror image of my block to help me along the way!
Decide on a starting point, label the Blade#1, and start piecing anti-clockwise, if you are looking at the mirror image.
2. Now use the freezer paper template ( also used earlier) to piece the Dresden quarters. I find that using a template takes out the guesswork from piecing a Dresden – I needed sometimes 21 and at other times only 18 petals for a 20-petal Dresden, when I did not use paper piecing. The block lies flat and neat with this technique!
3. Place the fabric pieces in this order on B1 section of the piecing template. First – Template E #1 right side up at outer edge of template. Press down to freezer paper.
Press wedge piece #1 on outer edge of B1. I have used a rectangle – you will be using Template F to get the pieces
Second – Blade #1 right side up, aligned at inner edge of template. The blade point should be about ¼” inside the edge of paper, at the final seam line.
Press on to freezer paper.
Press Blade#1 on place on B1
Third– Spike#1. Aligned at inner edge of template. The spike will stick out beyond the paper edge by about a ¼”. Pin to hold in place temporarily.
Spike #1 in place on B1. The upper edge of the spike `sticks out’ beyond the paper edge about 1/4″
Fourth – Blade #2 face down, aligned over blade#1. Repin as shown.
Blade #2 comes next, wrong side up. You can see the blue spike sticking out from under the blade on the top.
Fifth – Wedge #2 comes face down, aligned over wedge #1.
Wedge #2 , wrong side up, aligned on Wedge#1 makes the fifth piece to line up on B1.
Pin to hold everything in place. Fold away the freezer paper at crease ( seam line beteen B1 and B2) line, turn over.
Repin from this side, if you like. You will have ¼” seam allowance visible beyond the paper.
Sew in 1/4″ seam allowance visible beyond folded freezer paper template.
Sew just along the edge of the paper, taking care not to stitch over the paper. Trim the seam to ¼”.
Trim the seam to 1/4″ (No, the fabric did not change colour – it is a different piece!)
.Peel away the freezer paper and press open the seam.
You would not be able to press open the seam if piecing with regular foundation paper; this is one of the advantages of freezer paper piecing that I love!
Peel away freezer paper and press open seam.
Now press the pieced portion back on to the freezer paper. Press the spike open, so that it is centred between the two blades as below.
We are now ready to add the next pieces.
Note: If not using freezer paper, just sew on seam line on printed side of paper, as usual (without creasing, folding away the template.)
4. Place Spike #2 in place – it has to stick out beyond edge of paper!
Pin spike#2 in place on Blade#2
… Follow with blade #3 aligned with blade #2. Pin in place…
Blade #3 aligned on top of Blade #2, right sides together.
…and finally wedge #3. Flip around and sew.
Sew along paper edge as for the first two blades.
Again trim and press open seam. Press down on freezer paper.
5. Join the next three pieces – Spike #3, Blade#4 and wedge #4.
6. Join 2 more sets, till Spike #5, Blade#6 and wedge #6.
Blades# 1 to 6 pieced and ready. Note there are only 5 spikes. Label nd put aside Spike#6.
7. Press and trim all sides to size, before you remove the freezer paper Template B totally.
8. Pin a post it note on Spike #6 with its name, and set it aside!
So one quadrant is pieced!
9. Now , we are ready to piece the 2nd quadrant. Proceed as for Quadrant 1. Before removing the freezer paper, sew Spike #6 in place between Quadrant 1 and Quadrant2, to get a semi circular ring. Put aside Spike #12
The freezer paper template is reusable. But if you are piecing with regular printer paper, you need fresh templates for each of the other three quadrants.
Halfway stage in piecing the Dresden. Note the two spikes set aside ( in centre). They will join quadrants 3-4 and 4-1 respectively.
10. Similarly piece Quadrants 3 and attach Spike# 12 between Seme-circle1-2 and Quadrant 3..
11. Finally piece Quadrant #4 and add spike #24 between the last blade (#24) and Blade#1 from the first quadrant to complete your ring!
Assembly
Applique the ring to your background.
Finally add the centre circle in place. The simplest way to do this is: Machine tack ( largest stitch setting) about 1/8 to 1/6” inside edge of the fabric circle, leaving a long length of thread on either side. Trim your template B to the seam line and iron it to the centre of the fabric. Now pull the thread to gather the fabric nicely over the paper circle. You have a perfect 7” circle. Pin in place over the centre of your block and appliqué by hand or machine. Trim away the background fabric behind the centre, and remove the freezer paper.
Here are the downloadable .pdf files with the instructions and templates. You need Adobe Reader (available for free online) on your computer, to be able to view these files.
1. Instructions Spiked Dresden Block08 of the Round the Year Quilt
2. Template File 1 Spiked Dresden Block08 of the Round the Year Quilt
3. Template File 2 Spiked Dresden Block08 of the Round the Year Quilt
You can access the links to the other blocks from this quilt here.
Please note that the downloadable patterns with paper piecing templates and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.
Please note that the downloadable patterns and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.
I see to have hit some kind of a mental block trying to do calculations for the Layout Option 3 for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year Quilt. So I decided to share the real blocks that people have been making, using the free Block of the Month patterns on this blog! Links to the patterns for these blocks are given towards the end of this post.
A few of the Dahlia blocks had been shared earlier, on this post. Here comes some more magic…
Anuradha Ramesh’s Rainbow lights up the Evening at the PondDevi Nair’s Peaceful EveningDiptee Raut’s geese circle a green-blue algae infested pond against the pink sunset!Jaya Parker’s gorgeous colour wheel!Vicki Trerotola’s purple evening…
Here are blocks 3 and 4 by Vicki…
Vicki Trerotola’s Card TrickVicki’s Sapphire Fire – actually, her Amethyst block!
This is the test block that Anuradha Ramesh did for me , Block 4, Sapphire Fire.
Anuradha Ramesh’s Block 4
After Anuradha finished this block, I came across a picture of a gemstone that is uncannily similar to her block – the Ametrine.
The Ametrine – a gemstone
Isn’t that amazing?
Please note that the downloadable patterns and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.
Before I sign off to do more calculations on the third layout option for the quilt, I will let you have a peek at what I am designing…
Layout Option 3 – inspired by the Chopsticks Quilt by oneworldfabrics.com
Sapphire Fire is the fourth block in the Dusk colourway in the Block of the Month Quilt, Dreamcatcher Round the Year. The templates and instructions for the other colourway “Rainbow” have already been posted last week.
Like the previous three blocks, this one is also paper foundation pieced and finishes at 18″ square with a 15″ inset circle. The pattern, fabric requirement and piecing instructions can be downloaded from the links at the end of this post.
I am yet to make this block in this colourway. I plan to use 4 shades of blue fabric from deep to light in this block, contrasted with 4 fabrics ranging from deep orange through light orange and gold to yellow. The background is planned in 2 shades of grey. Here is a look at some of the fabric I have been auditioning for the block! It is Fossil Fern by Benartex – I just love that fabric!
Fabric for the Sapphire Fire Block
Meanwhile, I am utilising this post to list out of a few do’s and don’t’s to keep in mind when paper piecing the blocks from this quilt!
Templates
Reminder – the templates for the Round the Year quilt blocks are printed mirror images.
Check to see if the templates are to be printed in portrait or landscape mode – adjust the printer setting accordingly.
Take print outs of the Template file with printer settings at 100% or actual size.
I often have people ask me if they can increase the printer settings to, say, 120% if a larger block is needed. It does not work that way, if you have the ¼” seam allowance added on to the template ( as is the case with the Dreamcatcher Round the Year block templates). You will end up increasing the seam allowance also to 120%!
4. I hate all the paper wastage involved when printing the templates – often one template occupies one whole page! Where possible, I like to use my unthreaded sewing machine to needle punch up to 7-8 templates at a time from waste paper stapled to a printed template. Tissue paper works great!
5. I like to cut the templates a bit larger on all sides and trim them after piecing. It may be just superstition, I don’t know! I just like the thought of some margin in case things go wrong somewhere!
Cutting Fabric
6. This can never be stressed enough – starch and press your fabric! It makes all the difference between a block that looks like it has been pieced by an experienced quilter versus a beginner! Every minute spent on this stage will be well worth it!
7. What I love about paper piecing is that you don’t have to be very accurate when cutting the fabric. All my fabric requirement charts give you plenty of margin. Personally, I like to keep a boxful of all the scraps from the quilt blocks to look into before I start cutting fresh fabric.
8. After cutting the fabric pieces, I can save a lot of heartburn if I remember to pin the pieces to the respective templates! At this stage, I also get a chance to check if I have missed out on a piece or two.
Piecing
9. I like to sort out the templates shape wise unless specifically asked not to. There is a possibility you can chain piece them and why miss the opportunity?
10. Set your machine stitch length to 1.5 (or about 15-20 stitches per inch). You want to be able to tear away the paper, without getting the stitches all loosened up.
11. It may sound obvious, but please remember to begin with piece #1 and #2 when you start piecing a template!
Now to the piecing itself:
Place fabric piece #1 with the wrong side touching the paper on the unprinted side. Hold it against the light to see that the entire area of piece #1 is covered plus a ¼” seam allowance.
Place piece#2 on top of piece #1, right sides together. ALWAYS – right sides touching each other. Align the edges of the two pieces at seam between #1 and #2 – overlapping ¼” beyond the seam line.
Pin the two pieces together before flipping to printed side of paper and stitching on seam line.
Trim the seam allowance to ¼”.
Press open fabric piece #2 and hold the template against light to check that it covers the printed area #2 plus ¼” seam allowance on all sides.
We are now ready to stitch piece #3…repeat as for pieces #1 and #2!
Repeat for all the numbered pieces – in the correct order, till the whole template is pieced.
12. When all the templates are pieced and ready to be assembled, trim the templates to the right size – to the outer dotted line in the case of my block templates.
Assembly
13. Each of the block patterns includes a Master Template, which is a guide to how the templates are to be assembled. REMEMBER – The Master Template is also a mirror image and shows the printed side of the paper templates.
( You can also use the Master Template to try out your own colour schemes; use colour pencils! )
14. Unlike in the case of the templates, numbering or alphabetical order does not work here! So that it is not necessary that A is joined to B is joined to C etc…Follow the assembly instructions given in the pattern (Instructions File). In case of confusion – yes – refer to the Master template.
15. There are several alignment markers in the form of crosses and tiny lines cutting across the seam line. Use these to pin the templates together.
16. You can tear away much of the paper before you start assembling the templates, especially if it does not have any alignment markers!
17. What you need to be careful at this stage is which edges you join and which template is on top when it goes under the needle. How do I know? Guess!
I think I have listed all the things to be taken care of when paper piecing these blocks! In no time you should have a perfectly pieced and assembled block. If you can think of anything else, do share it here!
Before I forget, here are the promised pattern downloads for the Sapphire Fire Block! The files are huge, and may take time to download. You need Adobe Reader on your system(downloadable free online) to be able to view/ download these files. Happy piecing and quilting!
Instructions – for Sapphire Fire, Block Four of Dreamcatcher Dusk Round the Year Quilt.
Paper piecing templates – for Sapphire Fire, Block Four of Dreamcatcher Dusk Round the Year Quilt.
Please note that the downloadable patterns and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.
This “SAPPHIRE” is the fourth block in the Block of the Month quilt `Dreamcatcher Round the Year‘. I have made it only in the Rainbow colourway; the other – Dusk colourway – remains pending, as I am on enforced rest with an acute attack of sciatica.
But don’t worry, the templates and instructions files for Dusk are ready and are being published in a separate post. This is a very simple block to piece and I am sure even beginner paper piecers should be able to manage without step by step pictures.
Like the previous three blocks, this is also paper foundation pieced. The fabric requirements and Instructions for paper piecing and assembly for the RAINBOW colourway for this block can be downloaded as .pdf files from the link at the end of this post. Adobe Reader , which is required for .pdf files, is available for free download online. So here we go!
SAPPHIRE RAINBOW
Finished Block size: 18″ square with 15″ inset circle.
Fabric Requirement and Cutting Instructions
REMEMBER – The Master Template is a mirror image and shows the printed side of the paper templates. You can also use it to try out your own colour schemes; use colour pencils!
Take print outs of the Templates .pdf file with printer settings at 100% or actual size in portrait mode. You have the following templates:
8 wedge templates numbered A, D, E, H, I, L,M and P.
8 spoke templates B,C, F,G,J,K, N and O .
2 background templates Q and R for the outside square. Cut 4 of each, the additional fabric margin is kept on the straight long edge.
Add a margin of 1/2″ to 1″ on the straight edge when cutting fabric for the background template.
2. Take a print out of the Instructions file and keep it at hand for reference.
3. Cut the fabric according to the fabric requirement chart, using the colour code as guide. To summarise:
Each of the 8 wedge templates will be pieced with
1 HST 5.5″
1 triangle half of 3″x 6″
1 rectangle 1.5″ x 6.5″
Each of the 8 spoke templates will be pieced with
4 HSTs 3.5″
1 triangle half of 2″ x 3.5″
1 QST 3.5″ ( or 1HST 2″ may be used instead)
4 . Pin the fabric pieces to the respective templates to avoid confusion when sewing.
Piecing Instructions
1. Piece the wedge templates
2. Piece the spoke templates and arrange according to the master template. Trim to template size.
Assembly
Refer to the Master template as a guide when assembling the paper pieced templates. ( It is a mirror image, remember?)
Each of the wedge templates is joined to a spoke template.
So, you join A to B, C to D, E to F, G to H, I to J, K to L , M to N and O to P. There are markers on the templates to help you align the templates correctly.
Be careful you do not join 2 wedges together, or you will have y-seams to contend with! Like this!
I joined two wedges together. Here I am adding a spoke to the wedges.
When I started joining the spoke on the other side, I was confronted with a y-seam!
At the end of this, you should have 8 wedges equal to 1/8 of the circle. I have assembled my circle in quarters, don’t let that confuse you.
Final Assembly
The easiest way to join to the background would be as follows:
Join AB to X, CD to Q. EF to R, GH to S, IJ to T, KL to U, MN to V and OP to W.
Join BAX to CDQ …etc to obtain 4 squares.
Assemble the 4 squares; square up the block to 18.5″ . We are done!
You can BUY the paper piecing templates and instructions (including fabric requirement) here.
Templates – For paper piecing Block Four SAPPHIRE RAINBOW of the Round the Year BOM Quilt.
Instructions – For Block Four SAPPHIRE RAINBOW of the Round the Year BOM Quilt.
Please note that the downloadable patterns and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.
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