Block of the Week – Finish it Up!

Hi everyone! We made it to the end! I really hope you enjoyed making these blocks and are ready to use them to make a quilt. The options I will provide are three different ones that I came up with. However, I think the possibilities are endless. Also, at the end of this post, the winner of the fat quarter pack will be announced. So let’s get started!

Quilt Options

There are options here for a large wall hanging, a medium size throw and a larger lap quilt. Here’s how they look:

The wall hanging (left) is 46 x 46″. It can also be used as a large table topper. The throw (center) is 58 x 66″ and the lap quilt (right) is 58 x 71″. Find the instructions for these patterns here: 2024 Block of the Week Finishing.

Choose the one you like and have fun! 

On Point Settings

Since the last option of finishing these blocks is an on point setting, I decided to cover my tips on making an on point quilt. Hopefully this will be a help to you if you decide to make this type of quilt in the future. For the BOW pattern, I have already figured the size setting triangles.

Unlike quilts made from blocks that are set normally, on point block quilts need what are called setting triangles. Setting triangles are cut from squares. There are side triangles and end triangles. Here’s a graphic of what these setting triangles look like:

When  you have your blocks ready for the quilt, there are now calculations to do to for these triangles so you can figure the size squares you need to cut them from. So here they are:

Side Triangles –  You take the finished size of your block x 1.414, then add 1 1/4″ to that number. For example, if your finished block is 6″, here is how the formula works:

6″ x 1.414 = 8.48″ (round this up to the nearest 1/8″ to 8.5″)
8.5″ + 1 1/4″ = 9 3/4″ square needed.

This square is then cut diagonally twice for 4 quarter-square triangles. For the above quilt, there are 12 side triangles, so you will need three 9 3/4″ squares:

End Triangles –  You take the finished size of your block/(divided by) 1.414, then add 7/8″ to that number. Example:

6/1.414 = 4.243 (round this up to the nearest 1/8″ to 4.25
4.25 + 7/8 = 5 1/8″ square needed.

 This square is then cut diagonally once for 2 half-square triangles. You need 4 end triangles, so you will need two 5 1/8″ squares:

Block Lay Out and Stitching – So now that you have your triangles cut, it’s time to lay out the blocks and the triangles so you can stitch together the quilt top. A large floor space or a design wall comes in handy here. Here’s how I put together a BOW on point quilt 3 years ago to refresh your memory (this sample has pieced setting triangles, but piecing the top together uses the same concepts):

I like to piece the end caps, as I call them, on the upper left and lower right first (where I am pointing in the photos below):

I join the side triangles to the block first, then I join the end triangle. I use a ruler to make sure I have the point of the end triangle in the center of the block before stitching (photo below right). This assures me that my end piece will be centered evenly to create a end cap “triangle”.

Then, all the other rows are stitched together diagonally (left photo, below) and then those rows are joined for the quilt top center.

If you have carefully matched up the seams of the rows when piecing, you will have a nice square quilt top (or rectangular if you are doing a pattern for a rectangular quilt). Notice the triangle points still visible in the photo on the right? Those can now be trimmed off if you like.

Block of the Week Blog Winner!

Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for… the winner of the fat quarter pack is:

Mari-Ann! I will be sending out an e-mai to you confirming the win. Congrats!!!

I hope you enjoyed this sew-along. I know I had fun working on it. Like I said last week, once I get my hand able to cut fabric again, I will put together one of these options. Meanwhile, I am working on next year’s block of the month pattern. Hopefully I have that to share sometime in December.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne