Welcome to Week Three!
We have our fabric picked, prepped and cut, now It’s time to start sewing! This week we are sewing our Economy Blocks. If you are just joining the sew along this week, there’s still time to catch up! Check out the original post that goes over all the sew along details or one of the previous weeks below:
Economy Blocks
To assemble the Economy Blocks, we’ll need the Fabric A and Fabric B squares and the correct size Background squares. Cut both the Fabric A and Fabric B squares in half on the diagonal.
TIP: This is where starching comes in handy! It will help prevent these triangles from stretching because they are cut on the bias. If you didn’t starch before, it’s not too late to starch now!
To center the triangles to the square, fold the long edge of the triangle in half and crease at the center. Do the same on all four sides of the center square. Then line up the creases and pin it together.
TIP: Fold the triangles right sides together and the center squares wrong side together so that the creases nest as shown in the video below.
Press seams open and trim the dog-ears. Repeat the process and sew the remaining triangles to the other sides of the center square.
TIP: I recommend pressing your seams open throughout the pattern because of the amount of seams in each block. This way your blocks will lay flatter. It also helps to use a tailor’s clapper!
To trim the first part of the Economy Block, I use a Creative Grids 4.5″ x 12.5″ ruler and line up the two 45 degree angles on the ruler to the angles of the inner square and trim along all four sides. This will leave a 1/4″ seam allowance so you won’t lose your points when sewing the next layer of triangles.
Repeat the same process with the Fabric B triangles.
TIP: Instead of folding and creasing the center of the Economy Block, you can just line up the creases from the second Fabric B triangles to the points of the center square and pin in place.
Trim the block using the same method above to make sure there is a 1/4″ seam allowance on all four sides of the block.
Watch me trim an economy block!
This Week's Sponsors & Prizes
The prize for Week Three of the Lava Blooms Sew Along is a beautiful fat quarter bundle from Kristin Quinn Creative and a Cool People Quilt T-shirt from Meesh Quilts!
To be eligible for this week’s prize, post a photo to Instagram of your Economy Blocks by 8pm PST on February 6th and use the hashtag #LavaBloomsQuiltSA in your caption! A winner will be randomly chosen on February 7th! Remember that your account must be public to participate.
I can't wait to see your Economy Blocks!
Sylvia
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