Square-in-a-Square Tutorial using QuiltSandwich & How block setting can take a layout from boring to brilliant!

Here is a tutorial on how to create a Square in a Square block using QuiltSandwich.  ​

You are not going to believe how easy this is!  I took lots of pictures to show you step by step how I went about making the block.  You only need to know ONE measurement and you can create a Square in a Square block any size you want.

Several years ago (I forget how many) I was dabbling in machine embroidery.  I purchased a pattern called Garden Beauty by Smith Street Designs.  To make a quilt the size I wanted I needed to embroider 48 blocks.  Needless to say, I lost interest andI stopped at 24.  Now what to do?  

Here are the blocks I made. (The picture shows 23 because I left one on the ironing board! ) ​​​

I decided that I wanted to try making Square in a Square blocks.  So the embroidery that I did, became my center square.  The finished size of my center square is 6" (6 1/2" unfinished). 

The size of the entire block is really determined by what the 4 triangles added to the overall dimensions of the center square.  QuiltSandwich will even tell you how big your block will eventually be!  Now you can fussy cut to your hearts content and easily make Square in a Square blocks . 

Here is what I did.  From the Home Page. select Help and Utilities.  And then select Triangle Calculators.  When you are in the Triangles section, tap on HALF SQUARE to get to the half square triangle calculator. 

The top of the page should say Triangles Half Square.  Tap on the CORNER option and then tap the slider to enter in the finished size of the center square.  (not the finished size of the overall block. )  The finished size of my center square is 6".  If you are following along with me as you read this, this is what the triangle calculator screen/ page should look like.

The reason I want to choose half square triangles and not quarter square triangles is because I  want the straight of grain to be on the outside of my block.  If I choose quarter squares, I will have bias edges on the outside of my block....Yikes! 

I need to select the CORNER option because I need to have the diagonal on the triangle be the same measurement as the finished size of my center square. 

The calculator is telling me that I  need to cut the square 5 1/8" wide.  I will need to cut 2 squares to get 4 half square triangles.

​I know that many of us cut our triangles oversized and then trim them down to improve our accuracy.  But I want to show you how awesome the triangle calculator is.  

So I am going to cut my squares exactly 5 1/8" wide!    After cutting the 2 squares, laid my ruler on the diagonal, point to point and cut my squares in half.

Next is the ironing board!   I don't trim the corners of my triangles before I sew.  Instead I use my iron to make registration marks so I know exactly where the centers are in the pieces I am going to stitch.  So, I fold my center square in half and press the center fold.  I do that in both directions.  Here is what my center square looks like after I have done this.   Do you see the fold lines?

Then I do the same thing with the 4 triangles.    Now I can go to the sewing machine!

Line up the fold lines (right sides together of course!) Pin if you need to (I do) and then stitch your quarter inch seam. This is a picture of how to line up the fold lines. ​

The first and second triangles are done!  And I am stitching on the third.  I do press every seam before stitching on the next triangle.

And here is my finished block!  It is exactly 9 " square.  Nothing to trim but the dog ears.  Can it be any better than that? 

The Triangle Calculator nailed it when it came to telling me what sizes I needed to cut. 

And all I had to do was know the finished size of my center square!

With a 9" unfinished block, my block will finish at 8 1/2". 


Remember when I said that the Triangle Calculator would even be able to tell you the finished size of your block once the triangles were added? 

Here is how to figure out the finished size of any block. when using this technique.

The calculator says that the Finished Size of the triangle will be 4 1/4". 

All I need to do is double that number!  4 1/4" +  4 1/4"  = 8 1/2"!   Exactly the finished size of the block I just made. 

Because the block is placed on point, I am basically adding 4 1/4" to each side. ​

I am not going to pretend that I understand the math involved in this whole thing.  All I know is that I don't have to- because QuiltSandwich does it all for me! ​

​I have more cutting to do!  For 24 center squares, I need 96 corner half square triangles with a Block on Point Length of 6".  The yardage calculator tells me that I need a total of 1 1/8 yards of fabric.  Here are the ones I get to choose from!   I think I am excited about making this quilt again!

Next step — framing the blocks and sashing! 

Next, I framed all of my embroidered blocks and started working on adding the star sashing. I got all of them framed - yea!! And started on the sashing.  

Well-- I laid out the blocks I had finished so far — on my design floor and was dismayed at how it looked. All of that work and you really can't see the stars and the sashing kind of fades out.  ​​

 

All I could see was the intensity as the navy blue — it just seemed the framing color scheme didn't work. I had to look twice before I saw the sashing.  Do you see it?   Here is a hint — The sashing is around the blocks in the top right hand corner.   Ugh. 

So back to the drawing board to rethink the setting...

I came up with an idea to put the blocks on point and then create a center "medallion" focal point out of the more brighter blocks.  Here is what I am going to do now:

With all that quilting to be done — I better get busy!

Here's to joyful quilting!