Spectrum QAL 2020 Block 4: Benartex Wave Texture

Welcome to the fourth round of the Spectrum Quilt-A-Long (QAL) 2020, but without any punches or knockouts. It’s all great fun!

Last week, Claire Haillot introduced her version of quilt Block 4 along with her method to assemble it.

Today, I’ll demonstrate my assembly method. Though my method is different from Claire’s, the resulting block will be the same. I’m using the Wave Texture fabric collection by Benartex

Block 4 will be quick and easy to make. Have a look at the design layout diagram for this block below.

TIP Reading through all the directions first is always a good idea before cutting and sewing.

The fabric cutting directions are as follows:

Fabric A Cut four 2”x 2” squares from 2966-20 Cayenne

Fabric B Will be cut later

Fabric C Will be cut later

Fabric D Cut six 2” x 2” squares from 2966-19 Dark Red

Fabric E Cut eight 3½” x 3½” squares from 2966-32 Amber

Fabric F Cut four 3½” x 6½” rectangles from 2966-20 Cayenne

Fabric G Cut six 2” x 2” squares from 2966-46 Basil

Fabric H Cut four 2” x 3½” rectangles from 2966-15 Medium Red

The first step in constructing Block 4 is to draw 2 parallel diagonal lines on the backs of the 3½” x 3½” E fabric squares. The first diagonal line goes from corner to corner. Draw the second diagonal line ½” from the first as shown below.

Ensuring the corners and edges are aligned, and with right sides together, place a 3½” x 3½” E fabric square on top of one end of each of the four 3½” x 6½” F fabric rectangles as shown below.

I was asked about what thread to use for this project, therefore, before going on to the next step, I want to quickly go over thread selection.

Anyone who knows me knows I have hundreds and hundreds of spools of thread. I love to match thread to fabrics when quilting, embellishing or for topstitching. When it comes to sewing the seams on a quilt project, I prefer to use a neutral-colored thread such as grey or cream. Deciding which color to use is sometimes a matter of personal preference and other times the fabrics dictate the color to use as is the case for the Wave Texture fabric colors I selected. The warm, vibrant colors from this collection led me to use cream-colored thread. The photos that follow show how nicely the cream thread blends with and hides in the fabrics.

Note: All seam allowances for this block are ¼”.

Now for the next step.

With the E/F pieces paired up, sew a seam on each diagonal line, then, cut between the two seams as shown below. Voilà! An HST is born! Put each HST pair aside for later use.

Next, press fabrics. Place the remaining 3½”x 3½” E squares, right sides together, on top of the opposite short ends of the four 3½”x 6½” rectangular F pieces.

Sew a seam on each parallel diagonal line and cut between the two seams as in the previous step and as shown below.

Press fabrics.

There are now 4 flying geese sections!

Press HSTs open.

Trim the E/F HSTs to measure 2”x 2”.

Note: Refer to the design layout diagram; these newly minted HSTs have become the B/C units for today’s block.

Next, using the Block 4 design layout diagram above as a guide, lay all the pieces and sewn units out as shown in the photo below.

Sew each part of the block as follows to create the other block’s sections:

1- Sew fabric A to fabrics B/C (make four).

• Sew fabrics B/C to fabric D (make four) then, sew the A/B/C units to the B/C/D units to make the four corner sections.

2- Sew fabric D to fabric H to fabric G (make two)

3- Sew fabric D to fabric G (make two)

• Sew both D/G units together to make center
• Sew a fabric H on the two opposite sides of the DG/GD unit

4- Sew a D/H/G unit on the opposite side of the H/DG/GD/H completing the block’s center section.

Sew the rows together to complete Block 4 in the Spectrum QAL 2020.

One-third of all the Spectrum QAL 2020 blocks are now complete!

I can’t wait to see the Spectrum QAL 2020 quilt completed and quilted! It’s going to be so cool to see the quilt laid out on a bed or maybe even on a wall. Patience, they say, is a virtue.

I’ll be back in two weeks, so, until then enjoy Elaine Theriault’s upcoming post for her version of Block 4 on November 12^th.

Come back on November 24^th for my version of Block 5 in the Spectrum QAL 2020!