Fabri-Quilt New Block Hop---Watermelon Taffy

Shortly after the 2015 New Quilt Bloggers blog hop came to a close the hop leaders, Cheryl at Meadow Mist Desings, Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl, Stephanie at Late Night Quilter and Terri Ann at Childlike Fascination put out a call to those that participated to possibly join together in another blog hop.  They introduced to us the...

What exactly did this mean?  Participants would be sent a bundle of six fat eighths courtesy of Fabri-Quilt  in a color palette of Watermelon Summer.

Chartreuse, Turquoise, Coral
Aqua, Lapis Blue, White

The challenge would be to write a tutorial on how to make a 12 1/2" block created by the blogger. We would each construct the blocks we designed and then mail them to one of the group leaders, who would then turn them into quilts for three different charities.  

The creation of this block was a collaborated effort between my husband and I.  He enjoys creating designs in a book of graph paper when we are watching Netflix and for a while now he has been wanting me to give one of his creations life.  Since legally half of all his things belong me (I jokingly tell him I have ran a half marathon because I claim half of his full marathon) I figured it would be okay.  Just kidding, he was very excited to see what I came up with.

After a few days playing with colors, figuring out numbers, and making sure I would have enough fabric I was finally ready to cut my fabric and get started.

So together we introduce to you Watermelon Taffy. 

Cutting Instructions

White                                                                                       Lapis Blue (Dark Blue)

Twelve - 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles                                          Four- 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles

Four- 1 1/2" squares                                                                 Four- 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles

Twenty- 2" squares                                                                   Six- 2" squares

Coral                                                                                        Turquoise

Four- 2" squares                                                                       Four- 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles

Four- 1 7/8" squares                                                                 Two- 2" squares

Eight- 1 1/2" squares                                                                Eight- 1 1/2" squares

Chartreuse                                                                                Aqua

Eight- 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles                                                   Eight- 1 7/8" squares

Eight- 2" squares 

We will combine the twenty 2" White squares with the 2" Lapis Blue, Turquoise, Chartreuse, and Coral squares to makes some 1 1/2" half square triangles.

Oliver, my quilting kitty, stopped by to put in his two cents on constructing half square triangles.  We marked a diagonal line on all of the white squares.  Then matched them with a colored square (right sides together) and sewed lines 1/4" on both sides of the marked line.  Then we cut on the marked line and pressed the two squares open.  Next we trimmed the squares to 1 1/2" square and clipped off the tails.  Wha-la a pretty half square triangle.

You should have 4 Turquoise/White, 8 Coral/White, 12 Lapis Blue/White and 16 Cartreuse/White half square triangles and a pile of pretty confetti.

Now we are ready to start constructing the 4 1/2" units that make up this block.  For unit 1 you will need:

2 White and Lapis Blue half square triangles
2 White and Coral half square triangles

1 White 1 ½" block

1 White 1 ½" x 2  ½" rectangle
2  Coral 1 ½" block

2 Turquoise 1 ½" blocks

1 Lapis Blue 1 ½" x 3 ½" rectangle

1 Lapis Blue 1 1/3" x 2 ½" rectangle

Arrange your pieces in the following layout.

Next sew rows A, B, C and D together.  They should look like this.

Next sew completed rows B and C together to form Row BC.

Then attach the Lapis Blue1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle to Row BC.

After you sew Rows A, BC and D together you will have a completed unit.  You will need a total of 4 of these units.

For unit 2 you will need:

Four Chartreuse/White half square triangles

Two 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" White rectangles

Two 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" Chartreuse rectangles

One 1 7/8" Coral Square

Two 1 7/8" Aqua Squares

Our first step will be to create a square in a square unit using the Coral for the center square and the Aqua for the outer square.  Begin by marking a diagonal line on the Aqua squares and cutting them like in the picture below.

Next I like to fold the Coral Square and four Aqua triangles in half and press to mark the center.

Then when I open them up they nestle together nicely to make sure I have the triangle centered on the square.

Now we are ready to start sewing our unit together. Once you have your triangle matched up on the square, sew a seam 1/4" from the edge.  Repeat on the opposite end then press open.

You will then be ready to trim off the tabs.

Then fold your unit in half to find the center and repeat with the remaining two Aqua triangles.

Then press open and cut the remaining tabs.

Now we are ready to lay out our pieces for the unit as follows.

Sew each row together.

Now all that is left to do is sew your completed rows together.

Now you have a completed unit 2.  You will need a total of 4 of these units.

And now for our last unit and I promise we will only need one of them.  Arrange you remaining pieces as follows.

Four Turquoise and White half square triangles

Four Lapis Blue and White half square triangles

Four Turquoise 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangles

Piece together the small pinwheel in the middle and the top and bottom rows.  

Next sewing the 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" Turquoise rectangles on to each side of the pinwheel.  Then  you will be ready to sew your rows together.

Now that we have all of the units constructed we can lay them out and begin to sew the block.

The only thing left to do is sew the rows together and Ta-Da...

Now we have a finished Watermelon Taffy Block.  Since our block is finished I thought it would be fun to play around with EQ7 to show you what a quilt made from this block would look like. 

This is what the blocks would look like if they were arranged in a 4 x 4 block quilt.

These are the blocks set on point.  I think both versions sort of have a stained glass window look to them.

I hope you have enjoyed the tutorial for Watermelon Taffy and have found it easy to follow.  This was my first attempt at creating a tutorial and I have to say the experience has been quite fun.  Hopefully there will be more in the future.  I would also like to say a big thank you to Cheryl at Meadow Mist Designs for taking the time to help me proof the tutorial.  Please take some time today to check out my fellow bloggers and their creations.  And most important, Stephanie at Late Night Quilter is offering a give away today and who doesn't love a giveaway?? 

Wednesday, September 2nd
Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter
Hannah @Modern Magnolia Studio
Cindy @Stitchin At Home
Abby @Hashtag Quilt
Lisa @Sunlight in Winter Quilts
Carrie @Chopping Block Quilts
Eleanor @Cat Approved Quilting
Brianna @The Iron and Needle
Jan @The Colorful Fabriholic
Sarah @Smiles Too Loudly
Beth @Cooking Up Quilts
Leanne @Devoted Quilter
Liz @LizzyClips Design
Kim @Leland Ave Studios

And check out the bloggers from the first two days of the hop.

Monday, August 31st
Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Kelly @Quilting it Out
Martha @Once a Wingnut
Irene @Patchwork and Pastry
Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life
Andrea @The Sewing Fools
Bernie @Needle and Foot
Silvia @A Stranger View
Wanda @Wanda’s Life Sampler
Sandra @Musings of a Menopausal Melon
Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts
Jess @Quilty Habit
Diana @Red Delicious Life
Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe
Margo @Shadow Lane Quilts
Renee @Quilts of a Feather

Tuesday, September 1st
Host – Cheryl @Meadow MistDesigns
Colleen @Colleen’s Custom Quilting
Josi @Avocado Quilts
Cindy @Sewing Moxie
Stephanie @Quilt’n Party
Cristy @Love You Sew
Sarah @Sarah Goer Quilts
Shelly @The Carpenter’s Daughter Who Quilts
Jayne @Twiggy &Opal
Sharla @ThistleThicket Studio
Adrian @Making It -Family Food Quilts Crafts
Julie @Pink Doxies
Sarah @123 Quilt
Deanna @Stitches Quilting
Jane @Jolly andDelilah Quilts

Carrie @The Zen Quilter

And tomorrow...with Terri Ann offering another give away.

Thursday, September 3rd

Host – Terri Ann @Childlike Fascination
Robyn @Hoops & Thimbles
Helen @Midget Gem Quilts
Jinger @Trials of a Newbie Quilter
Anja @Anja Quilts
Kathryn @Upitis Quilts
Mary @Quilting is in my Blood
Emma @My Handmade Home
Francine @Mocha Wild Child
Dina @Living Water Quilter
Deb @The Farmhouse Quilter
Lori @SewPsyched!
Amy @13 Spools
Denise @CrafTraditions
Sandra @The Bias Edge

Come join the party!  I'm also linking up to...

Pink Doxies

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilt Shop Gal

Richard and Tanya Quilts

My Quilt Infatuation

Freshly Pieced

Sew Fresh Quilts