Summer in the Country-Are You Ready to Sew Along?

Are you ready to make a cute quilt? Feel free to sew along with me as I work on the Summer in the Country sew along Moda Bake Shop sponsored a couple of years ago. The patterns are all free and are located on the Moda website. I've got my patterns all printed out and am ready to start sewing. I will be making two blocks each week and plan to post on Mondays and Thursdays.

When I post, I will share my methods of making the blocks. Usually, I follow the pattern instructions, but now and then I have a shortcut or other method that I prefer to use that might interest you.

As for fabric, I had a layer cake of the featured fabric "Back Porch" by Me and My Sister Designs, which will not be enough for the whole quilt. I am supplementing those fabrics with Linzee McCray's "Feed Sacks-True Blue", of which I have a fat eighth bundle. We shall see how far my fabric goes! My background is a tiny white-on-white dot designed by Coriander Quilts for Moda. I love this quilt in red, white and blues, but any color you like will work.

The first block is Pinwheel Parade, a pretty straightforward one to begin with. I cut out my fabrics according to the pattern directions, but also found it helpful to pull up the Moda Bake Shop instructions to look at while I sewed. 

You have many choices of methods when making the half-square triangle units required for this block. Triangle papers, the Easy Angle tool, the Seams Sew Easy Seam Guide, etc. etc.  I decided to follow the pattern instructions. I drew a line diagonally through my 10 3" background squares and made 20 half-square triangle units, four in each fabric.

The pattern method of making half-square triangle units is to make them a teensy bit too large and trim them down to 2 1/2". I love using my BlocLoc trim tool to do this. However, any ruler with 2 1/2" markings will work. I like BlocLoc tools because of the little ridge that slots into the seam line and holds things firmly while you trim. 

You don't end up with much in the way of trimmings, but for best accuracy, don't skip this step.

Here is my first pinwheel unit. I think it came together pretty well. Be sure it measures 4 1/2".

I have a couple of tips for getting a really flat block, especially where all the points come together, as they do in the center of the pinwheel. 


My first tip is to press your seams open. This is a fiddly thing to do, and I resisted it for years. I finally saw the light and started doing it with much better results.

My second tip for flatter blocks is a secret tailors have known forever. Get yourself one or two (or more) Quilter's Clappers (or tailor's clappers). These blocks are made of hardwood and when you lay them on top of a warm freshly pressed seam, some kind of magic happens to make the fabric lie super flat. It really works.

Sew your little pinwheel units together as shown. Give your finished block a final measure to be sure it is
12 1/2". I have a 12 1/2" square ruler, but any straight edge will work. Just be very careful if you have to trim your block down so as not to cut into your 1/4" outer seam allowance. 

Block one is done and dusted!  Hope if you are sewing along you had fun. Come back on Thursday for Block 2 "Moonlight".