Welcome!

Ninigret Quilters is an organization for quilters of all abilities in the Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut area. We meet on the second Tuesday of every month at 7pm at the Westerly Senior Center, 39 State Street, Westerly, Rhode Island (Google Maps) to share our common passion of quilting. Guests and new members are always welcome!




Friday, December 27, 2013

Friendship Block Swap

The time has come to start our next swap! The nine patch swap was so successful, members have been anxiously awaiting swap #2. The friendship star is just a bit more challenging than the nine patch block, incorporating half square triangle units.


Swap Instructions
Each participant is asked to make (12) twelve 9" finished (9.5" unfinished) Friendship Star blocks. You may participate for one, two or three months. Swapping will take place at the January, February and March meetings. At each meeting, participants will gather to swap blocks with others, keeping one of your own, and acquiring eleven blocks from other quilters. At the end of three months, you will have 36 different blocks to use in a fun scrap quilt.

If you would like to participate but cannot attend the meeting, please give your blocks to a friend or mail them to Tina Craig. This swap is open to members of Ninigret Quilters only.

Block Instructions
For each block, we will be working with a neutral light background and medium to dark fabrics for the stars. The light backgrounds may be solids or prints and anything from white to tan or light gray and may include hints of other pastel colors. In modern quilting jargon, these are called "low volume." Each block may be constructed from two fabrics or may be scrappy, as long as the star contrasts well with the background.

For each block, you will need:
(4) 3.5" squares of background
(1) 3.5" square of medium/dark
(4) 3.5" half square triangle units (3" finished)

Use your favorite method for constructing half square triangle units. Here are a few links to get you started.
Cut 4" squares and trim units to 3.5"
Cut triangles with an Easy Angle ruler from 3.5" strips
Use 3" Thangles with 3.5" strips
Make 8 units at a time from 8 or 8.5" squares (requires trimming)


We would like our stars to "spin" in the same direction, so please note the correct layout below.
Correct layout for our swap
Incorrect layout for our swap

 Stitch with an accurate 1/4" seam allowance for properly sized blocks. Blocks should measure 9.5" for swapping. Star points should fall 1/4" from the edge of the block so they won't get chopped off when blocks are pieced to sashing or other blocks.

Please sign your blocks along one of the diagonal seams with a permanent fabric pen. 

Look for another blog post coming soon with layout ideas.