On The Quilting Front

I started piecing the sashing units for the Star BOM this week, and I really like how it's coming together. My cornerstones, which may be different from the original, will finish at 2-1/2 inches square. The center square in that small unit, which you can hardly see in the photo, finishes to 1/2 inch. It's a bit like piecing blocks for a miniature quilt.

None of the blocks and sashing units have been sewn together yet, but I hope to finish them by next week.

My quilt chapter is having an X-Block workshop in a couple of weeks. I'd never heard of x-blocks before, but I thought I'd try it because it's something different and because I can use up some scraps. There are x-block rulers available in several different sizes, and I started playing around with one of the mini rulers to see if I liked it. These blocks will finish to 3-3/4". An odd measurement, because this size is actually intended to fit in the center square of a 7-1/2" x-block. There is also a ruler for a 4" size, which I would have preferred, but it wasn't available locally, so I made due.

These blocks start out life as nine patches, and then you use the ruler to trim them to the shape shown in the photograph. Easy enough to make nine patches right? Patricia Pepe, creator of the concept and the ruler, has a website here, if you're interested.