Churn Dash - 8 1/2'' block

A Churn Dash block is quite easy when

made as a 12 1/2'' unfinished block but when

you need it to be an 8 1/2'' unfinished block,

it is much more challenging.  Here is how to

do it.

This is what I cut:

Fabric A: light floral

2 - 3 1/2" squares - cut on diagonal

4 - 3 1/8" x 1 7/8" rectangles

Fabric B: dark pink

2 - 3 1/2" squares - cut on diagonal

Fabric C: dark stripe

4 - 3 1/8" x 1 7/8" rectangles

Fabric D: pink & white floral

1 - 3 1/8" square

Sew light and dark triangles

together on long edge.  Press

seam to the dark fabric.

Square to a "heavy-handed"

3 1/8" or 3 1/8' + a smidge.

Oh yeah, such technical terms,

right?  I mean just a bit over 3 1/8".

In my first block I squared all

9 units to 3 1/8" exactly and with

sewing and pressing it ended up

as 8 3/8" instead of 8 1/2".

Sew light and dark rectangle

units together on long edge.

Square to 3 1/8" plus "a bit."

Layout units as shown and

sew together in 3 rows.

Press seams in rows 1 & 3

to the outside and seams

in row 2 to the inside.

Pin and sew rows together

taking care to have the seams

"lock" together at the

intersections as you pin

to achieve precise piecing.

I pressed the final 2 seams

open as this reduced the bulk

in the block and made it flatter.

Mine squared up at 8 1/2"

using this method.

Here is my first attempt.