Virtual Quilting Bee: Block #10 Tutorial

Hi all - and thanks for stopping by! If you're new to my blog feel free to look around. And if you haven't already seen the great blocks so far in the virtual quilting bee (hosted by Amy of Diary of a Quilter) you can go see them all here.

My block is called Mother's Dream and is from the book The Farmer's Wife. I believe the dimensions for the Farmer's Wife blocks are smaller and possibly put together using templates. I think this block also would be a good candidate for foundation paper piecing. But I wanted to write a tutorial that could just be cut and put together without a foundation. So some of the dimensions are a bit odd, just because it's on the diagonal.

1. Cut 2 squares 3 3/4 inches from background fabric.
2. Cut 2 squares 2 7/8 inches from background fabric.

3. Cut all 4 squares in half on the diagonal. This will give you 8 half square triangles - 4 large and 4 small.

4. Cut 1 square 3 1/4 inches. This is your center square.

5. Cut 4 rectangles 3 1/4 x 1 7/8 from fabric A.
6. Cut 4 rectanges 3 1/4 x 1 7/8 from fabric B.

Here is the block layout. You'll sew the block in strips, press, and then sew the strips together.

7. To sew the center triangles onto the rectangles, match up the sides as shown and leave the corner hanging over as shown.

8. Once you have the rows sewn together, sew the strips together and press to make the block.

And you're done! This block finishes at 8 1/2 inches (8 inches finished).