Lorelei Quilt: Lesson 1 Center Pinwheel

Lorelei: Lesson 1 Center Pinwheel

Tools: I used the Creative Grids Flying Geese & 45/90 Degree Triangle Ruler to make this quilt. I believe this to be an indispensable ruler for any quilter, but there are many similar rulers you may already own. This ruler trims the upper point off the triangle. You may use any similar ruler or the corner of any square ruler by allowing it to hang over the fabric strip. 

*An accurate 1/4" seam allowance is important with all piecing. Test your machine so you know the sweet spot. As you add seams to a block you may need to compensate with a slightly smaller seam allowance as you go. That may only be a thread's width. Don't be afraid to rip and re-do. 

**Pressing: Press each set of units as you finishing chain stitching them. I use a dry iron for pieces with bias as steam distorts.

Lorelei may appear more complicated than it is. Let's break the block down into a 9 sub-blocks. The entire block is 15" finished, and each of the 9 sub-blocks are 5" finished. There are only 3 different sub-blocks within the block. If you master 3 sub-blocks, you've got the whole quilt! 

Lorelei Quilt: Free Pattern Coming

Lorelei Quilt

Many evenings we sit in front of the tv to wind down before bed, and often there is nothing worth watching. I prefer to have my laptop open, and fiddle around with EQ8. I bought the 10" Accuquilt system a few years ago, and haven't felt I've been able to use it as much as I'd liked. So my goal here was to create some patterns using shapes available in the core group of dies, and that's where I started. I went on to design this block using 3 of the dies, and those shapes can also be easily cut with my favorite Creative Grids ruler, the 6" Flying Geese and 45/90 Degree Triangle Ruler. This ruler should be in everyone's repertoire. Therefore, the Accuquilt system will lend a hand in cutting several shapes, but it is not essential.