Fat Quarter Mystery Quilt: October Block of the Month
Introducing the October Block of the Month
Farmer’s Daughter* block is the October Fat Quarter Mystery Quilt Block. Like all blocks in this year’s block of the month challenge, this block is 15″ (finished size) and is created using quick strip-piecing techniques. Simple!
During this 12-month block of the month challenge, all blocks will be made from one 24-piece fat quarter bundle and 2-1/4 yards of cream background fabric. We’re using the fat quarter bundle, Garnet, it’s my most recent fabric line from Penny Rose, a division of Riley Blake Designs. You’re definitely welcome to use another collection of fabric, or fabrics from your stash!
Choose the Fabrics
For the Farmer’s Daughter block, select the following fabrics from your Garnet fat-quarter bundle. If you’ve chosen another fabric collection, select two medium tones, one dark tone, and one light tone for a total of four fabrics.
Cut
- Four 3-1/2″ squares for (light fabric)
- Eight 3-1/2″ squares for (medium value—tone-on-tone background)
- One 3-1/2″ square for (medium value)
- Four 3-1/2″ squares (dark value)
- Four 3-7/8″ squares for HST (light fabric)
- Four 3-7/8″ squares for HST (medium value—tone-on-tone background)
Half Square Triangles (HSTs)
- Layer four light 3-7/8″ squares on four dark 3-7/8″ squares, matching right sides.
- Mark each block set diagonally from corner to corner, using a fabric marking pen and ruler.
- For greatest accuracy, use a No-Hassle Triangle Gauge. The left side of the gauge is designed to create the 3-1/2″ HST blocks used in the Farmer’s Daughter.
- Depress the button on the sliding portion of the gauge and move to the 3-1/2″ HST icon on the left side of the gauge.
- Place gauge on the block set, corner to corner. Match corner marks of gauge with corner of block sets. Mark fabric through center of gauge with a fine-point, fabric-marking pen.
The advantage of using the No-Hassle Triangle Gauge is accuracy. It’s easy to double check that the block set fits within the confines of the gauge. If the block set extends beyond or is shorter, trim or cut another block.
Stitch Half-Square Triangle Block Sets
- Attach a 1/4″ patchwork/quilting foot.
- Set machine for a straight stitch, 2.0–2.5 mm in length.
- Align foot along one side of the center marked line; stitch a scant 1/4″ from center marked line. Do not cut the threads.
- Kiss the next block set to the stitched block and chain stitch from one block to the other.
- Clip threads between chain stitched blocks. Rotate blocks 180-degrees. Align foot along second side of center marked line; stitch. Clip threads between chain stitched blocks.
- With a rotary cutter, mat, and ruler, cut the blocks apart along centerline markings.
- Press seam allowances toward the darker fabric.
- Create a total of eight HST units from the light + medium color combination.
Create the Block
- All seam allowances are 1/4″.
- Arrange the HSTs and solid squares as shown.
- Join pairs of blocks to create rows.
- Stitch one row at a time, starting with the top row.
- Row One:
- Row Two:
- Row Three:
- Row Four:
- Row Five:
- Press odd numbered row seam allowances in one direction and even numbered seam allowances in the opposite direction.
- Arrange the rows.
Share Your Success!
If you are on social sites, let all your friends know you are working on Nancy Zieman’s 2017 Fat Quarter Mystery Quilt by tagging your post with the hashtag: #NZBoM. Share your finished blocks with Nancy and her team by emailing them to [email protected].
During the 2015 Quilt Adventure and the 2016 Quilt Extravaganza, I shared three virtual quilt designs made with the month’s single block. This year, I’m changing it up and sharing block color variations of one block. Please note that the fabrics required for color-varied blocks will be slightly different than the original block of the month directions presented.
Take Your Block to the Next Level
- Visualize an entire quilt made from this block. Each block will measure 15″ square when sewn into a quilt. This quilt features the Farmer’s Daughter block in a traditional setting with sashing and cornerstone blocks. Read more on finishing the quilt in my book Fearless Quilting Finishes.
- Notice the subtle differences in these four color variations of the Farmer’s Daughter block.
Virtual concepts presented in this post are created using Electric Quilt 7 (EQ7) software, available at Nancy’s Notions.
Watch Fearless Quilting Finishes on Sewing With Nancy online.
If you missed any of the complete block tutorials, find the 2017 Fat Quarter Mystery Block of the Month on my blog.
Watch for the November Block of the Month on Saturday, November 18, 2017.
Bye for now,
Cheryl Hannah
Be very careful, this is not all HST as cutting instructions says. There are 17 —3 1/2″ squares (the first four cutting instructions). Only 8 HST.
Nancy Zieman
Thank you so much, Cheryl. We missed that edit. The changes are made to reflect the seventeen 3-1/2″ squares. Great catch!
Lyn
Went to Nancys website but cannot find the Garnet FQ bundle ???
Nancy Zieman
Let me check with Nancy’s Notions and my web person to see why the link is broken. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
"Willie" Loyall
Thank you, Nancy, for another beautiful block; I am thrilled that I went w/the Garnet collection! Will we have full in-structions for completion of the mystery quilt in the December post? What a fun, memorable journey this has been; thanks for letting us ride along w/you. Cheers!
Willie Loyall
Nancy Zieman
Yes, Willie; complete finishing instructions are coming in December after the December block releases.
Knella
I have really enjoyed the monthly blocks, but it seems like every month there’s an error in the instructions.
Anita P.
You always make my fingers itch to create something;)
Linda C in TN
This block makes a beautiful quilt.
Joyce Schroeder
When I go to save this month’s instructions, none of the photos show. All I get are little red boxes with an ‘x’ in them. When I right-click on the box, there is no option to open the photos. Ugh. Maybe this is a problem that can be addressed? I am not sure what to do; I really prefer the directions with the photos so I can easily see and understand what the proper method is. Can you help?
Nancy Zieman
Hi Joyce! My web person is telling me that maybe you have some kind of “blocker” or firewall on your browser that prohibits the images to download. Please email us at [email protected] if you need further assistance.
LynnAnn W.
Hi Nancy
Another beauty – Thank you!
I hope you are feeling better.
evelyn radziszewski
There have been a number of blogs which interested me. When I would print them, I would get either the first page, or all of the comments and advertisements. This has been very frustrating, to say nothing of the wasted paper and printer ink. How about a printer-friendly version?