March 2020 NZP Block of the Month: Quarter-Circle Block

March 2020 NZP Block of the Month: Quarter-Circle Block

Nancy’s Red Elegance

2020 Block of the Month March: 1/4–Circle Block

Introducing the third of 12 FREE! Quit Block Tutorials in the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! The 1/4–Circle Block, also known as the Drunkard’s Path Block, is quickly made in multiples when cutting our Circle Blocks into quarters!

In January, Team Nancy Zieman introduced the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series. Join the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series, anytime, by viewing the Basic Supplies and Tools Listing in the January 1, 2020 NZP BoM20 Kick Off Blog Posting.

On the third Saturday of each month, we’ll feature one block design, and we’ll be stitching one or more blocks of the same design each month. The blocks are created using Our NEW! Red Elegance Fabric Collection by Riley Blake and the Carefree Curves Trace ‘n Create Template Set by Nancy Zieman for Clover. Follow along as we show step-by-step how to create the March 1/4–Circle Block.

March 1/4–Circle Block

NOTE: This block is 4-1/2″ square; 4″ finished square when sewn into finished quilt.

Block Fabrics

For the Nancy’s Red Elegance March 1/4–Circle Block, select the following four fat quarter fabrics from the NEW! Red Elegance Fat Quarter Bundle along with the “Circle” Template from the Carefree Curves Template Set.

Red Elegance Diamonds Cream, Red Elegance Lace Brick, Red Elegance Tonal Brick and Red Elegance Tonal Taupe

Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing, and steaming and pressing a second time. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with June Tailor’s Starch Savvy. Press and starch, press and starch.

Carefree Curves Trace ‘n Create Template by Nancy Zieman for Clover

  View the complete Basic Supplies and Tools Listing in the January 1, 2020 NZP BoM20 Kick Off Blog Posting, .

Cut Fabrics for the Block

Create super-simple 1/4–Circle Blocks with simple fabric squares and Pellon Sof-Shape squares!

• Cut three 9″ background squares of Red Elegance Diamonds Cream.

• Cut two 9″ background squares of Red Elegance Lace Brick.

• Cut three 7″ square of Red Elegance Tonal Brick – for center circles.

• Cut two 7″ square of Red Elegance Tonal Taupe – for center circles.

• Cut five 7″ square Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing

For the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series, we’re sharing Nancy Zieman’s techniques for creating perfect circles – without ever cutting a circle!

Construct the Blocks

Create Center Circle Appliqués

• Place one 7″ background square of Red Elegance Tonal Brick to one 7″ square Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing – matching smooth side of fusible interfacing to right side of fabric. Pin.

• Position the Circle Template on the glue-dot side of the interfacing, centering the template on the interfacing square.
• With a fabric marking pen and Circle Template, trace a 6″ circle on the interfacing – tracing along the yellow lines at the die cut openings.

• Using a Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needle, stitch directly on the marked line – using a slightly shorter stitch length.

It’s always easier to stitch smooth curves with a shorter stitch length – such as a 2.0 mm setting.

• With a 45mm Rotary Cutting and Pinking Blade, trim away excess fabric, leaving about a 1/4″ seam allowance on the outside of stitching line.

• Using a Scissors, carefully cut away the center of the interfacing, leaving about 1″ of interfacing on the inside of stitching line.

Save interfacing scraps for a later project when making, perhaps, smaller circles 😉

• Use Clover’s Point 2 Point Turner, and smooth the curved edge – as the interfacing is turned to the fabric wrong side.

• Press.

•  Repeat steps above and create three 6″ Red Elegance Tonal Brick Center Circle Appliqués, and two 6″ Red Elegance Tonal Taupe Center Circle Appliqués.

Topstitch Circle Appliqués to Block Background Fabric Squares

• Fold one Red Elegance Lace Brick background square in half, then in quarters – to determine center.
• Use a Roll ‘n Press, and press along folded edges – to quarter-mark square.

• Open.

• Fold one Red Elegance Tonal Taupe center circle appliqué in half, then in quarters – to determine center. Use a Roll ‘n Press, and press along folded edges.

• Layer wrong side of one circle appliqué onto the right side of one background square, aligning fold lines. Pin.

• Thread sewing machine with monofilament thread in the top thread of your sewing machine, and regular all-purpose sewing thread in the bobbin.
• Set your sewing machine for a narrow blind-hem stitch, blanket stitch, zigzag stitch, or straight stitch to “machine appliqué” the circle to the background. You’ll choose one stitching style 🙂

• Press.

•  Repeat steps above and create three Circle Blocks with Red Elegance Tonal Brick Center Circle Appliqués on Diamonds Cream Background Squares; and two Tonal Taupe Center Circle Appliqués on Red Elegance Lace Brick Background Squares.

Cut 1/4–Circle Blocks from Circle Blocks

• Using a Rotary Cutter, Ruler, and Mat, cut each Circle Block in four equal square sections – cutting along folded creased lines. Each quarter section will measure 4-1/2″ square.

Arrange 1/4–Circle Blocks into Block Sections 

• Arrange 1/4–Circle Blocks into four separate Block Sections, as shown below.

1. This first block section measures 4-1/2″ x 8-1/2″

2. This second block section measures 4-1/2″ x 8-1/2″

3. This third block section measures 8-1/2″ x 16-1/2″

4. This fourth block section measures 8-1/2″ x 16-1/2″

To assure blocks sections fit together – when later assembling all monthly blocks into one finished quilt – be sure to stitch the March 1/4–Circle Blocks into block sections, using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

Stitch 1/4–Circle Blocks into Block Sections

Block Sections 1 and 2:

• Block Section two shown.

• Block Sections one and two are complete! Set aside.

Block Sections 3 and 4:

• Stitch 1/4-Circle Blocks in pairs.

• Block Sections three and four are complete! Set aside.

 The March 1/4–Circle Blocks are sewn into four separate Block Sections, shown above. These four separate block sections are set aside, until later assembled into the finished quilt.

The Nancy’s Red Elegance March 1/4–Circle Blocks are complete!

Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 112: Carefree Curves in Quilts!

Shop Timesaving Tools & Sewing Supplies at shopnzp.com!

For a chance to be the random winner of a Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker, please leave a comment below sharing your thoughts about the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series and/or The March 1/4-Circle Block.

Nancy Zieman Productions will give away one Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack to one US resident in the 48 contiguous states. Winner must reply within 30 days to the official giveaway announcement email message – sent from Nancy Zieman Productions.

The randomly selected winner of a Stitch it! Sisters 5″ Fabric Short Stack with S!S button & sticker, from the March 14 Blog Post, NEW! Nancy Zieman’s Absolute Easiest Way to Sew a Palette Pillow on Stitch it! Sisters Program 111, is Jade.

Her comment is: I like to make pillows when asked to donate to a raffle basket/fundraiser. This method is quick and easy and always impresses people who don’t sew!     

Happy Quilting!

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

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