A Deceptively Difficult Block

This looks like a relatively simple block, doesn’t it.  Well, looks can be deceiving.  There are Y seams at each corner of the centre block that are a little very tricky to manage.

Susannah Twist was the block that Betty sent out for us to make this month.  The feature fabric is the one in the centre.

We were advised to make a test block first, so that is what I did.  Coincidentally, Brenda from Conquering Mount Scrapmore YouTube channel posted a tutorial for this block earlier in the month, so that did help a bit.  However, I still struggled.

The first decision to start with was what fabrics to use for the test block.  In the end that was easy.  I started tidying up my sewing room and recent scraps that had come my way when I came across this bright floral, which just happened to have the gold sitting next to it.  That worked.  Also, there were some orphan four patches in colours that matched, in the correct size.  Great, let’s unpick the centre seam and use them.  It was meant to be.

My first attempt was a dismal failure, due to me joining the corner sections without an overhang.  There was no way I was going to get points….unpick. 

Even after fixing that I still could not get points.  In the end, I drew the seam allowance on the back so I had reference points to match.  

Finally, a success.  I really like how it turned out.  Now I need to put my thinking cap on to find a way to use this pretty block.

OK, time to tackle the real block.  A hunt in the stash revealed suitable fabrics.  The same gold as in the test block worked well.  The brownish fabric is one of the first patchwork fabrics I ever bought and is featured in the wall hanging I made for my Dad that now hangs in my sewing room.  The blue for the corners came from who knows where.

This time I started out by marking all those seam allowances but still struggled with the centre points.  After only a couple of unpicking sessions, as opposed to about six, it is done, as good as I can get.  The sizing is just a tad under what it should be, but I’m sure it will be made to work.

Thanks Betty (I think…) for giving us a challenge and making our brains work.