The (Almost) Fractal Mandala – Block Fourteen, Dreamcatcher Round the Year Quilt

I started designing Block Fourteen as a tribute to the Dear Jane quilt. I experimented with a number of the Dear Jane triangular blocks, placing them revolving around a centre point to make a circle. This design came about when I was playing (on the free Quilt Assistant software ) with the block where flying geese fly outwards. I immediately fell in love with it! It does have a hypnotic quality to it, like a Mandala you can meditate upon. Also, if you take each of those wedges and subtract the outer level, the design remains the same. So, I have been trying ( in vain) to convince the few mathematicians whom I know, that this pattern a fractal! As a concession to them, I call this the (Almost) Fractal Mandala.

And so, I present to you, Block 14 of the Round the Year Block of the Month Quilt, the (Almost) Fractal Mandala!

Much to my chagrin, I discovered after I had made the block, that a similar block ( I do not know the name) already exists! I am still very proud of it, because I discovered my Mount Everest on my own, and climbed it too! So there!

Block 14 ( Almost) Fractal Mandala, Round the Year Quilt

The block, like all other blocks of the BOM quilt, is designed as a 15″ circle inset in an 18.5″ ( unfinished) square. It is a deceptively easy block to piece, hence not too many photos accompany this post.

The templates and instructions can be downloaded from the links at the end of this post. You can find the links to patterns for all the other blocks of this quilt on the Dreamcatcher Round the Year Quilt Page ( click on the link above).

The brilliant Tina Katwal, one of the pioneer quilters from India, took out time from her busy schedule to test this block and you have to thank her, that you do not struggle with stingy fabric requirements!

Fabric Requirement

The Dusk colourway uses 4 shades of blue and 4 fabrics in a contrasting yellow to orange range. I suggest you use use solids or very small prints combined with solids to best highlight the design element of the block. I have used Fossil Fern by Benartex for mine.

Fabric Code Block 14 Almost Fractal Mandala

This is a great block for using any scraps/ strips of various sizes and shapes left over from the previous blocks. Nevertheless, I have tried to give some kind of estimate of the fabric requirement.

Please spray starch and press all your fabric before cutting!

Fabric Colour		Code	Fabric needed
	Orange	4	2.5″ x 32″
	Gold	5	4″ x 19″
	Light Orange	6	3.5″ x 14″
	Yellow	7	3.5″ x18″
	Light Blue	1	4.5″ square 20″ x 12.5″ strip
	Medium Blue	2	3″ WOF strip + strips 8″ -10″of various widths 1.75 to 2.5″
	Deepest Blue	3	3″ WOF strip strips 8-10″ of various widths 1.75 to 2.5″
	Medium-Deep Blue	8	4.5″ square

Cutting Instructions

I suggest you label your fabric so that you do not get confused as you cut so many strips. An easy way to do this is sticking a piece of freezer paper with the code on it on the strip!

For ease in piecing, you can cut and sort your fabric template wise as follows:

Fabric Code	ABCD	EFGH	IJKL	MNOP	QRST	UVWX
4 Orange		For diamonds 2 strips 2.5″ x 16″
5 Gold		4 HSTs 3.5″	For diamonds 2 strips 2″ x 12″
6 Light Orange	4 HSTs 3.5″	4 HSTs 3.5″
7 Yellow	4 HSTs 3.5″			2 strips 1.75″ x 11″ for diamonds
1 Light blue					4QSTs from 4.5″ square	20″ x 12.5″
2 Medium blue	3″ x 19″	4HSTs 3″	4HSTs 3″ 4HSTs 2.5″	4HSTs 2.0″ 4HSTs 1.75″	4QSTs 3″
3 Deepest blue	3″ x 19″	4 HSTs 3″	4HSTs 3″ 4HSTs 2.5″	4HSTs 2.0″ 4HSTs 1.75″	4QSTs 3″
8 Medium to deep blue					4QSTs from 4.5″ square

While I pieced with strips, I thought it would have made life much simpler had I cut the diamonds earlier. Note that the two sets of diamonds on each template face opposite directions, hence the 2 strips in the cutting instructions for the diamonds. Here is my fabric for the block, all cut and sorted.

Templates

1. Print the templates with your printer settings at 100% (or actual size).

2. Templates A to H are given in two parts each, with instructions to glue them. You could also piece these separately and then join at the centre seams. I have done that for the first two sets of templates, ABCD and EFGH.

3. Glue together the two parts of background Template U on the edge indicated. Use this to cut 4 identical pieces for U, V, W and X and put aside.

Piecing Instructions

I suggest piecing alphabetically,that is first on the larger templates at circle edge. You can use scraps from the larger pieces on the smaller templates inside! Piece in the following order:

– A, B, C and D

– E, F, G and H

– I, J, K and L

– M, N, O and P

– Q, R, S and T

Templates A, B, C and D had been printed on freezer paper, without gluing on the centre line as indicated In the templates. Cutting the wedges became as simple as this…

You could also use ordinary paper printed templates... — You could also use ordinary paper printed templates…

All I had to do was to add the triangles on the wedges. (If you have glued your templates A,B, C and D between pieces #3 and #4, plese do not get confused by these photos!)

You can glue the two halves of the templates togeteher and piece them in one go!

E, F, G and H were (each) also pieced in halves without gluing in the centre, and sewn together on the centre later, just before assembly.

E, F, G and H pieced in halves... — E, F, G and H pieced in halves…you can glue the templates at centre between piece# 3 and #4 and piece these as single units!

For the rest of the templates, I pieced with strips, like I said, placing the strips perpendicular to each other as I went along.

Place the strip for the diiamond at right angles to the previous strip and sew on seam line

Covering the diamond... — Covering the diamond…

A triangular piece comes in next, note, in the upcoming photo, that the blue strip was placed straight along the template for this seam between piece #3 and #4. This is followed by another diamond strip at right angles to the template. Use the other diamond strip for this!

Note the blue strip for piece#4 is placed straight along template. The diamond yellow is again at right angles

After that diamond, there is only one more blue triangle to add and we are done!

Similarly, piece all the templates, I to P. Once you get the hang of it, it comes up really fast!

I did not take too many pics, but here are a couple of photos of the centre templates Q, R, S and T being pieced!

Templates Q, R, S and T ready for piecing... — Templates Q, R, S and T ready for chain piecing…

and done except for the corners ... fast work! — …and done, except for the corners! Fast work!

The scraps from the previous templates come in useful for the corners of the centre templates!

Assembly Instructions

Use the Master Template (mirror image) as a guide to assembly. The Instructions file also contains a coloured mirror image guide.

I removed the paper before assembly.

The Master Template is a mirror image! Left is right and right is left!

Assemble the block in quadrants. But before you begin, lay them all together to see if all is in order, and of course, to admire!

I love this! Piecing finished in one evening!

( First, I sewed the respective template halves A to H. If you glued your templates before piecing you will not need to do this. )

I am ready for assembly now! I joined the outermost two templates A to E; B to F; C to G and D to H, and put them aside. (as I did not want to risk the wedges on the A, B, C and D templates getting misshapen.)

The rest of the templates, I joined from centre outwards. ( All templates at each ‘level’ are similar so it really does not matter whether you pick up M or N to join to Q, R, S or T!)

Here is the finished circle, from the back. Note that seams on adjoining quadrants are pressed in opposite directions, so that they interlock.

As far as possible, press adjoining seams in opposite directions to interlock them when sewing ... ensures sharper corners! — As far as possible, press adjoining seams in opposite directions to interlock them when sewing … ensures sharper corners!

5. Done ! Now join the background. You can join the individual quadrants to the background pieces U, V, W and X and then join the 4 squares together to form the 18.5″ square.

I am not joining any of the circles to the background till all of them are done.

We begin putting the quilt top together in May, after the final sixteenth block comes up on 1^st May.

Block 15 will be posted only on 16^th April 2015 as I am travelling and am otherwise busy, so you have plenty of time to catch up, if you began late or are straggling behind on the blocks.

Meanwhile, do put in a comment if you like this block and are doing this quilt… and make my day! Please write in if you have a problem with the instructions, or if you discover a better way of piecing my blocks.

I would also love to see your blocks posted on my Facebook page Patchwork of My Life.

Okay, so we are all done here, except for one important thing, the block pattern and instructions! You need Adobe Acrobat on your computer ( available for free download) to be able to view these files.

1.Block 14 Fractal Mandala Instructions

2.Block 14 Fractal Mandala Templates

Please note that the downloadable patterns with paper piecing templates and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.

Block Twelve Dozens Squared, Dreamcatcher Round the Year Quilt

This is a block that has given me much heartache , and that story deserves its very own blogpost! Meanwhile, here it is, Dozens Squared, the twelfth block of the Round the Year Block of the Month Quilt.

Block Twelve Dozens Squared, Round the Year Quilt BOM (Rainbow)

The block finishes at 18.5″ square (including seam allowance), with a 15″ inset circle. It is partly paper foundation pieced; the templates and instructions can be downloaded in PDF format from the links at the end of this post.

What’s in a name?

This Block 12 of the Round the Year BOM Quilt is inspired by the beautiful Jack’s Chain block. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to call it. I thought of something to do with 9-patches and then Jill’s Chain! But then I counted the number of pieces in the circle – 144. It could not be chance that Block Twelve should contain twelve twelves, could it? The name would have to to have some reference to this, I thought. No way I was going to call it ` Gross’, which is the correct nomenclature for a dozen dozens! Dozens Squared sounded better, also as the dozens would in any case be inset in a square!

Fabric Requirement

The fabric requirement for the block is given for the Dusk colourway. I have scrapped the block that I made in the Dusk colours (not this) – I thought it looked quite ugly (gross?)!

Block Twelve Dozens Squared, Round the Year Quilt – Dusk – Fabric Code

Fabric Colour	Fabric Code	Background	Nine patches	Centre	Spiked wedges	Circle edge wedges
Lightest blue	1	19″ square OR 10.5″ x 25″	Two 6″ squares	2.25″ x 8″
Medium Blue	4		Two 6″ squares	2.25″ x 8″		Two 2″ x 8″
Medium-dark blue	3		Two 6″ squares	2.25″ x 8″		Two 2″ x 8″
Deep blue	2			2.25″ x 20″	2.5″ x 36 2.0″ x 36″	Two 2″ x 8″
Yellow	8			2.25″ x 6″
Gold	6				2.5″ x 12″ 2″ x 12″
Light Orange	7				2.5″ x 12″ 2″ x 12″
Orange	5				2.5″ x 12″ 2″ x 12″

Please refer to the downloadable Instructions File, if you want detailed cutting instructions!

Printing Instructions

Please remember to print the Templates file with your printer
setting at 100% or Actual size in portrait mode. Cut out the paper piecing Templates.

I recommend printing also the Instructions file and keeping the Master Template (provided in the Instructions File) at hand when assembling the block. A line drawing version of the Master Template is also included in the file (also a mirror image ). You can use colour pencils to experiment with your own colour combinations!

Piecing Instructions

The Nine-Patches Quick Method

Piece the six 9-patches A, B, C, D, E and F using the quick 9-patch method. The pictures I am showing here are for the rainbow block. You will start with 3 pairs of 6 inch squares.

For the Dusk version, team upthe squares in 3 pairs. — For the Dusk version, team up the squares in 3 pairs.

Note that we do not measure 2" from edge, but 1.75" from seamline! — Note that we do not measure 2″ from edge, but 1.75″ from seamline!

Quick NIne Patch Square — Sew to get two strip sets. Press to darker side – I chose blue here.

Quick 9 patch squares — Pair up the strip sets. Careful! Check you have the right pairing!

Quick 9-patche squares — …and sew the centre strip to the double strip sets from the sides

For the block we need 9-patches which finish at 3.5″, so we will need to trim these to 4″, with centre square remaining at 1.5″.

Quick 9-patch — Mark the centre ( of the centre square!) and trim to 2″ from it on all sides.

You could also use the template A to match and trim the 9-patches to size.

Piecing the Centre

I would suggest cutting the strips into triangles before you start piecing. Lay the 60 degree line in alternating directions as you cut the triangles – remember to leave 1/4″ on the top before you cut in the opposite direction.

Block Twelve Dozens Squared, Round the Year Quilt — I used strips left over from previous blocks; in paper piecing, one need not be accurate in cutting! The next set of triangles will be cut by changing the ruler direction.

If doing the Rainbow block, I may mention that a 6″ x 2.25″ yields 3 traingles quite comfortably. I used 8 different colours for the centre.

The pieced centre triangle templates from the Dusk block

In no time, you would have the templates S, T, U, V, W and Xpieced. Put these aside.

Spiked Wedges

Now we come to the 12 spiked wedges G, H, I…Q, R.

Each of these wedges has 5 pieces. Before you start the actual piecing, I suggest you pin pieces # 1 (2.5″ x 1.5″) and #2 (HST 2.5″) on all the templates. This helps save time in sorting colours and sizes of the upcoming pieces!

Chain piecing must be the greatest innovation in sewing, don’t you think? In no time we are ready for piece#3, (which is the largest piece, at 2″ x 4″)

Align the corner of the rectangle to the busiest corner on the template!

Note the angle and placement of the piece. — Note the angle and placement of the rectangular piece. It should completely cover the area under Section #3 when opened out.

Trim the excess seam allowance.

Step 2 continued... trim to seam allowance! — Step 2 continued… I like to trim to upcoming seam allowance – 1/4″ beyond the seamline!

Press open. Piece #4 is easy! Just align the long edges of the two pieces and sew!

I like to trim the just stitched piece to just 1/4" beyond the upcoming seam line! — Add piece #4

Chain piecing, as usual!

We are ready for the last step – sewing piece #5 – a rectangle 2″ x 2.5″ ( I used 1.5″ x 2.5″ rectangles, but they made a tight fit, so I have changed the width to 2″.) Again, please check the rectangle placement before sewing to ensure you have the paper section fully covered.

All our piecing is done, all that remains is the assembly!

Assembly Instructions

Assemble the block, using the Master Template as a guide. Remember, the Master Template is a mirror image and shows the block as it would look from the printed paper (reverse) side. As seen here, what is on left appears on right and vice versa.

1. Sew the spiked wedge (halves) to either side of the respective 9-patches.

Sew G and J to opposite sides of A; M and P to opposite sides of C; H and K to opposite sides of E;

Sew N and Q to opposite sides of B; I and L to opposite sides of D; O and R to opposite sides of F.

2. Sew the centre pieced triangles to the 9-patch template sets.

Sew S to GAJ; V to MCP; T to HEK; W to NBQ; U to IDL and X to OFR.

3. Sew the respective circle edge wedges to the just assembled template sets. Here is some auditioning of fabric for the circle edges…

…before I settle on this!

Final Assembly

Option 1

Join background pieces AE1/ AH1 to wedge set containing A and B;

Join the background pieces AF1/AI1 to wedge set containing F and E;

Join background pieces AG1/AJ1 to wedge set containing D and C.

Join in threes – pieced set AE1, AF1 and AG1 to form one half; and the other 3 pieced sets to form the other half

Join the two halves to form the full block.

Option 2

Join the pieced sets to form the full circle and appliqué it to the background square using your favourite method.

Trim to 18.5″ square.

Here is a look at the Dusk version of the Dozens Squared block

Dreamcatcher Block 12 — Patchworkofmylife

Please note that the downloadable patterns with paper piecing templates and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks have been migrated to my store MadsPatch and are not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards.

Spiked Dresden – Block Eight, Dreamcatcher Dusk Round the Year Quilt

We are already halfway through in this Block of the Month quilt!?! This Spiked Dresden is the eighth of the sixteen blocks that will make up the Round the Year Quilt. The block is 18″ square with a 15″ inset circle, like the other blocks of this quilt,

When I was designing this quilt, I wanted to include all the blocks that I loved, but was too lazy to make a whole quilt with. One on that list was this Spiked Dresden that I encountered on pinterest. When drafting the block for the quilt, I modified it a bit, including the wedges on which the blade points rest. I also thought this was a great block to introduce you to foundation paper piecing with freezer paper. You can also piece it with regular foundation paper and even without a foundation paper piecing template. Complicated as it looks, this particular Dresden needs only as many seams as a regular Dresden! The blade, the spike and the wedge are all attached in one go. Those of you who are still apprehensive of attempting these blocks – this really is a piece of cake! This block was tested by fellow Desi Quilter Caroline Nagar and she had a lot of useful suggestions, which I have tried to incorporate here! Thanks, Caroline!

The downloadable Template files ( two this time) and the Instructions File can be found at the end of this post. So here we go!

Fabric requirement ( For Orange petalled Dresden)

Fabric	Blades	Spikes	Outer Ring	Centre	Background**
#1 Dark grey					11” x 13”
#2 Light Grey					11” x 13”
#4,5,6,7 Blues		4” x 10” each	2” X 17” each	8” square
#8,9,10,11 Yellow, gold, light orange, deep orange	5” x 18” each
**For background – Use 11” x 25” if using single fabric.
You could also use a 19.5” square ( will be trimmed to 18.5″ after appliquéing circle).

Cut all fabric strips from width of fabric.

Step by Step Instructions

Templates and Printing

Print the Instructions file.
Print the two templates files at 100% or actual size in portrait mode on A4 size freezer paper.

For printing on freezer paper, refer to this link.

Template File 1 :

For the Template A Circle, please add an additional ¼” seam allowance to make total of ½” seam allowance.

For the Template B (Pieced Dresden quadrant), cut exactly to size. Use a scale and score lines on the printed lines on the semi circular template with a paper knife or any sharp edged object, to get sharp creases at each seam. I used my trusted friend Jack (the Ripper) for this. Take care so that you do not tear the paper. Sobana of thequiltbug.blogspot.com recently used the freezer paper method for piecing the Dresdens in her quilt. She recommends needle punching the seam lines – I am quite happy with creases!

Important! We piece this Dresden using the freezer paper technique. If freezer paper is not available, regular foundation paper piecing may be done, in which case, you would need to print/trace the Template B to get 4 copies of it.

Template C (background) glue the two parts of the template on edge as indicated. You need four fabric pieces using this template.

Template File 2 –

Contains the templates D ( blade/ petal), E (spike) and F (outer ring piece).

Cutting Instructions

We cut:

6 petals/ blades from each of 4 fabric strips (5”x 18”) using Template D= Total 24
6 spikes from each of 4 fabric strips (4”x 10”) using Template E = Total 24
6 outer ring pieces (wedges at base of petal point ) from each of 4 fabric strips ( 2” x 17” ) using Template F= Total 24

Placing the freezer paper template to cut fabric... — Placing the freezer paper template to cut fabric…

I cut 4 layers of fabric using the rotary cutter. I pressed the freezer paper template to the top layer and cut the fabric so…

Round the Year Quilt Block 8 Spiked Dresden.2 — Cutting through four layers of fabric – 6 times to get 24 spikes

You could iron the freezer paper templates D, E, F (for the petal/ blade, spike and outer ring piece) on card / stiff paper and cut it out to make sturdier, reusable templates.

Glue or iron the template to thisk card paper.

Or you could use template plastic to trace and make stencils!

For the Spikes

Use template E and cut like you did the petals. Press the pieces into half lengthwise, right side outside.

For the inner circle

A reminder! Cut a circle from the 8” square – use template A, add an additional ¼” allowance all around – the template gives only ¼” allowance and cut circle.

Template A - remember you need a 1/2" seam allowance — Template A – remember you need a 1/2″ seam allowance instead of the 1/4″ given here!

Background.

11” x 25” if using single fabric.

You could also use a 19.5” square ( will be trimmed to 18.5after appliquéing circle).

Piecing and Assembly

Preparing the Blades/ Petals

Here is a great tutorial I referred to – http://www.vanessachristenson.com/2013/02/v-and-co-how-to-make-dresden-plate.html. So if anything is unclear here, that is where I suggest you head!

Fold the petals lengthwise, right side inside and sew ¼” seam along the top edge.

Round the Year Quilt Block 8 Spiked Dresden.11 — Fold into halfway and sew 1/4″ seam to form the pointed blade.

Remember to lock your stitch when you begin and end each seam, if your machine gives you the option, or you may end up with what happened here.

Round the Year Quilt Block 8 Spiked Dresden.14 — Unlocking equals unravelling!

If your machine does not have the locking option, reduce the stitch length. I do not recommend a back-stitch, as it adds bulk.

Reduce stitch length to prevent unravelling.

2. You can chain stitch all the petals at one go!

Chain stitch the blades/ petals... — I chain stitched the blades/ petals…

...and garlanded my old Singer (circa 1935) with it! — …and garlanded my old Singer (circa 1935) with it!

Clip apart the blades. Trim the seam to about 1/6” and clip the `pointy’ corner.
Clip seam and point to reduce bulk and turn inside out
Turn inside out. Use a toothpick or even your embroidery scissors to get a nice point.

Use a toothpick to get a nice, neat `point'! — Use a toothpick to get a nice, neat `point’!

5. Now comes the last step in getting the blades ready for piecing. Press them to ‘centre the point’. Lightly crease the blade on the vertical centre line as shown and align the centre seam line with it. Press ( not iron). A bit of spray starch does great here.

Round the Year Quilt Block 8 Spiked Dresden.19 — Align the `point’ with the centre line.

Preparing the Spikes

Fold the spikes along the central vertical `spine’, right side outside, aligning the longer edges. I do not recommend using your iron, you do not want a crease down the centre.

Piecing with Freezer Paper Template B

Arrange all the petals, spikes and wedges in a circle for an auditioning. I am sorry I forgot to take a picture of this stage!

Mirror Image of the block to aid in freezer paper piecing.

Any kind of foundation paper piecing can be confusing, as the final picture is a mirror image of what you began piecing with! I had this mirror image of my block to help me along the way!

Decide on a starting point, label the Blade#1, and start piecing anti-clockwise, if you are looking at the mirror image.

2. Now use the freezer paper template ( also used earlier) to piece the Dresden quarters. I find that using a template takes out the guesswork from piecing a Dresden – I needed sometimes 21 and at other times only 18 petals for a 20-petal Dresden, when I did not use paper piecing. The block lies flat and neat with this technique!

Remember we have to include the folded spike fabric at each seam, matching at the edge at the inner ( smaller) circle of the paper template. I used this turorial http://laren.blogspot.in/2012/04/tutorial-tuesday-spike-dresden-plate.html for adding the spikes.

3. Place the fabric pieces in this order on B1 section of the piecing template.
First – Template E #1 right side up at outer edge of template. Press down to freezer paper.

Round the Year Quilt Block 8 Spiked Dresden. — Press wedge piece #1 on outer edge of B1. I have used a rectangle – you will be using Template F to get the pieces

Second – Blade #1 right side up, aligned at inner edge of template. The blade point should be about ¼” inside the edge of paper, at the final seam line.
Press on to freezer paper.

Third– Spike#1. Aligned at inner edge of template. The spike will stick out beyond the paper edge by about a ¼”. Pin to hold in place temporarily.

Fourth – Blade #2 face down, aligned over blade#1. Repin as shown.

Fifth – Wedge #2 comes face down, aligned over wedge #1.

Wedge #2 , wrong side up, aligned on Wedge#1 makes the fifth piece to line up on B1.

Pin to hold everything in place. Fold away the freezer paper at crease ( seam line beteen B1 and B2) line, turn over.

Repin from this side, if you like. You will have ¼” seam allowance visible beyond the paper.

sew in 1/4" seam allowance visible beyond folded freezer paper template. — Sew in 1/4″ seam allowance visible beyond folded freezer paper template.

Sew just along the edge of the paper, taking care not to stitch over the paper. Trim the seam to ¼”.

Trim the seam to 1/4" (No, the fabric did not change colour - it is a different piece!) — Trim the seam to 1/4″ (No, the fabric did not change colour – it is a different piece!)

.Peel away the freezer paper and press open the seam.

You would not be able to press open the seam if piecing with regular foundation paper; this is one of the advantages of freezer paper piecing that I love!

Now press the pieced portion back on to the freezer paper. Press the spike open, so that it is centred between the two blades as below.

We are now ready to add the next pieces.

Note: If not using freezer paper, just sew on seam line on printed side of paper, as usual (without creasing, folding away the template.)

4. Place Spike #2 in place – it has to stick out beyond edge of paper!

… Follow with blade #3 aligned with blade #2. Pin in place…

Blade #3 aligned on top of Blade #2, right sides together.

…and finally wedge #3. Flip around and sew.

Sew along paper edge as for the first two blades.

Again trim and press open seam. Press down on freezer paper.

5. Join the next three pieces – Spike #3, Blade#4 and wedge #4.

6. Join 2 more sets, till Spike #5, Blade#6 and wedge #6.

7. Press and trim all sides to size, before you remove the freezer paper Template B totally.

8. Pin a post it note on Spike #6 with its name, and set it aside!

So one quadrant is pieced!

9. Now , we are ready to piece the 2^nd quadrant. Proceed as for Quadrant 1. Before removing the freezer paper, sew Spike #6 in place between Quadrant 1 and Quadrant2, to get a semi circular ring. Put aside Spike #12

The freezer paper template is reusable. But if you are piecing with regular printer paper, you need fresh templates for each of the other three quadrants.

Halfway stage in piecing the Dresden. Note the two spikes set aside ( in centre). They will join quadrants 3-4 and 4-1 respectively.

10. Similarly piece Quadrants 3 and attach Spike# 12 between Seme-circle1-2 and Quadrant 3..

11. Finally piece Quadrant #4 and add spike #24 between the last blade (#24) and Blade#1 from the first quadrant to complete your ring!

Assembly

Applique the ring to your background.

Finally add the centre circle in place. The simplest way to do this is: Machine tack ( largest stitch setting) about 1/8 to 1/6” inside edge of the fabric circle, leaving a long length of thread on either side. Trim your template B to the seam line and iron it to the centre of the fabric. Now pull the thread to gather the fabric nicely over the paper circle. You have a perfect 7” circle. Pin in place over the centre of your block and appliqué by hand or machine. Trim away the background fabric behind the centre, and remove the freezer paper.

Here are the downloadable .pdf files with the instructions and templates. You need Adobe Reader (available for free online) on your computer, to be able to view these files.

1. Instructions Spiked Dresden Block08 of the Round the Year Quilt

2. Template File 1 Spiked Dresden Block08 of the Round the Year Quilt

3. Template File 2 Spiked Dresden Block08 of the Round the Year Quilt

You can access the links to the other blocks from this quilt here.

Rainbow Evening at the Pond – Block Two, Dreamcatcher Round the Year, Block of the Month Quilt

This, EVENING AT THE POND, the second block in my Block of the Month quilt ‘Dreamcatcher Round the Year’ , is a favourite of mine! For those of you who came in late, this quilt is being made in two colourways. The first, Dusk is in blues, oranges and yellows of a brilliant sunset, while the second, Rainbow is a more modern version with rainbow colours set against grey and sky blue.

This particular block went through several reincarnations before acquiring its present form, but that deserves its vey own blogpost! It was tested for me by Nikhat Syeda Arshia and by Sobana Sundar, who has shared her adventure of testing an earlier version of the block on her blog.

Instructions

These are instructions for the “Rainbow ” colourway, including the paper piecing templates, fabric requirement and cutting instructions. These instructions can also be downloaded in a printable .pdf format from the link at the end of this post.

The fabric requirement for the Dusk colourway was posted a few days ago.

The block is paper foundation pieced before being assembled. The finished block size is 18″ square with an inset circle of 15″ diameter.

Fabric Requirement and Cutting Instructions

Cut the 2″ X50″ grey strip for the pond into 12 rectangles – 4 strips each of 5″, 4.5″ and 3.5″.

INSTRUCTIONS

Take a print out of the template.pdf file at with printer setting at 100% or actual size. You have the following templates:

8 arc templates numbered I to P for the outer ring of flying geese
8 templates A to H for the inner ‘pond’
Template S in 2 pieces S1 and S2 for one quarter of the outside square.

2. Piecing

Piece the templates A to H
Piece the flying geese templates I to P

3. Assembly

Join A to I, B to J, C to K …H to P
Join AI to BJ to get quarter circle AIBJ; similarly assemble CKDL, EMFN and GOHP
Join the quarter circles to Q, R, S and T respectively to get four quarters of your final block.
Assemble the 4 squares; square up the block to 18.5″ – we are done!

Refer to the Master template below as a guide when assembling the paper pieced templates.

You can also use it to try out your own colour schemes; use colour pencils!

I would love to see pictures of your completed blocks on my facebook page “Patchwork of My Life” – a link is on the sidebar!

Downloadable files:

1. Paper piecing template – Rainbow Evening at the Pond , Block Two of Round the Year Quilt

2 Instructions -Rainbow Evening at the Pond , Block Two of Round the Year Quilt

BUY PATTERN NOW!

Please note that the downloadable patterns with paper piecing templates and instruction files for the Dreamcatcher Round the Year quilt blocks are being migrated to my store MadsPatch and will not be available for download for free from 15th November 2020 onwards

Evening at the Pond – Step by Step Piecing Instructions

This post seems to be jinxed! I wrote the whole post, to find that I had overwritten the assembly instructions. Those will follow in another post!

My laptop is back from the service centre with a new hard disk, but I am not able to locate all the pictures! So here are the step by step instructions for piecing the Evening at the Pond block, ( the second block in the Dreamcatcher Round the Year Block of the Month quilt) with the pictures for a few steps missing.

As you may recall, here also the finished block size is 18″ square with a 15″ inset circle. The block is paper foundation pieced before being assembled. This is a really easy block, though you may find piecing the flying geese a bit tedious! I know that I thought the Dahlia block was super easy to piece, not so easy to assemble. This one is really, really easy to assemble, it has no curves anywhere!

So here we go!

INSTRUCTIONS

Take print outs of the template.pdf file with your printer settings at 100% or actual size. Cut out the templates, leaving a little margin on all sides. You have the following templates:

8 arc templates numbered I to P for the outer ring of flying geese
8 triangular templates A to H for the inner ‘pond’
Template S in 2 pieces S1 and S2 for one quarter of the outside square.

Take a print out of the Instructions File and keep it hand.
Colour code the fabric you plan to use. Follow the instructions to cut the fabric. If your fabric is pre-starched, it gives a nice, crisp, neat finish to your final block!
Pin the cut fabric pieces to each template
using the colour code as a guide – I always do that or I get confused what goes where!!
Fabric pieces pinned to each template for ease in piecing
Piecing the Pond

The templates A, C, E and G are pieced from the outer edge to the centre and the alternate pieces B, D, F and H are pieced from the centre outwards.
The adjoining seams facing opposite directions ensures a nice `fit’ when the pieces are finally assembled.
Right sides together – ready to piece!
Unpin the two fabric pieces to be joined, place them on the wrong side of the template, keeping a seam allowance of ¼” approximately. The remaining two pieces are pinned back to the template so that they don’t get misplaced and mixed up!
I chain pieced the templates in alphabetical order, so that my chain looked something like this!
Chain piecing the ‘pond’…
My fabric pieces are not rectangles like yours will be – this is so that you do not make stupid mistakes like I did! Lesson learnt – Resist the temptation to trim the fabric pieces to size before you sew them!
Oops what was that???
Also remember to flip over your piece No 2 to ensure that it covers the entire section that it is supposed to! Or you may end up using the services of Jack the Ripper!
The perils of not placing fabric pieces correctly 🙁
One way to ensure that is to lightly fold the fabric piece to find the centre and do the same for the paper template, and match them when sewing. ( However, this is unlikely to happen to you, because I have made the pieces really long, with a lot of margin of error!
Now that all the 8 pond templates have the sections 1 and 2 pieced, we clip apart the templates and head to the ironing table. Trim seam allowance to ¼” if needed. You can just eyeball it and use your scissors to trim the seam – not necessary to use the services of a rotary cutter.
Press open piece 2; if your fabric is well starched and crisp, you may just finger press.
Seams trimmed to 1/4″ – pressing open the second strip
Similarly attach piece 3. Trim seam allowance to ¼” and press open the third piece.
Strip 3 sewn and pressed open
Attach piece 4, trim seam allowance to ¼” press open. Trim the excess fabric from the sides and our pond pieces are ready! That was really easy, wasn’t it?!
Hurrah! Pond pieced!

Do not get confused by this picture! I changed the pattern after I made this block, so your pond templates will add up to an octagon, not a circle!

Piecing the flying geese
The templates I to P will be pieced to make a ring of flying geese. Here chain piecing is not really possible, so this bit of piecing goes a bit slow!

Place the first rectangle for the goose (wrong side of fabric touching paper) so that the seam allowance between Goose 1 and Goose 2 extends about a ¼” beyond the seam line, like in the picture below.
Hold up the paper against light to ensure correct placement – 1/4″ beyond seam line
Place the half square triangle for Piece 2 with the longest side (hypotenuse) aligned to the seam allowance. You can hold it against the light to see that the piece extends approximately ¼” beyond the seam line. You can pin it like I have done. These two pictures show the two sides…
Piece 2 is also in order 🙂

The other side! The triangular sky is placed with the long edge on the seam line
Caution : The next few pictures are of a previous version of the block, so please do not get confused by the template numbers or order of piecing.
Sew on the seam line, extending your seam line to approximately ¼” beyond into the next section.
The seam line 1/4″ extends beyond the centre
Flip over and trim the excess fabric to leave a seam allowance of ¼” , press open.
Trim off excess fabric!
Similarly sew the other triangular `sky’ piece, going beyond the centre point, like was done for the previous piece. Now trim the seam allowance to ¼” and press open. The first goose is ready!
Piece 3 sewn , ready for trimming and pressing open
TIP – Before sewing the sky pieces, do remember to check the placement of the piece so that it covers the respective `sky’ section fully when pressed open. This is especially true of the sky pieces on the outer border of the ring.
Fold back the paper on the seam line between the just pieced section and the next – that would be the long line of Piece 4. You will need tear a bit of the paper here, to detach the top seam allowance from the paper. No worry!
Trim this seam allowance to ¼” on the just pieced portion.
Place the rectangle piece for the second goose, right side down on the just pieced section and sew. Press open. Continue to piece as in previous sections.
Here is a picture taken by Sobana, who tested the block!
Sobana’s arc under construction!
And here is a picture of the fully pieced template, trimmed to size
One arc done!
This is how it looks from the back! You can see how the seams extend into the adjoining section in the centre of the template.
Final trimming!
And here is the full ring of flying geese made by Sobana! Aren’t they pretty?
Ring of flying geese! Love it!

So all our templates are pieced!

Using the master template as a guide, arrange your templates and admire them!

The assembly instructions will be online soon, while you get cracking on this!

You can download the instructions and templates files here.

1. Paper piecing templates – Evening at the Pond ( Block Two of Round the Year Quilt)

2. Instructions (Dusk version) -Evening at the Pond ( Block Two of Round the Year Quilt)

You can access the pattern for the first block, Dahlia here.

Tag: Quilt Tutorial

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