mosaic jig qal - center mosaic block

Hi everyone! Are you getting excited yet? Well you should be. Today we will start to sew the first block in the Mosaic Jig Quilt Along. Since this is a mystery medallion quilt, instructions will be given every two weeks for a new border or at least the main blocks in that border. Are you curious??

First of all, I would like to thank each and everyone of you for reading my blog posts and even participating in the quilt along. I am very honored and grateful! Thank you!

Here is a reminder of previous posts if you missed one.

Intro
Material and Fabric Requirements (March 1)
Preparation and Cutting Instructions (March 15)
Center Mosaic Medallion (March 29)
Border Blocks (April 12)
Mosaic (April 26)
Record Blocks (May 10)
Finishing (May 26)

Preparation & Reminders

Please read through the instructions before you begin. You should have knowledge of sewing as well as how to use templates to complete this quilt.

• Use high quality patchwork/quilting fabrics and thread for longer endurance.
• All dimensions are given in inches.
• Use a scant 1/4" seam allowance for all seams unless otherwise given.
• Finger press as you go. Press with a warm iron to set your seams. Do not use steam to set seams.
• Use a 2.0 stitch length for smaller blocks. Use a 2.0 - 2.5 stitch length for larger blocks.
• Snip off dog ears as you sew.

 

Copyright

All designs and templates are protected under copyright laws and may not be photocopied, dublicated or reproduced in any form other than the orginal purchaser for personal, private use. No commercial use of any kind is granted without the written consent from Karen Ackva or easypatchwork. May not be used as teaching material nor used in sellable items. All designs © Karen Ackva - easypatchwork.

Center Mosaic Block

Now on to the first block of our medallion quilt. I designed a four-patch mosaic block. If you look at it closely, you will see four blocks. However, where the blocks butt up against each other, the lines are missing. This creates more interest when looking at the block. Do you see the big X in the middle? Does your eye tend to travel over the block or does it stop at one point?

If you have never sewn large blocks this could be a totally new experience for you . This block is huge (measuring 30" x 30"). We will break it down into smaller segments. Enjoy the larger scale, because we will get smaller along the way.

Here is what you need to get started.

				Total Number of Patches
Shape	Patch	Dimension in Inches	Subcut	Accent	Main	Med 1	Med 2	BG
Triangles	G	8 ¾ x 8 ¾	(4) QST		16			8
	H	4 ⅝ x 4 ⅝	(2) HST	10	16			10
Squares	K	5 ¾ x 5 ¾				2	2	4
	L	4 ¼ x 4 ¼						6

 

Lay it out

Lay out your patches for the block on a large area such as a wall, table or floor to get an idea of the exact placement of your fabric. We will be making units and then sewing together in diagonal and horizontal rows.

Below you will find a condensed version of the instructions. You can find the full version here for your convenience.

Making Sub-Units

Make (10) HST's. Trim to 4 1/4" x 4 1/4".

Make (2) Unit 1's. Trim to 4 1/4" x 8".

Make (4) Unit 2's. Trim to 4 1/4" x 8".

Make (4) Flying Geese. Trim to 4 1/4" x 8".

Make (2) Diamond in a Square Blocks. Trim to 8" x 8".

Sewing Instructions for the Rows

Row 1 & Row 5

1. Sew one HST to each corresponding Flying Geese unit, nesting seams. Press outwards towards the corner. Repeat for the other side.
2. Sew one HST/Flying Geese unit to each side of Unit 1. Press in the direction shown. Make (2) rows and set aside.

Row 2 & Row 4

1. Sew two G triangles together. Press in the directions shown. Repeat for the other side.
2. Sew one G triangle to each side of corresponding K square as shown. Press outwards (up and down). Repeat for the remaining two diagonal sections.
3. Finish the entire row by nesting the seams and sewing the rows together. Finger press in the direction shown. Make (2) rows. Set aside.

Row 3

1. Sew one Unit 2 to the correct side of each Diamond in a Square blocks. Press towards Unit 2. 
2. Make the Bow Tie block by sewing and nesting two Unit 2's together. Pop the center to create a spinning seam. Press. 
3. Finish sewing the row by connecting all units. Press in the direction shown.

Set your seams and press with a warm iron. 

Good luck with sewing your block together! If you have any problems, don't hesitate to ask. You can link up your block below or on Instagram: #mosaigjigqal #mosaicjigquiltalong

Here are a few mock-ups of your most popularly voted color schemes:

*******

Here are some of my favorite tips to keep mind.

When sewing rows together, always start where two seams will butt up against each other. Using your finger nail, push the seams into each other to nest and pin in place. Fill the rest of the seam with straight pins as needed.Sew and remove pins. Since I am right-handed, I pin perpendicular to the seam with the glass head on the right.

When sewing, keep your iron turned off and finger press as you sew. Set your seams and "flatten" after the block is sewn together to prevent stretching and distorting the seams. When you work with triangles, you will have a lot of bias edges. Spray with starch before sewing or even cutting.

Measure your blocks and rows before sewing them together. If they don't match what is written in the instructions, you should trim or square them within reason. Use large rulers and cut off the excess. It is more important that the 1/4" seam allowance remains intact rather than the length and width of the block/row is exact. In other words, it is more important that your blocks are consistent rather than accurate in measurements. Chances are, if you sew everything together with more than 1/4" seam allowance, that's okay, as long as everything is consistent.

After you sew a row together, check to see if your points match up. The points should match but be offset (not touching tips) about 1/16" when opening up the seam. Why? Because the seams are pressed to one side and not open. If they don't match up, rip the seam about one inch before and one inch after the point you are trying to correct. Preform a "preliminary" basting with about five or six stitches. Open back up to see if it worked. If so, sew a second time over the entire two inches directly over the same seam. If not, rip the seam and try again.

Looking forward to what comes next? Here's another sneak peek. That looks like applique!

Please join us on April 12, 2019 for the border blocks. Thanks for reading! Happy patching!

mosaic jig block diagonal construction tutorial

Have you ever tried to sew a quilt block together on the diagonal? Did you know this might actually be a quicker way to sew the block together? This would use fewer patches. The seam allowance could lay flat and you would not have to press the seams open. Well, keep on reading, because I have a super cool tutorial for you!

I've been diligently writing the instructions for the Mosaic Jig Quilt Along. I am also a strong believer in making everything in patchwork simpler - simpler block construction and using time-saving shortcuts. So, when drawing up the Mosaic Jig block in EQ8, I chose to remove the typical lines in the center (album block) so as to use fewer patches.

I cut out my shapes and thought it could be easier to sew on the diagonal rather than horizontal. And you know what? It really is quick and easy to make this way! The extra bonus is clean and crisp seam allowance They just seam (pun intended) to lay perfectly!

Here is the front of the block. I didn't fuss with the seams at all. I don't think I ripped any of the seams out either. (I love to rip seams!) I just sewed the block together and finger pressed the seams with my finger nail and iron-pressed after the block was completely constructed.

I am totally happy with this result. : ) I incorporated this method into the Mosaic Jig Quilt Along as well. Of course, you could still assemble the block in horizontal rows, but when everything falls into place, why hassle?

I wrote out step-by-step instructions in a pattern format of how to construct a block in diagonal rows and saved it into a PDF for your convenience.

Thanks for joining and learning about this block construction method. You can download a PDF of the instructions on my website under the Downloads tab at the top of the page. You can also find patch sizes for these blocks - 5", 6", 9", 12" and 15". Try it out and tell me if this works for you.

Happy patching!

mosaic jig qal cutting instructions

Okay, today is the big time. It is time to cut into your fabrics. Are you ready to dive in or are you still a bit nervous? If you are nervous or just don't like to cut all of your fabric at one time, don't worry. Each section of the medallion will have a cutting list at the beginning of the sewing instructions in case you want to cut and piece each part of the medallion separately.

 

Here's the quilt along schedule as a reminder:

The quilt along will start on Friday, March 1, 2019. Every two weeks, new instructions will be given here on the blog on what to work on for the next two weeks. Share you progress here with hyperlinks if you wish and/or on social media using the hashtag:  #mosaicjigqal or #mosaicjigmedallionquilt

Intro
Material and Fabric Requirements (March 1)
Preparation and Cutting Instructions (March 15)
Center Mosaic Medallion (March 29)
Border Blocks (April 12)
Mosaic (April 26)
Record Blocks (May 10)
Finishing (May 26)

Also, I updated the materials list to include the batting and the backing fabric. Sorry, I forgot to mention it. Please accept my apologies. There will probably be some mistakes in the instructions as well, so please tell us if you find one or two or three. : )

Copyright
All designs © 2019 Karen Ackva. All designs, illustrations, photographs and contents is copyrighted. No portion of this pattern may be copied, reprinted or distributed without written consent from Karen Ackva or easypatchwork per copyright laws. May not be used for commercial use of any kind. May not be used to teach a class nor for instructing material without written consent. For personal and private use only by the original purchaser.

A lot of time and effort is put into writing patterns. Please respect these laws. If your friends want to make the medallion quilt too, tell them where they can find the information and let them download it themselves. Thank you!

I have done my best to ensure accuracy of all the dimensions and instructions. My close, quilty friends were kind enough to be my testers, but there may be more mistakes to follow. Sorry in advance! Thank you for helping me, friends. : ) 

Abbreviations and Definitions

BG - Background Fabric
HST - Half Square Triangle
LOF - Length of Fabric (Parallel to the selvage)
Patch - Cut piece of fabric used to make a block
QST - Quarter Square Triangle
Med - Medium Fabric or Print
RST - Right Sides Together
Template - Shape used to make a patch
WOF - Width of Fabric (Cross grain of fabric or perpendicular to the selvage.)

Preparation

First, you will need to print out your templates. I have them listed here on my Instant Downloads page of my website. Choose from DIN A4 or Letter Size according to your printer and convenience. Please make sure you have no-scaling selected when printing. I accidentally had "fit to page" selected when I initially printed and wondered why all of my templates were a little smaller than required. You can imagine my relief when I realized it was a simple mistake. Please print at 100%. Verify the one-inch square on each page. You can cross-reference the templates with the size written on the templates as well.

Glue your paper templates to poster board or a piece of lightweight cardboard such as a cereal box. Cut out exactly along the seam allowance line. Please note, pictured above was an older version of the DIN A4 template sheet. Your template page will look different.

Pre-cut your pieces for the templates as written in the instructions. Finish with your selfmade templates or use your circle cutting ruler if you have one. Line up the curved edges of your template with the curve of the ruler and mark with an erasable marker or washi tape for future cuts. Cut through the slot with a 28 mm rotary cutter in an upward position (perpendicular to the cutting mat) per manufacturing directions.

I have also included a page of patch markers to identify what you have cut. Since some of the patches are cut in different fabrics, you may want to print this page three time; no patch requires more than three different fabrics per these instructions for this design. Keep your patches together, number the amount cut and set aside until we start sewing the blocks together on March 29, 2019.

 

Even if you will be cutting the patches later and working section for section, please cut the outer border patches T & U first, along the LOF.

Do this be folding the entire 2 yards/meters in half several times ensuring the edges are parallel on both the fold and on the selvages. Square and cut off the selvage. Measure 4 1/2" and cut. (Two pieces of fabric are cut at once, because it is folded in half across the WOF.) Measure 4 1/2" and cut for your second pair of outer borders. Cut both pairs to the correct lengths (60 1/2" & 68 1/2") or wait until the entire medallion quilt is sewn and cut to the exact length you need.

Cutting Instructions

To make cutting fun for all of us, I wrote out two different ways to cut your fabric. For those of you who like to read and cut strip-for-strip, faric-for-fabric, there is a Text Version for the cutting. For those of you who like to read in a table form and basically cut each block, there is a second cutting version. Choose which one works best for you. The table version will also aid in a scrappy design of the medallion quilt and will be used for future posts as a patch guide.

Cut out the larger pieces followed by the smaller pieces. Use a sharp rotary cutter and layer fabric whenever possible when you are using a rotary cutter. Trace templates onto the backside of your fabric (all patches are symmetrical) and cut out or use a circle cutting tool. Label all patch groups with letter as indicated.

You will notice on Template B - "Trim template back to this yellow line after all Patch B's are cut." The template will also be used to fold back the end of Patch B shortly before appliquéing. You can do this right before assembling the Record Blocks. Those instructions will follow later.

Two Template C's should be cut from one 6 1/2" x 9 1/2" rectangle as shown below. This is for ease of cutting and reduces fabric waste. Please refer to the photos below for more help on cutting.

For Patches E & F, you have a choice of how to construct the block. You can either cut out patch E & F with the templates provided to make the Rounded Corner block OR you can cut out squares and "fake" the curve. This will be explained later when sewing the block together. If you are unsure of what I mean, just cut the squares for now. 

Tip: Punch holes in the dots on the templates and mark your fabric through the dot with a pencil to know where they need to be pinned later.

Cutting Instructions (Text Version) 

Follow these instructions if you prefer to cut all of your patches fabric-for-fabric.

Accent                  

(7) Strips – 2 ¼” x WOF – Binding (S)

(2) Strips – 1¼” x WOF. Subcut (4) 1¼” x 20 ½” rectangles. (R)

(2) Strips – 4 ⅝” x WOF. Subcut (5) 4 ⅝” x 4 ⅝” squares. Cut once diagonally to get (10) HST’s. (H)

(3) Strips – 4 ¼” x WOF. Subcut to (21) 4 ¼” x 4 ¼” squares. Cut twice diagonally to get (84) QST’s. (I)

(3) Strips – 2 ⅜” x WOF. Subcut (46) squares 2 ⅜” x 2 ⅜”. Cut once diagonally to get (92) HST’s. (J)

(4) Squares – 3 ½” x 3 ½”. Cut (4) Template D’s.

(2) Strips – 2” x WOF. Cut (40) Template A’s.

Main                     

(4) Strips – 4 ½” x length of fabric. Subcut (2) 4 ½” x 60 ½” rectangles (T) and (2) 4 ½” x 68 ½” rectangles (U).

 *(4) Squares – 3 ½” x 3 ½”. Cut 4 Template F’s.

(2) Strips – 5” x WOF (31”). Subcut (8) 5” x 5” squares. Cut (8) Template B’s.

(2) Strips – 8 ¾” x WOF (31”). Subcut (4) 8 ¾” x 8 ¾” squares. Cut twice diagonally to get (16) QST’s. (G)

(1) Strips – 4 ⅝” x WOF. (8) Squares – 4 ⅝” x 4 ⅝”. Subcut to get (16) HST’s. (H)

(8) Squares – 4 ¼” x 4 ¼”. Subcut twice diagonally to get (32) QST’s. (I)

(2) Strips – 2 ⅜ x WOF (31”). Subcut (10) squares 2 ⅜” x 2 ⅜”. Cut once diagonally to get a total of (20) squares. (J)

(1) Strip – 2 ⅝” x WOF (31”). Subcut (12) squares 2 ⅝” x 2 ⅝”. Use previous strips to compensate. (M)

Medium 1            

(2) Strips – 5” x WOF. Subcut (16) 5”x 5” squares. Cut (16) Template B’s.

(2) Squares – 5 ¾” x 5 ¾”. (K)

(1) Strip 2 ⅝” x WOF. Subcut (10) 2 ⅝” x 2 ⅝” squares. (M)     

Medium 2            

(2) Strips – 5” x WOF. Subcut (16) 5”x 5” squares. Cut (16) Template B’s.

(2) Squares – 5 ¾” x 5 ¾”. (K)

(1) Strip – 2 ⅝” x WOF. Subcut (10) 2 ⅝” x 2 ⅝” squares. (M)

Background         

(4) Strips – 9 ½” x WOF. Subcut (20) rectangles 6 ½” x 9 ½”. Cut (2) Template C’s from each rectangle for a total of (40) Template C’s.

(4) Strips – 1 ¾” x WOF. Subcut (8) rectangles 1 ¾” x 20 ½”. (Q)

(4) Squares – 3 ½” x 3 ½” for the background of the Dot Blocks (DB).

*(4) Squares – 6 ½” x 6 ½”. Cut 4 Template E’s.

(2) Squares – 8 ¾” x 8 ¾”. Subcut (8) QST’s. (G)

(1) Strip – 4 ⅝” x WOF. Subcut (5) squares 4 ⅝” x 4 ⅝”. Cut once diagonally to get a total of (10) HST’s. (H)

(5) Squares – 4 ¼” x 4 ¼”. Subcut twice diagonally to get (24) QST’s. (I)

(1) Strip – 5 ¾” x WOF. Subcut (4) squares 5 ¾” x 5 ¾”. (K)

(6) Squares 4 ¼” x 4 ¼”. (L)

(1) Strip – 2” x WOF. Subcut (20) squares 2” x 2”. (N)

(1) Strip – 3 ½” x WOF. Subcut (20) rectangles 2” x 3 ½”. (O)

(1) Strip – 5 ½” x WOF. Subcut and compensate to get (8) rectangles 3 ½” x 5 ½”. (P) 

*Cut squares as indicated. There are two different methods/designs for you to choose from. If you do not want to make the small curved piecing, cut squares for now.

 

Cutting Instructions (Table Version)

Cross reference this chart against the patches cut.

You can also use this chart if you wish to make your quilt scrappy. Cut the number of patches according to the fabric given.

				Total Number of Patches
Shape	Patch	Dimension in Inches	Subcut	Accent	Main	Med 1	Med 2	BG
Templates	A	2 x 2	A	40
	B	5 x 5	B		8	16	16
	C	6 ½ x 6 ½	C					40
	D	3 ½ x 3 ½	D	4
	E*	6 ½ x 6 ½	E					4*
	F*	3 ½ x 3 ½	F		4*
Triangles	G	8 ¾ x 8 ¾	(4) QST		16			8
	H	4 ⅝ x 4 ⅝	(2) HST	10	16			10
	I	4 ¼ x 4 ¼	(4) QST	84	32			24
	J	2 ⅜ x 2 ⅜	(2) HST	92	20
Squares	DB	3 ½ x 3 ½						4
	K	5 ¾ x 5 ¾				2	2	4
	L	4 ¼ x 4 ¼						6
	M	2 ⅝ x 2 ⅝			12	10	10
	N	2 x 2						20
Rectangles	O	2 x 3 ½						20
	P	3 ½ x 5 ½						8
	Q	1 ¾ x 20 ½						8
	R	1¼ x 20 ½		4
	S	2 ¼ x WOF		7
	T	4 ½ x 60 ½			2
	U	4 ½ x 68 ½			2

*If you do not want to make the small curved piecing, cut squares and follow Method 2 for the Rounded Corner Blocks as listed on the templates. If not, cut templates with rounded corners.

Also, when cutting HST and QST, divide the total number needed by 2 for HST and divide by 4 for QST. Otherwise, you will have too many if you don't.

Update and correction.

Cutting Template C - a Mini Pictorial Tutorial

Pre-cut your rectangles to 6 1/2" x 9 1/2". Lay your template on the fabric and trace twice on the backside of your fabric rectangle. You can use a pencil or erasable marker and the lines will disappear. If you use a pen, they will not.

Using a ruler and 45 mm rotary cutter, line up and cut the straight lines marked on the fabric for both patches. Extend the cut further than the line drawn. Please do not cut into the other drawn patch. : )

Here you can see both straight edges (not already pre-cut from the rectangular shape) of the patch are cut.

Finish the curve of the patch with a circle cutting tool. (I use the Circle Savvy Ruler.) Do so by lining up the seam allowance edge on the ruler with the seam allowance edge of the cut patch AND the cut edge of the patch with the slot of the ruler. Click on the photo to enlarge it for a better understanding.

Now you can see the patch is completely cut out. Rotate your cutting mat and repeat for the other patch.

TIP: You can also use the cardboard templates to make these cut, but please be extra careful!! Also, I find it easier, being a right-handed person, to cut in a clockwise direction when cutting the inside curve of a template rather than a counterclockwise direction. Why? Because the cardboard template holds the fabric in place when cutting in a clockwise direction. If you do it the other way, nothing is pressing and holding your fabric in place. Try it out and see what works better for you. You can always use scissors to cut the patches out.

And that my dear ladies (and gents) concludes the great cutting event of the Mosaic Jig QAL. I look forward to seeing your cut fabrics. You can link up with the linky party below.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. I will do my best to answer.

Please join us on March 29 for instructions on how to sew the Center Mosaic Medallion Block. Here's a little sneak peek to satisfy your curiousity. Have a happy and safe weekend! Happy patching (or cutting).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter