January Blocks of the Month - Plus all of the Initial Instructions

This first block is called "Battlefield" and my source for it is the Dear Jane sampler quilt. This is a very famous sampler quilt involving some 225 four inch sampler blocks. It was made in 1863 by Jan A. Blakely Stickle. There is a book available on this quilt, and a web site and Internet list for people who are working on duplicating the quilt. The web site is at: www.dearjane.com You can order the book for about $30 from there, or your local quilt shop may well have it. NAYY

I was unable to find "Battlefield" in any of my other books. Perhaps it has another name, as so many blocks do. If anyone knows it by another name, let us know.

"Battlefield" is one of the easier blocks from Dear Jane and I have selected it because it offers straightforward construction and includes the edge buildup or "setting" that I mentioned above. The block itself is based on a 4 x 4 assembly, so you will be working with 3" squares to make the 12" block. You will need 16 3" half-spare triangles. Instructions for making these can be found in The Quilt Shop. Use the link to TOBE Instructions TOBE's I - VII. TOBE's III and IV were half-triangle exchanges. To make oversize half-triangles and cut them down to size, cut 4 1/2" squares, follow the sewing instructions, and then trim the resulting triangle squares to 3 1/2". The extra 1/2 " is for the seam allowances, producing a finished square size, in the block, of 3".

 

Here is my "Battlefield" block:

In making this block, I had excess time. I had just rearranged my sewing room and had to get used to that, plus finding and putting away many things in new places. I also had to make the initial selection of fabrics. In addition, I used a new-to-me sewing machine and treadle, a White Mission Style with the White FR machine with the cast in decoration. I have had this machine for years but had not used it in a long time, and never started a quilt with it. In spite of these factors, making the block took only 3 hours. At this point, it is 12 1/2". Tomorrow I will "set" it, making it 14 1/2".

 

This block takes 16 half triangles. I cut my squares to 4 1/2/", then made the triangle squares, then trimmed them to the 3 1/2" required for the block. Once trimmed, you are working with precise squares of 3 1/2". In sewing the squares together into rows, and sewing the rows together, it is wise to be stingy, just a bit, with your seams. With three seams, If you err on the fat seam side, you can easily come up 3/16" shy of the 12 1/2" you are shooting for. This is not the end of the world, as we will be setting the block in a border. However, isn't it nice to come out right?

I had intended to do the block as a two-color concept, i.e. make no special arrangement of colors and just let it come out scrappy. However, once I had some squares made, I felt compelled to play with them and see if I couldn't make a pleasing arrangement. The example of Battleground that I had was two-color. Most blocks are named for the sewing arrangement, ignoring the potential for color arrangements, which can change the appearance startlingly. I like what I did here, and am very pleased to be "underway" with our first Block of the Month project.

 

 

January Test Pilot Blocks

Cindy Johnson's "Battleground" block

Note that the color values are organized, but the pieces are not the same, so there is a scrappy look even while the color separations make a powerful statement

Damascus Annie's Battleground Block

I'm really glad Damascus Annie had this block photographed "on point". Setting a whole quilt on point is really effective, though it is a slight bit more work. When we are close to done, I will provide "on point" instructions.

Mary Waller's Battleground

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Alternative January Block

 

In discussion on the list, I noted that some folks may want to make a bigger quilt by having more blocks, rather than larger blocks. I am therefore going to add at least one, sometimes two, alternate blocks per month. You can pick and choose.

Annie's Choice

This is one of my most favorite blocks. Someday I will make an entire quilt in it. Like Battleground, above, it is made up entirely of half-triangles. So you need to make 16 of them. This is just a matter of personal choice, but I think this block looks better in only two colors. More confuses the pattern for me. As with Damascus Annie's block above, though, it does show you another possibility… you can make each block in only two colors, with setting to match. With lots of blocks, you will still get a good looking scrap quilt, but the effect will be different. This is what I love about quilting. The artistic possibilities are endless.

 

January Alternate Test Pilot Blocks

Betty Keegan's Annie's Choice

Betty is doing a Christmas quilt, and she has used a white on white print with Christmas words, "Noel" "Peace", etc as the background.

 

Amber's Annie's Choice