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TreadleOn Block Exchanges - Basic Blocks - Trail To Treadleonia, or Mary's Triangles, or Shaded 4-patch

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TOBE Blocks are exchanged between members, co-ordinated by a host, and they vary from year to year. You send in sets of blocks as specified by size and fabric and get back a selection from other makers...
These instructions are for the regular, easy, beginners' blocks and are useful for all sorts of projects

This block is trimmable, so it is easy to get the blocks to an accurate size, essential for swaps...

You need:-
Fabric, preferably cotton.
See the TOBE instructions for this swap for colours
TOBE fabrics should be pre-washed before cutting

For a pair of 6-inch finished (6-1/2 inch trimmed) blocks, cut two pieces 3-3/4 by 4-1/2 inches (A)
Two pieces 3-3/4 inches square (B) and one piece 7 by 7-3/4 inches (C)
Square ruler at least as big as your trimmed block size
Cutter and mat
Pencil
Treadle or hand-crank machine(s)
Cotton thread, please

See the bottom of the page for more cutting sizes for larger and smaller blocks

Images on this page courtesy of Aitchbee
ttt1 Blocks are made in pairs, so you get two at once. Cut the pieces for your first pair of blocks (see the list above)

Sew an A to a B and a B to an A as shown
ttt2 Press the seams towards the larger pieces, then stitch the two sections together with the seams offset
ttt3 Snip through the seam allowance between the two cross seams. Be careful not to snip the stitching
ttt4 Press the seams in opposite directions, away from the smaller, square B pieces
ttt5 Turn the block face down.

Line up the 45 degree marking on your ruler with one of the short ends of the block, so it just goes through the corner (x)

The ruler edge should just go through the corner of the stitching in the centre of the block (y)
Draw a line across with your pencil (tip, use a white pencil on dark fabrics...)
ttt6 Turn the block round and make another line in the same way, now you should have two parallel lines across your block.
ttt7 Place this marked block Right Sides Together with the large, unpieced rectangle from your original cutting. They will be the same size, pin them together.

Stitch on both the marked lines. Start each line of stitching at the end marked on the side of the block (z) not the end right in the corner otherwise your sewing machine will make a spirited attempt to eat your work.

Making sure that the seam goes exactly through the joining point means you will have lovely accurate blocks with no points cut off...
ttt8 Cut between the stitched lines and separate the two blocks

Press neatly towards the bigger triangles - you now have two blocks ready to trim.
ttt9 Put the first block Right Side Up on your mat.
Take your square ruler and put the diagonal line exactly on top of your diagonal seam. Note where the middle of the block (the point of the small square) should come on the ruler - for a 6-inch finished block this will be at 3-1/4 inches as you need to trim to 6-1/2 inches.

Tip - If trimming a lot of blocks a little arrow of sticky paper on this point makes for accuracy and much less cursing.

Trim the right and top sidewith your cutter.
(Left-handers, trim the right side and the top

Turn the block round, check everything again, and trim to size.
Repeat with the other block
ttt11 These can be arranged a million ways, as with Half-square Triangles and Log Cabins and so many traditional blocks. The usual size (6 inches finished) for TOBE blocks means thay can be added to other exchanges easily and you will end up with a fun and fabulous project...

Other sizes

For a pair of 4-inch finished (4-1/2 inch trimmed) blocks, cut two pieces 2-3/4 by 3-1/2 inches (A)
Two pieces 2-3/4 inches square (B) and one piece 5 by 5-3/4 inches (C)

For a pair of 6-inch finished (6-1/2 inch trimmed) blocks, cut two pieces 3-3/4 by 4-1/2 inches (A)
Two pieces 3-3/4 inches square (B) and one piece 7 by 7-3/4 inches (C)

For a pair of 8-inch finished (8-1/2 inch trimmed) blocks, cut two pieces 4-3/4 by 5-1/2 inches (A)
Two pieces 4-3/4 inches square (B) and one piece 9 by 9-3/4 inches (C)