May 2019 Block of the Month: May Basket Block

2019 Block of the Month—May: “May Basket” Quilt Block

In January, Team Nancy Zieman introduced the first of 12 blocks in the New! Summer Picnic 2019 FREE! Block of the Month Series. Find the January through April Quilt Block Tutorials under Popular Blog Posts: 2019 Block of the Month. Join the New! Summer Picnic 2019 Block of the Month Series, anytime, by viewing the supply listing in the January 5th NZP Blog Posting.

Each month, we’re featuring one quilt block design. The quilt blocks are created using Nancy Zieman’s NEW! Afternoon Picnic Fat Quarter Pack* from Riley Blake Designs (*18″ x 22″ fabric rectangles) plus background, sashing, border, and binding fabrics. Follow along as we demonstrate how to create this Month’s “May Basket” Quilt Block (below).

Keep your fabric choices sorted using this handy Fabric Planner diagram. Download the planner HERE. Make notes or pin swatches to remind you of the fabric placements.

2019 Block of the Month Afternoon Picnic May PDF

Choose the Fabrics

For the New! Summer Picnic 2019 FREE! Block of the Month Series, “May Basket” Quilt Block, select the following fabrics from your Nancy Zieman’s NEW! Afternoon Picnic Fat Quarter Pack from Riley Blake Designs and a Nancy Zieman’s No-Hassle Triangle Gauge by Clover.

“May Basket” Block

May basket is another frequently used name for a quilt block. This version combines two sizes of finished triangle blocks: 3-1/2″ and 6-1/2″, giving the block a center focal point.

Instructions: (Each block is a 12″ finished square. Finished quilt measures approximately 44-1/2″ x 57-1/2″)

 Cut Fabric for Block

Create a modified 16-patch block with two different sizes of 1/2-square triangle fabric combinations: 3-1/2″ and 6-1/2″.

Cut six 3-1/2″ squares of Afternoon Picnic Blue Floral
Cut three 3-7/8″ squares of Afternoon Picnic Blue Floral
Cut three 3-7/8″ squares of Afternoon Picnic Black Flower
Cut one 6-7/8″ square of Afternoon Picnic Blue Floral
Cut one 6-7/8″ square of Afternoon Picnic Black Flower


Construct The Units

All seam allowances are scant 1/4″ unless otherwise stated.

The step-by-step photos illustrate construction of the block.

Half Square Triangles (HSTs)

1. Create six 1/2-square triangle blocks of Blue Floral and Black Flower and two 1/2-square triangles from Blue Floral and Black Flower. Make three block sets of the 3-7/8″ Blue Floral and Black Flower and one 6-7/8″ block set of Blue Floral and Black Flower

Align 3-7/8″ squares and the 6-7/8″ squares cut from Afternoon Picnic Blue Floral , and Afternoon Picnic Black Flower right sides together.

 

Mark blocks using a No-Hassle Triangles Gauge and an erasable  gel pen.
Use a No-Hassle Triangles Gauge . The left side of the gauge is designated to create 1/2-square triangle blocks. Depress button on sliding portion of the gauge and move to size of the desired 1/2-square triangle.



Stack two squares, right sides together. Place No-Hassle Triangles Gauge on block set, corner to corner. Match corner marks of gauge with corner of block sets. Mark fabric through center of gauge with an  erasable gel  pen .

 Stitch Blocks

Align presser foot along one side of center mark, stitch.
Kiss the next block set to the stitched block and chain stitch from one block to the other.




Rotate block, stitch along other side of center mark.




Cut blocks apart along center markings with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat.



Press seams to darker fabric.

 Assemble Blocks

Layout block following diagram. Rotate squares as necessary.

 

 

 

Only one 1/2-square triangle from the 6-7/8″ combination is needed for the May Basket block.

Join Squares

For the top and bottom rows, place squares from the second column onto the first column, right sides together repeat.
Clip threads between blocks.

When stitching the elements together, first seam the top and bottom rows. Then stitch the remaining blocks in the middle row to make a larger row.

Stitch smaller blocks, then add to the center block.

Press seams open, or press seams to alternate sides.


Stitch rows together.

 

Nancy Zieman’s No-Hassle Triangles Quilt Blocks book shows how to create 12 additional quit blocks. For best results, use the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge.

 

Watch No-Hassle Triangles Quilt Blocks (Part One and Part Two) on The Best of Sewing With Nancy online.

For a chance to win Nancy Zieman’s New! Afternoon Picnic Fat Quarter Pack please leave a comment below.

The randomly selected winner of a copy of the book Beginning Landscape Quilting from the May 11 blog post is, LoAnn Trowbridge.

Her comment is: I have almost finished a landscape wall hanging–it’s of the Fall. I would like to make “Four Seasons”!! I think I would make spring, summer, fall, then winter! I would love to win this book! Thank you for the opportunity!

Be sure to check out the 2019 Modern Mini Quilt Challenge!

 

Happy Quilting,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.

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