Inner City Quilt Block

Another block from Lynne Edwards' book, New Sampler Quilt Book, this one was done English style, that is, by hand, over paper templates. 

I used the "new to me" Freezer paper method.  The templates, which are actually hexagons although the design doesn't make that obvious, were cut from freezer paper then stuck to fabric strips.  Each strip formed from two narrower strips.  Its very clever. 

The freezer paper sticks to the fabric if you press it with a dry iron... so then you just cut them off the strip leaving a quarter inch seam allowance, turn the allowance over the edge of the papers to the back, and tack in place.

Once you have them all tacked they are sewn into units of three, then those are sewn into strips, which are then sewn to each other, to form the design.  Once the design is complete, you press it, take the tacking out and remove the papers from the back. 

I tacked the outside edges of my design as I went along taking out the papers to keep the seam allowances in place. Then the entire design was centred on its background and whip stitched into place.  All by hand. 

 My first quilt was done entirely by hand but I used card templates... The freezer paper was a huge improvement over the card.  Nothing slithered out of place and it was easy to cut the seam allowances correctly, and to tack through the paper. 

The Inner City design was made entirely from jelly roll strips left over from the recent black, red and white sofa blanket.  The background pink was purchased for the quilt.