Stash Buster Quilts. Lynne Edwards

      11 Pile the squares up in layers as before, still with piece number 1 at the top and number 9 at the bottom. Align the edges of each block carefully.

      12 2^nd cut: place the ruler on the blocks with the edges of the template matching the edges of the blocks as in Fig 8. Cut through all layers.

       Fig 8

      13 Pin and stitch a 12¼in (31.1cm) length of sashing to each of the smaller wedge shapes as before (Fig 9). This time do not trim the ends of the sashing level with the edges of the fabric after stitching. Press the seams towards the sashing, ironing from the front.

       Fig 9

      14 Place the smaller pieces back with their partners in the pile, with the piece marked 1 at the top as before and piece 9 at the bottom.

      15 Take the large marked pieces 1–6 and move them to the bottom of the pile. It should now have piece 7 at the top and piece 6 at the bottom. Do not alter the smaller unmarked pieces (Fig 10).

       Fig 10

      16 Stitch together the two sections of each layer to make squares as before, aligning the sashing on both pieces to form a ‘crossroads’ (Fig 11, plus see advice panel, right, Figs 12a, 12b and 13). Press the seam towards the sashing, ironing from the front. Trim the sashing to match the edges of the block and then pile up the blocks as before with piece number 1 at the top and piece 9 at the bottom.

Fig 11

       MATCHING SASHING STRIPS ON A SLANTING ANGLE

      This can be tricky. First find the centre of the slanting edge on each piece by folding as in Figs 12a and 12b. Crease to mark each centre. Match the centre of the stitching line and pin the junction of the sashing with a horizontal pin (Fig 13). Open up the two pieces to check that the sashings are matched before pinning at right angles as usual along the fabric edges, matching the ends of each section of the block carefully.

Fig 12a

Fig 12b

Fig 13

      17 3^rd cut: before cutting, remove the wedge template carefully from the ruler. Turn it over and stick it back to the underside of the ruler. This reverses the template for the remaining two cuts (Fig 14). Now use the template on the ruler to cut the blocks as shown in Fig 15.

       Fig 14

       Fig 15

      18 Pin and stitch a length of sashing to the smaller sections of the block as before. Place these back with their partners in the pile, keeping the blocks in order with piece 1 at the top and piece 9 at the bottom.

      19 Move the large pieces marked 1–4 to the bottom of the pile, leaving piece 5 on the top and piece 4 at the bottom. Do not alter the smaller pieces.

      20 join the two cut sections of each block with the sashing to make squares as before (Fig 16).

       Fig 16

      Match the sashing crossroads as carefully as possible (see advice panel Crazy and Figs 12a, 12b and 13 on previous page). Press the seams towards the sashing and then trim the ends of the sashing strips level with the edges of the block. Now pile up the blocks as usual with the marked piece 1 on the top and piece 9 on the bottom.

      21 4^th cut: use the wedge template on the ruler to make the last cut (Fig 17).

       Fig 17

      22 Pin and stitch a sashing strip to the smaller section of each block. Press towards the sashing. Reassemble the blocks in order with the marked piece 1 on the top and piece 9 on the bottom.

      23 Move the large pieces marked 1–3 to the bottom of the pile, leaving piece 4 on the top and piece 3 on the bottom. Do not alter the smaller pieces.

      24 Join the two parts of each block together with sashing as before. This time there will be two crossroads of sashing to be aligned, so match them carefully before stitching. Press from the front as usual and trim the ends of the sashing strips level with the sides of the block (Fig 18).

       Fig 18

      25 Trim the finished blocks to measure 11in × 11in (27.9cm × 27.9cm).

      MAKING SET B BLOCKS

      1 Here only eight blocks need to be made and the fabrics are reversed, so the sashing fabric from Set A is used for the pile of eight squares and some or all of the main fabrics from Set A become the sashing strips in Set B. From the fabric used as the sashing in the A blocks cut eight squares, each measuring 11½in × 11½in (29.2cm × 29.2cm) as before. These do not have to be numbered as they are all from the same fabric. For the sashing cut thirtytwo strips from any or all of the nine fabrics used for the starting squares for the A blocks, each strip 1in × 12¼in (2.5cm × 31.1cm).

      2 Remove the wedge template from the ruler, turn it over and stick it back to the underside of the ruler. This is the starting position it was in for cutting the blocks in Set A (see Fig 3).

      3 Pile up the eight cut squares, matching the edges carefully. Now follow the instructions given in steps 6–25 for making the Set A blocks.

      When making the B blocks, there is no need to rearrange