Quilt-a-long, Top Row Centre, Bottom Row Centre Blocks

We are now making the centre blocks for the top and bottom rows.  Place your 2 solid squares exactly on top of each other,  grain  running down the fabric.  If your fabric is not a solid and therefore not the same on both sides you will need to put the right sides together, as you cut it you will be looking at the wrong side of the fabric on the top square.  The first cut will be horizontal and 3.5 inches down from the top of the square (see pic)

The second cut is also horizontal, this time 4 inches down from the last cut- or if you prefer  5.5 inches from the bottom of the square.  The 3rd cut is vertical, 4.25 inches from the right edge and the 4th cut, vertical again and 4.25 inches from the left edge.  The square in the centre should measure 4 inches on each side-have a check! 

You should now be able to peel off the top layer of each piece and lay it out in a vertical mirror image so you have 2 blocks cut, one for each of the top corners.   Fix your block labels on with a pin.

Take the centre square of the left block and use it as the template to fussy cut the centre triangle fabric.  Repeat for the right block.  Assemble your blocks using the same tutorial as before, courtesy of Victoria. Your end quilt will look better and wonky stars more like a circle if you keep the triangle points of the stars on the smallish side.  Here are my bottom two corner blocks to give you an idea of the sizes. 

Now you can join the blocks.  First join top left corner to the left side of the top centre block using a quarter inch seam.  I pin at each end of the seam and I also pin all the star point seams down. 

Press along the sewing line and then I press my seam open to reduce bulk in the quilt but you can press to one side if you prefer.  Repeat for top right corner adding it to the right side edge of the centre top row block.  Do the same for the bottom three blocks

Top row finished

Bottom row finished

You can start to see the ring effect now!

Check out my new Flickr group to see what everyone else is making.  Madame Parfait is making two; one girl- sweetie style, one boy- Dr Seuss. Amelie has chosen the cutest selection of fabrics for her blocks and Cassie has made beautiful fussy cut centres!  Only one more pair of blocks to go.