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Long Time Gone Quilt: Crosses of the UK Block

Crosses of the UK Block is a striking component in the Long Time Gone Quilt Pattern by Jen Kingwell. This block looks a little intimidating because of it’s small piecing, but once you’ve seen how it’s done you’ll love making these blocks.

TUTORIAL: Crosses of the uk BLOCK

general information

If you’d like to know “My Top 10 Beginners Patchworking Tools” you can find them by clicking here.

Measurements for the pieces needed to construct this block will not be provided in this tutorial. It is a prerequisite of making this block that you have a copy of the pattern, Long Time Gone by Jen Kingwell. Measurements, where applicable, can be found in this book and it’s associated media.

using from marti michell templates

If you’re using the Marti Michell Perfect Patchwork Templates you can find the conversion chart by clicking here. You can purchase the From Marti Michell Templates by clicking here.

HOW TO MAKE THE BLOCK

general advice:

  • Tolerance Levels: you need to decide what is an acceptable tolerance level for “mistakes”. For example if your blocks are consistently 6¼” instead of 6.5″ are you ok with this. Or if your seams matching are less than an eight of an inch “off” are you ok with this. There’s no hard or fast rule and it’s different for everyone, so remember it’s your quilt so make your decision for you.
  • Press your seams at each step. Click here for a great article on how to press your seams for patchwork.
  • You can iron and starch your fabric prior to cutting. I also starch when pressing bulky seams.
  • When pinning, pin away from you so that you don’t move your pieces when pinning.
  • Where possible I chain piece all the pieces I can in one step. If you’re unsure of what chain piecing is, click here for a tutorial on how to do it. However, for the purpose of the tutorials I will step you through all the seams individually.

BLOCK ASSEMBLY STEPS

1: Cut all the Pieces

Cut all pieces as per cutting instructions on page 7. I will walk you through making one block so that you can see how it’s done and then go on to make the needed blocks. Once you’ve cut all the pieces layout the pieces for your blocks. Laying out your pieces will help you keep your directional pieces in the right orientation and help with any directional prints or fussy cutting you might have done.

Long Time Gone Sewalong - Learn how to sew and assemble Jen Kingwell's Long Time Gone with this sewalong from Angie (GnomeAngel), Nicole (Snips Snippets) and Marti Michell. See more at www.GnomeAngel.com

2: Make the Diagonal Units

You will make the diagonal units of this block first. You will do this by lining up one triangle on the side of the long thing rectangle strips as per diagram 2. Stitch and press.

Repeat this step with the other side of the strip as pictures in diagram 3.

Long Time Gone Sewalong - Learn how to sew and assemble Jen Kingwell's Long Time Gone with this sewalong from Angie (GnomeAngel), Nicole (Snips Snippets) and Marti Michell. See more at www.GnomeAngel.com

This is the hardest part of the whole block and by hard I mean fiddly if your eyesight is going, like mine. You need to trim the block back to the measurement as per step 2 on page 7. If you’ve got a great ruler like this Marti Michell 6.5″ Squaring Up Ruler (click here to purchase), you’ll be able to use the 45° line to make sure that your trimming is square. Make sure the line runs down the middle of your diagonal strip when you trim.

Make 4 of these units per block.

3. Make Rows

Once you’ve made your diagonal units lay out your block again as per diagram 5.

Long Time Gone Sewalong - Learn how to sew and assemble Jen Kingwell's Long Time Gone with this sewalong from Angie (GnomeAngel), Nicole (Snips Snippets) and Marti Michell. See more at www.GnomeAngel.com

Now the block is simple patchwork construction. Join the blocks to make rows as per diagram 6.

4: Complete the block

Join the three rows to complete the block.

Long Time Gone Sewalong - Learn how to sew and assemble Jen Kingwell's Long Time Gone with this sewalong from Angie (GnomeAngel), Nicole (Snips Snippets) and Marti Michell. See more at www.GnomeAngel.com

additional tutorial support

These tutorials were first published as part of the Long Time Gone Sew-along which was hosted by myself (GnomeAngel), Nicole Calver (of Snips Snippets) and Marti Michell. Both Nicole and Marti have provided their own tutorials to help you make these block you can check out these tutorials by clicking the buttons below:

Please note: I do not control any of the information not contained within the GnomeAngel.com domain. This means when you leave this site I have no ability to correct the information, provide the information or alter the information contained on the sites linked too. These links are provided as a courtesy only and I take no responsibility for the content contained on these sites.