Today marks the start of the Jen Kingwell’s Gypsy Wife Quilt Sew-along and I couldn’t be happier to have it underway because I’m dying to show you the blocks I’ve made. This quilt has me going back to my happy place with lots of fussy cutting and colour. I’m not going to lie, I’ve sewn ahead on this project and it’s the first time I’ve done something like that in a long time. I usually like to sew a week ahead of the event timetable so I can ensure that I’ve set an achievable pace for everyone, but not this time. I made my first block and I was hooked and so I’ve made a couple more. (You’re just going to have to wait to see them!)

While we’re not going to be providing tutorials for how to make these blocks I will provide you some tips and tricks when we announce each new block so that you can hopefully avoid any pitfalls and have fun making your blocks. When it came to Colour Wheel I didn’t follow the pattern instructions at all really… for me I like to make Half Square Triangles (HSTs) two at a time and trim them to size. I used the following method to make the pieces required to assemble this block. (I’ll cover my tips and tricks and then go into the details about how the event will be structured.)

Colour Wheel Alternative Construction

This block is made up of HSTs and then 3 triangle blocks (I can’t remember the technical name for them at the moment) – they’re all made using the method in the diagram below. There’s 4 individual colours in this block (and then a centre square) and this method will create all the blocks you need for them. Because of copyright I’m not going to put any measurements in this construction method – you will need the pattern to be able to work out the measurements needed.

Cutting Instructions

Background Fabric: 4 (for the measurement use the measurement for the centre fabric square plus 1″)

Colours – A: 1 of each colour (for the measurement use the measurement for the centre fabric square plus 1″)

Colours – B: 1 of each colour (for the measurement use the measurement for the centre fabric square plus ½”)

Construction

1. On the wrong side (back) of all the background squares draw a diagonal line with a pencil/fabric pen from one corner to the opposite corner as per step 1 above.
2. Take 1 background square and 1 colour – A square and put them right sides together as per step 1 above.
3. Stitch a scant quarter inch seam on either side of the line as per step 2 above.
4. Trim along the drawn line as per step 3 above. This will make 2 HST units. Trim 1 unit to the measurement for the centre fabric square plus ½” – you will use this to make the 3 triangle units, these will be called HST A in the rest of the construction methodology. Trim the other unit to the measurement for the centre fabric square and put aside, these will be called HST B in the rest of the construction methodology.
5. Repeat above steps to make 8 HSTs. (You will have no background fabric left.)
6. On the wrong side (back) of all the colour – B squares draw a diagonal line with a pencil/fabric pen from one corner to the opposite corner as per step 1 above.
7. Take 1 HST A and 1 colour – B square and put them right sides together as per step 1 above. Pay close attention to matching the right colours together. Important: the drawn line must run in the opposite direction of the seam line so they form an X as shown below. 
8. Stitch a scant quarter inch seam on either side of the line as per step 2 above. Open the seam up to confirm that you have stitched them so that when trimmed along the stitch line you’ll have formed the 3 triangle unit as per the pattern diagram
9. Trim along the drawn line as per step 3 above. This will make 2 three triangle units. Trim all units to the measurement for the centre fabric square. Please note: You will have 4 spare blocks at this step using this construction method, pop them in your spare block bucket to use in another quilt.
10. Assembly units into Colour Wheel as per the pattern diagram on page 5.

Hopefully that helps you a bit more with assembling this block. Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty of how you can participate in this event.

That’s everything… for now… as always if you have any questions either drop me a line or leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to help you out. I hope you love making this quilt as much as I have, it’s such a fun way to make a unique sampler.