Quilt Along with Your Quilt Shop: Conestoga Crossing Month 5: Trail Master Block

blocks to make: 1 (plus 2 baskets)

number of pieces: 64 (plus 58)

Waste HST's to collect: 16 (plus 10)

I gotta be honest....

I really enjoyed piecing this one... It's just a fun one to build!

Here's a look at the beginning lay out:

Begin with assembling your pinwheel as shown in the general instructions.... except.... I highly recommend "furling" the center seam on this so that we can avoid future pressing instructions to press your seams open (ICK!)

Trust me on this one. As longarm quilters, we have finished enough tops to know that open seams have a much higher chance of popping than seams that are pressed to one side!

That being said, I know plenty of people who press seams open. I have even made a couple of quilts with seams pressed open... you can absolutely do it that way and your quilt will likely turn out just fine... that is how the pattern says to do it after all!

If you do choose to furl: rip out the two or three stitches that are closest to the edge (don't worry this seam won't go anywhere.... it's locked down by the horizontal seam that crosses it.)

Now you are able to press every seam in the same direction.... sorta fits with the whole rotating pinwheel thing, right?

We do this so that it won't matter which way your block is facing, the seams will all be the same direction.

Moving on to the other units....

Pay attention to the pattern on this one to be sure your fabrics are oriented properly!!

Be aware that there are TWO DIFFERENT flying geese units and HST units.

Don't forget about your waste HST's..... we are getting quite a collection by now... What should we make???

Also, be aware of the pressing instructions. They are super important for this block!

Your quarter square triangle units, if pressed correctly, should "nest" together.

You just know when these are right... they feel like they were MADE for each other!

oh right.... they were.

When you get here, this is where I strongly encourage you NOT to press anything open!

Since we furled our pinwheel, you will be able to press all of these opposite the direction of the pinwheel seams and they will match.

Here's the seams all fitting...

Keep building and.... DONE!

Isn't it pretty?!!?

Look at those seams!

Yeah, you're right, this side looks better!

Another note about furling:

Here is another project I'm working on that I am using the furling technique.

This one is also pieced on point, but that's "beside the point" HA HA HA... I just can't help myself.

You can find this pattern in THIS BOOK HERE.

Anyway, I am furling all of these blocks so that it won't matter which way any of them are turned during final assembly. They should all match up together.

Just be sure if you do this, that ALL OF YOUR BLOCKS are furled THE SAME DIRECTION!

Trust me.... this will bite if you mix them up.... I know!