Steps to the Altar - finished!

Finally finished Kaela and Joe's wedding quilt - Steps to the Altar, from an old 1930's Ruby McKim pattern.  Yay!  Five months off and on in the making.

I quilted in the ditch around the blocks:

Then checkerboard in the pieced blocks:

Then free motion wreathes in the alternate blocks - very free - not staying in the lines exactly, but overall it worked.  I feel like I finally got the hang of it about 15 blocks in to the process!

I used 60 weight cotton in the bobbin and nylon monofilament in the needle.  Quilters Dream Cotton batting in the "Select" mid-weight.

The only problem with this quilt is.... after I had pieced the blocks, I tried to match the muslin for the plain alternate blocks.  Wellllll the lighting in my local quilt shop isn't great, and it isn't great in my sewing room either - because as you can see, not a great match... but... it's a vintage-y looking quilt anyway right?  It looks better in person than in photos, and I believe over time with lots of use and washings the difference will be even less an issue.

I first blogged about this quilt here and give directions for making the blocks here.  

Now...... time to make toffee.... wrap presents.... do all those non-quilting related holiday tasks.... Mrs. Santa, time to get busy!

Steps to the Altar, step by step

I'm hitting my stride with these fun Steps to the Altar blocks.

More on this block here. 

Here's how I am assembling the blocks.  I know, not the most efficient, but works for me!

Cutting:

"Steps" fabric:  2" squares - cut 9
"Altar" fabric: 3 1/2" squares - cut 2

Background fabric:
2" squares - cut 9
6 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles - cut 2
3 1/2" square - cut 1
3 1/2" x 2" rectangles - cut 3

To assemble a block: 

1.  Layer one "Altar" square with one 3 1/2" background square.  Sew and flip:

2.  Sew the 2" background squares to the 2" "Steps" squares:

3.  From the units made in step 2, make three four-patches: 

4.  Make three of these units:

5.  Using one of the unit made in step 4, layer with a 6 1/2" x 3 1/2" background piece, sew and flip: 

6.  Make another unit like in step 5, but be careful that the "steps" square is oriented in the opposite corner. 

7.  Using the last unit made in step 4, plus the second "Altar" fabric square, sew and flip to make this unit:  

6.  Assemble your pieces!

Old Molly enjoying a cozy nap as I slowly add blocks to the wall... 

Steps to the Altar

I have started piecing "Steps to the Altar" blocks for Kaela and Joe's wedding quilt.

I found the pattern in the old Ruby McKim classic, One Hundred and One Patchwork Patterns (published in 1931, reprinted in 1962).

Through some trial and error I figured out a workable method for rotary cutting and piecing a block which will finish at 9", and which will retain the nice diagonal seam separating "steps" from "altar."

(My method here also utilizes the "sew and flip" way to make half square triangles, which does produce some waste, but I'm OK with that).

Cutting:

"Steps" fabric:  2" squares - cut 9
"Altar" fabric: 3 1/2" squares - cut 2

Background fabric:
2" squares - cut 9
6 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles - cut 2
3 1/2" square - cut 1
3 1/2" x 2" rectangles - cut 3

I will photograph the piecing method step by step and post it soon in case anyone out there wants to try this charming basket-like block without reinventing the wheel!  Here's a glimpse:

So nice on a rainy day to see a new quilt taking shape:

And..... the puppy is getting bigger by the minute!