Shimmer Braid QAL #2

Hello, I'm Deana from Dreamworthy Quilts and welcome to the second tutorial for the Fort Worth Fabric Studio Shimmer Braid QAL.  The first tutorial can be found at the link below:

Shimmer Braid QAL Tutorial #1

Shimmer Braid QAL Tutorial #2

Shimmer Braid QAL Tutorial #3

Shimmer Braid QAL Tutorial #4

Shimmer Braid QAL Tutorial #5

Center Block Template

Star Block Template

Triangles Template

It is FREE so come sew along!  This is the second of five months, and the remaining tutorials will follow on the second Tuesday of each month.

Here is what we are making.  It is 70" x 70" with adaptations for a queen sized quilt.

Here is how the Queen size will look.  It is 86" x 96".  The final white border can be larger if desired.

As a reminder, Fort Worth Fabric Studio has a great linky party on Fridays where we would love to see your progress on this or any project you are working on.
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FABRIC PLACEMENT

Last month we went over the placement of the fabrics for the first three months.  We made the log cabins in January and will be making the curved log cabins in February.

I am listing the fabric order again for this month's blocks below:

•  The photo below shows my fabric order for the CURVED LOG CABIN SECTION: 4 light purples that are lighter than the log cabin purples and fade, 1 black (or very dark color), 6 blues/greens.  
• Label the fabrics as listed.

NOTE that the end has fat quarters in pairs.  One fat quarter is a bit shy of enough so I selected a blue and a green that are nearly identical in tone for one spot and two greens similar in tone for the other spot.  I will use one for half of the blocks and the other for the other half of the blocks.   I really want the black to pop, so again, I made sure the pieces next to it are lighter.

As a reminder, if you are not using fat quarters you will have to make adjustments because the pattern is written for fat quarters and the quilt makes up easily with them.  Your other option is to not strip sew the units but piece them normally and do some figuring on your own.  

 MONTH 2 TUTORIAL - Make 20 Curved Log Cabin Blocks

Block Size

7” square = Finished Block Size.  Finished means after it is sewn into the quilt.

7 ½” square = Unfinished Size. Unfinished means before you sew it into the quilt – when it is just a block by itself.

Log or Unit #	Fabric
14 & 15	Purple 4 (darkest)
10 & 11	Purple 5
6 & 7	Purple 6
1 & 3	Purple 7 (lightest)
2 & 4	Blue/Green1
5 & 8	Blue/Green2
9 & 12	Half of the blocks will be Blue/Green3 and the other half will be blue/green4
13 & 16	Half of the blocks will be Blue/Green5 and the other half will be blue/green6

CUTTING

This quilt was made from fat quarters and all strips are based on 20+" long pieces.  CUT ALL STRIPS 20+" LONG, NOT 18", unless otherwise specified.  I say this because it is easy to turn the fat quarter the wrong way and cut the strips 2" too short.

If you are not using fat quarters you can cut half as many strips 42" long; however, there are several that only need one strip so just cut them only 21" long instead of 42".

The purple units will take exactly 20".  I have indicated strip lengths at 20+" to indicate that you need all you can get.  Cut all strips the full length of the fat quarter even if it is a little bit longer because you will need it.  You may even have to use a slight bit of selvage to get all pieces from one strip.  If you cannot get all pieces out of one strip don't fret because there is enough fabric to cut more.  You will just have to create your own units without strip piecing and sub-cutting them.

Darkest Purple4 Fabric

Cut (1) 6” x 20+” strip – Label it Unit 14

Cut (1) 6 ½” x 20+” strip

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 6 ½” strip cut the following:
20	6 ½” x 1”	Log 15

Purple5 Fabric

Cut (1) 4 ½” x 20+” strip – Label it Unit 10

Cut (1) 5” x 20+” strip

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 5” strip cut the following:
20	5 ” x 1”	Log 11

Purple6 Fabric

Cut (1) 3” x 20+” strip – Label it Unit 6

Cut (1) 3 ½” x 20+” strip

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 3 ½” strip cut the following:
20	3 ½” x 1”	Log 7

Lghtest Purple7 Fabric

Cut (1) 1 ½” x 20+” strip – label it Unit 1

Cut (1) 2” x 20+” strip

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 2” strip cut the following:
20	2” x 1”	Log 3

Black Fabric

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
6	1 ½” x 20+” strips	Label two strips Unit 2.  Label the rest Unit 1, Unit 6, Unit 10, Unit 14
8	1” x 20+” strips	Label the strips in pairs as follows: Unit 4, Unit 8, Unit 12, Unit 16

Blue/Green1 Fabric

Cut (2) 1 ½” x 20” strips – label them Unit 2

Cut (2) 2 ½” x 20” strips – label them Unit 4

Blue/Green2 Fabric

Cut (2) 4” x 20+” strips – label them Unit 8

Cut (2) 3” x 20” strips

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 3” strips cut the following:
20	3” x 1 ½”	Log 5

Blue/Green3 & Blue/Green4 Fabrics

Cut the exact same pieces and strips from both fabrics.

Cut (1) 5 ½” x 20” strips – label them Unit 12

Cut (1) 4 ½” x 20” strips

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 4 ½” strip cut the following:
10	4 ½” x 1 ½”	Log 9

Blue/Green5 & Blue/Green6 Fabrics

Cut the exact same pieces and strips from both fabrics.

Cut (1) 7” x 20” strip – label it Unit 16

Cut (1) 6” x 20” strip

Cut this Number	This size	Label it
From the 6” strip cut the following:
10	6” x 1 ½”	Log 13

PIECING THE BLOCKS

There are logs and units.  Logs are ready after they are cut and labeled, but all UNITS  must be made before assembly begins.

Start by sewing strips together that have the same number.  For example, "Unit 1" is a 1 1/2" strip of purple7 fabric that sews to a black 1 1/2" strip also labeled "Unit 1".  All units sew to a black strip but some are 1 1/2" wide while others are only 1" wide (see below). 

1. Create units 1, 2, 6, 10, and 14 by sewing the purple strips with these labels on them to a black 1 1/2" strip with the same labeled number.  (Unit 2 is blue/green not purple) All seams MUST BE 1/4" exactly or the logs will not fit together.  Cutting and sewing with accuracy is critical on all quilt blocks.
2. Press all strip unit seams AWAY from the black.   This may seem opposite from what you would normally do, but it helps the blocks to lay better as the logs are added.  It also creates seams that lay opposite each other and makes it easier to line them up.  I never used a single pin to sew these blocks together because of the way they are pressed.  
3. Create units 4, 8, 12, and 16 by sewing the blue/green strips with these labels on them to a black 1" strip with the same labeled number.  
4. Press all strip unit seams AWAY from the black.
5. Make 1" sub cuts on all PURPLE strip units 1, 6, 10, and 14.  A sample diagram is below but only represents one strip unit.  They are all different lengths and may look different from the diagram.  You will need 20 units from each strip set.  If you cannot get 20 units, you will have to cut an extra piece from the purple and the black and sew them together to create a unit.
   
   
   
   
6. Make 1 1/2" sub cuts on all NON-PURPLE strip units 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16.  A sample diagram is below but only represents one strip unit.  They are all different lengths and may look different from the diagram.  Cut 20 from strip sets 2, 4, & 8.  Cut 10 from EACH of the strip sets 12 & 16.  Remember that 12 & 16 are done in two different fabrics.  Half of the blocks will be made from each fabric.

Now the blocks are ready to assemble.  Begin by sewing Unit 1 to Unit 2.  Follow the diagram for proper placement.  IT IS EASY TO MESS UP.  I DID IT MYSELF, so please follow the diagram carefully.  Add each log or unit in order by number.  

PRESS all logs/units AWAY from the center.

If the logs/units are not fitting, check your seam allowance or your cutting measurements.  If your seams or pieces are even 1/16" too wide or too narrow, the pieces will not fit.

Note that half of the blocks have different fabrics on the two outside green logs.  Logs 9 & 12 are slightly different and logs 13 and 16 are different.  Make 10 of each block.

Click HERE to download PDF copy to print!