Month by Month Row by Row-January

Hi all,

Man, it has been a busy week but I managed to get the first row ready.

I call this first row Zebra River Valley.  Of course, you may find another name for yours since we are trying to use fabrics FROM OUR STASH and, therefore, you might not have zebras.

Just keep in mind, the theme of this quilt is zoo animals…it will be a small lap size or very large baby quilt when we get done.  Without any borders, it will be 50 inches wide and about 60 inches long.

For the yellow fabric, you will need about a quarter of a yard – 5 squares cut 5.5 X 5.5 inches.

For the Blue fabric you will need about a quarter of a yard- 5 squares cut to 6 1/4 X 6 1/4 and then x cut like this…for a total of 20 triangles

For the green fabric you will need a little more than a quarter of a yard – 10 squares cut to 5 7/8 by 5 7/8 and then cut on the diagonal like this…for a total of 20 triangles.

First you want to find the center of the middle square and put a finger crease in so that you have something to line up with the point of your triangle.

Sew opposite triangles on, then press them open before you sew on the other two triangles.

You will then need to find the center of your outer triangles as pictured below and put a finger crease there.  

You will match up the finger crease with the corner of the inner square.  Make sure that you sew through the side where you can see the point and sew directly through it so that your corners on your inner square are nice and sharp.

Again, you are sewing on the opposite triangles, pressing, then sewing on the remaining triangles.

When you have all 5 of the square in a square blocks complete, you sew them into a row, making sure you match the corners.

Voila!  Zebra River Valley!

That should be a nice easy way to start off.  Next month is a little more complicated but nothing a beginning quilter can’t manage.