Hive 6 February 2021 Tutorial - Four on the Road

Hello Hive 6

My name is Marie Doyle and I'm glad to be sewing with you all.   This is my 5th year in Stash Bee and I've learned so much from participating.   I've been sewing since I was in high school but quilting came to me later on.  I live in Mount Desert, Maine, which is on the same island as Acadia National Park.   My two daughters live in New England but we haven't been in each other's company for quite a while.  Covid 19 has forced us all to adjust and find other ways of getting together, but a silver lining has been that I've walked more trails and climbed more mountains than I would have otherwise.  Being outside has allowed us to keep a semblance of normalcy in a year that has been anything but.  I hope this finds you well, safe and healthy. 

My block this month is called "Four on the Road".  There are a few steps to it but none are difficult.  The first and second pictures below are the "done" but not sewn together block and my fabric pull.  I've always loved the red/blue combination but it always seemed too 4th of July for me.  This block uses cream/beige/tan instead of the white. If my directions aren't easy to understand, feel free to look for this block on Quilter's Cache, which is where I found it.  I’ll be sending it off to Quilts of Valor.

You'll see in the first picture that the "road" pieces are a tone-on-tone dark blue.  Please use that or a solid for these three pieces.   Other patchwork can be assorted red, blue or red/blue prints but please avoid batiks, bright blues or novelty prints.  You'll also notice that the center road pice has medium red and medium blue corners rather than the darker value.  This is to ensure that the road piece stands out.  (a picture further down will show this).   So....let's get started.

From the assorted cream /beige/ tan fabrics, you will need:

(16)   2 1/2” squares

(2)     3” squares

From the assorted red fabrics, you will need:

(5)     2 1/2” squares. (1 should be medium value)

(1)     3” square

From the tone-on-tone dark blue fabric, you will need:

(3)     4 1/2” squares

From the assorted blue fabrics, you will need:

(5)     2 1/2” squares  (1 should be medium value)

(1)     3” square

Putting it together:

Making the Four Patch Units:   

Using three (3) assorted red and one blue 2 1/2” squares with four cream /beige/ tan 2 1/2” squares, make two four patch units as shown in the picture above.  They should measure 4 1/2”.

Making the half square triangles and four more Four Patch Units:  

Draw a diagonal line across the wrong side of both cream /beige/ tan 3” squares.   Pair these with a blue and red 3” square, right sides together.  Sew 1/4” on either side of the diagonal line.  Cut on the drawn line.  Press to the dark and trim to 2 1/2”.   Using these four half square triangles, make another four Four Patch units as shown in the picture above.  They should measure 4 1/2” each.

Making the “Road” units:

Draw a diagonal line on the back of four (4)  cream /beige/ tan 2 1/2” squares.   Place two of these squares on the opposite corners of two of the 4 1/2” blue squares, right sides together, with outside edges aligned.  Sew on the drawn line.   Trim off extra leaving 1/4” seam allowance.  Press seams out.  (See picture above).  Repeat with the remaining blue 4 1/2” square using the red and blue medium value 2 1/2” squares.  These three (3) “Road” units should each measure 4 1/2”.

Lay out all the units as shown in the first picture and sew together as you would a 9-Patch.   This block should measure 12 1/2” unfinished.

Thank you so much for sewing for me!   You can find my address in our address document for our Hive.   Happy Valentine's Day!