September Block- One Room Schoolhouse
September, rather than January always seemed to be the beginning of the year for me as a kid! I loved school and couldn’t wait for the first day so I could wear my newest outfit and try out my shiny new school supplies. Even though the old one room schoolhouses are a thing of the past, we can reminisce with this bright red schoolhouse.
(***scroll to the bottom of the page for a printable PDF version of this pattern)
Cutting Instructions (for one 12” finished block- it will be 12 ½” before sewing on 1 ½” strips):
From a variety of red scraps:
cut twenty-four 2” squares
From a variety of blue scraps:
cut seventeen 2” squares
cut two 2 ½” squares
cut 2 strips 1 ½” x 12 ½”
cut 1 strip 1 ½” x 14 ½”
From a variety of dark grey scraps:
cut nine 2” squares
From a variety of black scraps:
cut six 2” squares
cut two 2 ½” squares
From a variety of medium grey scraps:
cut two 2” squares
cut two 2 ½” squares
One strip of green: 1 ½” x 14 ½”
Outer border fabric (.25 m / ¼ yd): *** you might not want to cut the outer border lengths until your block is completed with narrow background borders in case seam allowances are not consistent
cut two 3 ½” WOF (width of fabric) strips (cut one 14 ½” and one 20 ½” length from each strip)
Binding: three 2 ½” strips (.25 m / ¼ yd)
Backing: one piece 23” square
Batting: one piece 23” square
Hanging sleeve: one piece 5” x 20 ½”
Sewing instructions:
*** ¼” seam allowances are used throughout. Refer to my Scant Quarter Inch tutorial for your own perfect ¼” seam.
figure 1
Half Square Triangles (HST's): all 2 ½” squares from cutting directions above
draw a diagonal line on the back of both 2 ½” blue squares and one 2 ½” medium grey square
with right sides together place the two blue squares with a medium grey square and a black square and stitch ¼” from both sides of the drawn line (repeat with the remaining medium grey/black set)
cut them apart along the drawn line and press seam toward the darker fabric (figure 1)
Trimming HST's: (the following HST's are in different colours...the trimming is the same)
line up the diagonal line from the ruler on top of the seam line making sure that the entire 2” area of the ruler is on top of the HST and trim the excess from the right and top of the square (figures 2 & 3)
turn the HST around and place the 2” markings from the ruler on the already trimmed corner and trim the final 2 sides (figures 4 & 5)...repeat with all HST's
figure 2
figure 3
figure 4
figure 5
Block layout:
lay out the 2” squares and HST's by following the photograph below for placement (figure 6)
stitch squares in each row together and press seams in each row in the opposite direction to the one before it (figure 7)
stitch all rows together lining up seam lines (figure 8)
press seams in one directions
figure 6
figure 7
figure 8
Narrow borders (figure 9):
stitch 1 ½” x 12 ½” blue strips to the sides of the block and press seams toward the strips
stitch 1 ½” x 14 ½” blue strip to the top of the block and press seam toward the strip
stitch 1 ½” x 14 ½” green strip to the bottom of the block and press seam toward the strip
*** If you plan on making a calendar quilt, just stop with this completed block. If you want to make a wallhanging follow the instructions below.
Outer border:
stitch 3 ½” x 14 ½” outer borders to the sides of the block and press seams toward the borders (figure 10)
stitch 3 ½” x 20 ½” outer borders to the top and bottom of the block and press seams toward the borders (figure 11)
figure 10
figure 11
Finishing:
layer the backing, batting and top together and either spray-baste or pin-baste the layers together
quilt as desired, also run a straight stitch within the seam allowance all around the outer edge...this stabilizes the edge for applying the binding
trim backing and batting even with the quilt top
follow my Hanging Sleeve tutorial
apply the binding using your preferred method (the hanging sleeve will be stitched in place as the binding is sewn on) or follow my Best Ever Binding tutorial
add any embellishments to make it personal…ABC’s and 123’s buttons or charms, a bell on the roof, a sign over the door, a child’s face peeking out the window. I had some alphabet beads that I hand stitched across the top.