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How to piece the fling quilt block

This quilt block took my fancy for the Scottish quilt both because the pieces are the shape of a kilt and because of the name.  I'm sure that it goes by many names, but I've latched on to Fling because it suits the theme of the quilt!





For the purpose of these instructions I made the block in black, white and red because the photos show up better.
It's not the easiest of quilt blocks because of the inset triangles, but they just need a little more care than square pieced blocks.



  
For each quilt block you will need 8 of the trapezium (kilt) shapes on the left and 4 of the triangles on the right.  I used plastic templates (from Marti Mitchell's 3 inch set) for these and cut them across a strip of fabric to save time. 


 
I find these plastic templates an enormous help.  You can cut against them whereas with cardboard templates you have to draw round them first and then cut.
I found them on amazon.com and have put a link in the right hand column, but I couldn't find any on amazon.co.uk.  Most quilt shops will stock them anyway if you don't already have your own.


Sew the 8 kilts together on the long edge to make 4 pairs of kilts.  This can be done by chain sewing but the rest of the block can't be chain sewn because you will be starting and finishing  seams 1/4" from the end.





Sew each pair of kilts together along one of the diagonal edges as shown.  I find it best to begin sewing at the centre where the 2 seams meet so that you can be sure that they match.  Begin sewing at the line of stitching and turn the seam allowances in opposite directions to reduce bulk.  Stop sewing 1/4" from the end (the top in the photo). 



Sew a triangle (red) to each side of one of the pairs of kilts.  Begin sewing 1/4" from the edge nearest the middle, but you can sew right to the edge at the other end.







Take the other pair of kilts and sew along the straight seam to join all 4 pairs of kilts together.  Be careful to keep the red triangles out of the way and begin and end sewing 1/4" from the ends.  The centre is quite bulky where all the seams meet, so make sure that you have seams on one side facing the opposite way from the seams on the other side.




Your stitching should finish just at the line of stitching for the triangle.  Both triangles are now connected along one edge only.






Fold the quilt block in half so that the unsewn edge of the triangle is in line with the black kilt that it will be sewn to and fold back the seam allowance.  Stitch the remaining side of the triangle in place, beginning sewing at the existing line of stitching and sewing out towards the edge.


Now there just remain the 2 last triangles to sew in place.  Sew one side of the triangle in place, starting 1/4" from the edge.  Fold the quilt block in half and sew the other edge of the triangle in place, starting on the line of stitching from the first seam.


The important thing with inset triangles is to have the lines of stitching all meeting at the point of the triangle.  Sometimes when I have had a puckered look at the apex of the triangle I have been able to correct it just by unpicking a couple of stitches where I have sewn slightly too far along the seam.


I used the fling quilt block in my Scottish themed quilt.
Click on Scottish quilt for more information.








rose@ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk
www.ludlowquiltandsew.co.uk