Autumn has officially arrived, and to celebrate the season, we’ve put together a quilt along celebrating all the things that go bump in the night. This week we’re making the Bewitching Bat block!
Midnight in the Pumpkin Patch  by Emily Cross
30″ x 30″
This week, we’re making the second block: Bewitching Bat! To find all the fabric requirements and more information about the quilt along Click Here
Block 2 – Bewitching Bat
9 1/2″ x 9 1/2″ unfinished
Fabric Requirements for Bewitching Bat
Background – ¼ yard or Fat Quarter
Cutting Instructions*
*Everyone has their own amount of fabric they like to use when Foundation Paper Piecing. The cutting instructions note in the background fabric which pieces are for the frame around the block, and the rest is use for FPP and are generalities to be used as a guide.
From the background fabric, cut:
(1) 2″ x WOF strip
(1) 4″ x WOF strip
From the bat fabric, cut:
(1) 2″ x WOF strip
Bewitching Bat Block Assembly
Print 1 copy of the pattern for the block. Measure the 1″ square to ensure the page printed the correct size.
To brush up on your FPP skills, click here .
Section Assembly
Using a water soluble fabric glue pen to hold down the G1 and L1 pieces is recommended.
Complete each paper piecing section following the numerical order. Sew all the sections and trim the paper on the dashed line.
When preparing a piece of fabric for sewing, cutting it the right shape for the angle can be tricky. Here is one trick for managing tricky pieces.
Begin with the first (or previous) piece attached to the fabric. Fold back the paper along the seam line to be sewn and trim a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Next, using a light source behind the pieces as you work, place the FPP piece fabric side up. Place the piece of fabric to be sewn on next right side up over the FPP piece so it overlaps the first fabric piece.
Use scissors to trim the excess fabric, approximately 1/4″ overlapping the first fabric piece. Then place the fabric pieces right sides together. Pin the seam line and flip the second piece over to audition the placement and make any adjustments needed before sewing.
Sew the seam and check to be sure the fabric totally covers the area, and then trim the seam allowance. Secure the fabric or sew the next piece on to continue.
Tip for Joining Sections
Joining sections and maintaining straight edges around the block can be one of the trickiest parts of foundation paper piecing. We have a trick for getting nice results, and all you need extra is a firm pin and a craft clip or two.
Begin by laying out the sections as the block will be assembled. Use the section placement guide in the FPP pattern provided.
Next bring two sections to be joined right sides together. Pierce one side through the point with a pin.
Pierce the pin through the second piece at the point as well. Leave the pin standing upright. The point is to hold the points together for a brief moment rather than to pin.
With the pin still in place and held perfectly upright, secure the rest of seam using a craft clip. A clip is preferred to pinning because it holds the pieces together without shifting, which can sometimes happen with pinning.
Bring the pieces under the sewing machine, and remove the pin. Bring the machine needle down into the hole created by the pin where the points of the two pieces meet.
Sew backwards to secure the seam, and then forwards again through the rest of the piece. Remove the craft clip before reaching it. Once sewn, you can check that the pieces joined together successfully.
FPP Block Assembly
Sew F to the top of H and E to the top of F as shown below. (You can remove the paper from the seam allowances and press them open now if desired to prevent bulk and trapping paper in seams.) Sew G to the H/F/E piece.
Repeat this process for I/J/K. Sew L to the I/J/K piece.
Sew A to D. Then sew the A/D piece to the H/F/E/G piece as shown below
Repeat this process for B/C. Sew the B/C piece to the I/J/K/L piece. Sew the two block halves together to complete the FPP block.
Adding the Frame
Sew the background 2″ x 8″ strips to the left and right side of the FPP block as shown below. Trim even to the edges of the center.
Repeat with the background 2″ x 10″ strip on the top and bottom.
Use a ruler and a marking tool like a chaco liner to measure the FPP block and from the FPP center through the frame, mark the center as shown below.
Use a ruler and measure 4 3/4″ from the marked center line, and trim with a rotary cutter. Turn the block and measure 9 1/2″ from the trimmed edge, and then trim. Repeat this for the top and bottom of the block to create an evenly trimmed 9 1/2″ square block. Watch the video below to see this method in action.
VIDEO
Next time…
Check back next week when we’ll make the web block. Until then, join us in the AQS Project Parade Facebook Group , ask questions, share your progress and piece along with us!
American Quilter Magazine January 2014 Digital
1 × $6.99 
American Quilter Magazine January 2008 Digital
1 × $6.99