Quilted Holiday Table Runner - Day 3

This is where we left off yesterday.  We stitched the rectangle onto the square, lining up the points.

We need to make 3 more red rectangles and 3 more green rectangles.  Lay them out on your table and then stitch them together exactly as you did the first rectangle - beginning with the center square.

TIP: If you want to pick up several pieces at once and stitch them together, put a single pin on the edge that you are stitching ...

... then, when you lay them next to your sewing machine to stitch, you won't accidentally stitch the wrong edge and you can chain stitch a number of pieces in one shot.  It sure makes the piecing process go faster.

After you do your chain stitching, trim the chain and press all your pieces open - pressing towards the dark fabric and trim off your dog-ears.

Stitch your rectangles together just as you did the first rectangle and press.  Line up your 2nd rectangle opposite the first on the other side of the square.

Check your points.  You want to be sure that your points line up nicely.

Press open and your points should look like this.

Make 2 more rectangles (and don't screw up like I did when I sewed them together.  If you look at the rectangle on the left (red block), you will see a red triangle where an aqua should be and vice versa).  Oh well - that's what I get for rushing and probably being distracted during the process. 

Lay out your full block just like you see above with aqua squares on each corner.

Separate the rectangle and 2 aqua squares from the block like you see above and stitch the aqua squares to either end of the rectangle.  Press.  Repeat for the other side. 

Stitch the long rectangles to the center section to complete your red and green blocks.

Trim your blocks.  They should measure 12" square after you clean up the edges.

Beautiful.  More to come next week!