Common Threads Quilt Guild, Bexley, Ohio

Guidelines for Whirlwind Block Exchange

Each person participating in the Whirlwind Block Exchange makes 30 whirlwind blocks - 15 using one blue focus fabric and white background fabric, and another 15 using a different blue focus fabric and background fabric. "Square 'em and pair 'em", then bring them to the guild meeting to exchange.

Fabrics

Fabric Basics:

Fabrics should be pre-washed, good quality, 100% cotton. Please, no novelty fabrics.
Choose two different medium blue focus fabrics. Fabric should "read" blue from a distance.
The background fabric is white-on-white. The same white-on-white can be used for both sets of Whirlwind blocks, but 2 different white-on-white's would be even better.

Fabric Choices:

Each Whirlwind block requires one medium blue focus fabric and one white-on-white background fabric. Since the Exchange involves exchanging 2 sets of 15 identical blocks, 2 blue focus fabrics and 2 white-on-white background fabrics are required.

	1/4 yard of Focus Fabric #1, or 1 fat quarter
	1/4 yard of Focus Fabric #2, or 1 fat quarter
	3/4 yard of Background Fabric #1
	3/4 yard of Background Fabric #2

Cutting the Fabric

Cutting basics:

Measure twice, cut once.
Cut through no more than 2 layers at a time.
For basic rotary cutting directions, please refer to this link - http://ttsw.com/HowTo/RotaryCuttingDirections.html

Pieces required:

Piece	Description	Each Block requires:	Whirlwind Block Exchange requires:
	focus triangle	4	120 (60 of Focus1 + 60 of Focus2)
	small background triangle	4	120 (60 of Background1 + 60 of Background2)
	large background triangle	4	120 (60 of Background1 + 60 of Background2)

Cut focus fabrics into 4-1/4" wide strips.

	cut 2 - 4-1/4" strips of Focus1
	cut 2 - 4-1/4" strips of Focus2

Cut background fabrics into 3-7/8" and 4-1/4" wide strips.

	cut 2 - 4-1/4" strips of Background1 cut 3 - 3-7/8" strips of Background1
	cut 2 - 4-1/4" strips of Background2 cut 3 - 3-7/8" strips of Background2

Cut strips into squares.

	Cut each 4-1/4" strip into 4-1/4" perfect squares. Squares required are: 15 squares of Focus1 15 squares of Focus2 15 squares of Background1 15 squares of Background2
	Take the 4-1/4" squares produced in the previous step, and cut on both diagonals to produce 4 small quarter-square triangles per square. Quarter-square triangles (QST) required are: 60 QST of Focus1 60 QST of Focus2 60 QST of Background1 60 QST of Background2
	Cut each 3-7/8" background strip into 3-7/8" perfect squares. Squares required are: 30 squares of Background1 30 squares of Background2
	Take the 3-7/8" squares produced in the previous step, and cut on one diagonal only to produce 2 large right triangles. Triangles required are: 60 triangles of Background1 60 triangles of Background2

Piecing the Blocks

Piecing Basics:

As you are sewing, measure your seams allowances frequently to be sure you are sewing an accurate 1/4" seam allowance.
Iron all seams away from the lighter background fabric.
To get a better seam match, feed the pieces into your sewing machine so that the top seam allowance is folded away from you, the bottom seam folded towards you. Since most machines push on the top fabric and pull on the bottom fabric, this pushes the top seam and pulls the bottom seam together, allowing the seams to "lock" together.

Piecing the Whirlwind:

	Sew together one QST focus piece to one QST background piece as shown, using a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Be sure the focus fabric is positioned as shown. Press seam towards the dark fabric. If you are having trouble with the bias edges, try spray starching the triangles before sewing.
	Piece together 1 QST unit to 1 large triangle unit. Press seam towards the dark fabric. Trim off the "dog ears". Measure. This unit should measure 3-1/2" square. Trim or re-sew if necessary.
	Take 2 units produced in the previous step and piece together to create 1/2 of the block. Be sure the block "whirls" as shown. Press seam towards dark fabric.
	Take 2 units produced in the previous step and piece together to create one Whirlwind block. Be sure the block "whirls" as shown. SQUARE 'EM Measure. This block should measure 6-1/2" square. Trim or re-sew if necessary.

Packaging for the Block Exchange

You will need:

15 zip-lock sandwich bags
address labels
1 gallon-size zip-lock freezer bag

Put one of your address labels on each bag.

Divide your blocks into 15 sets.

PAIR 'EM - 1 "set" is 1 block of Fabric #1 and 1 block of Fabric #2.
Put each "set" into a zip-lock bag.

1 set = 1 block with Fabric1 and 1 block with Fabric2

Finally,

Place all 15 sets into one large zip bag. You use this larger bag to pass to the next person and hold all your exchanged blocks.
Bring this bag to the next Guild meeting as we will be exchanging the "sets" the night of the meeting.
You will exchange your group of 15 sets with everyone else so that you take home 15 different sets of blocks or 30 totally different blocks.
If you can't make it to the meeting, be sure to find someone who can take your blocks to the meeting for you. If your blocks aren't present at the meeting, they won't be included in the exchange.

If you have any questions, please contact Kaaren Courtney.