Spangled Stars QAL Block 2 - Bar Block

Welcome to the Spangled Stars Quiltalong for Block 2, the Bar Block. If you're just joining in, here's the schedule:

        Welcome to the Spangled Stars QAL - April 30, 2105 

       Uneven Nine Patch Block - May 7, 2015

Bar Block - May 14, 2015

Stripes and Cross - May 21, 2015

Star Block, part 1 - May 28, 2015    

Star Block, part 2 - June 4, 2015

Quilt assembly - June 11, 2015

Completed Top Linky - June 18, 2015

        Completed Quilt, Grand Parade - July 2, 2015

Now, on to the Bar Blocks!

The chart below lists the number of Bar Blocks needed for each size quilt.

                                     

	# of Bar blocks
Wall Hanging	12
Throw	32
Twin	59
Double/Full	72
Queen	84
King	98

Those are big, scary numbers! But keep in mind, this block makes up the majority of the quilt, and is really, really easy to put together. I'm making two twin size quilts, and it took two hours to cut, sew, press, sew, press, subcut, and take pictures of 59 blocks. That's a fast block!

The next chart shows how many strips to cut of the white, for the background, and the medium blue, for the bar, based on a fabric width of 40".

WOF=40”	White background	Blue for bar
Wall Hanging	(4)  4 1/4” x WOF	(2) 2” x  WOF
Throw	(12)  4 1/4” x WOF	(6) 2” x  WOF
Twin	(20)  4 1/4” x WOF	(10) 2” x  WOF
Double/Full	(24)  4 1/4” x WOF	(12) 2” x  WOF
Queen	(28)  4 1/4” x WOF	(14) 2” x WOF
King	(32)  4 1/4” x WOF	(16) 2” x WOF

When it's all done, the block looks like this:

and measures 9 1/2" x 6 1/2".

So let's get sewing!

Cut background strips 4 1/4" wide, and medium blue strips 2" wide. I chose a darker medium blue for my project. It's definitely not my darkest blue!

Sew a blue strip to a background strip, using a scant 1/4" seam.

Press the seam to the blue, narrow strip. Sew another background strip to the other side of the blue, and again press the seam toward the blue. The strip sets should measure 9 1/2" wide.

Stack two strip sets on top of each other, carefully lining up the edges. 

Trim off an end, then subcut 6 1/2" blocks from the strip sets.

Once the required number of blocks are cut, you're done!

Congratulations! Don't forget to link up below!