Allure Block 8 Tips - Kate Colleran Designs

Hi friends!

This month we are working on Block 8 in the Allure Block of the Month quilt pattern.

In case this is your first time seeing the posts, Allure is a BOM pattern that I designed for the QT fabrics to use with their line called Aura.

I am creating a “quilt along” series of blog posts to go along with the pattern. No matter when you start making your quilt, you can reference these posts for tips on making your blocks! The posts will run from April 2024 – January 2025! Links to all the earlier posts below.

Allure Block 8

Block 8 in the Allure quilt has both half square triangle units and flying geese units.

We have done these now many times!

But, for every block you make, there are different ways to approach putting the block together. So I thought this month, it might be fun to review why I chose the method I did to put it together.

Don’t you just love the bold fabrics in this block??? The Aura fabrics form QT Fabrics have such great depth of color and movement.

Sewing the Block

In this block, we are making 2 different HST units and just one FG unit.

Do you need a refresher on sewing HST units or FG units? Click here for a blog post on HST units and here for one on FG units!

To put the block together, we might think that we have a couple of options.

We might think we could create the block in rows but because of the placement of the FG units, that would be tricky unless we made them into 2 HST units.

If the units were all HSTs, then we sew it into rows.

So one way to make it work WITHOUT making the FG units into HST units is to sew partial seams.

Now I don’t really mind partial seams. They are a great way to sew units together and eliminate some extra piecing. I use that method in my Free Quilt that you can access when you sign up for my newsletter.

Do you need more information on Partial Seams? Check out this blog post!

But in this block, there is another option!

Instead, we sew them into four patch units which just makes the most sense. Make 4 four patch units, sew them together and T-done!

Breaking down blocks and trying to figure out the best possible way to piece a block sometimes means looking that the block in a new way.

Pressing Tip for Allure Block 8

Here’s the tip about sewing the 2 HST units together: press so the seams nest. In the pattern, I show which way to press the seams to one side when you are sewing the HST units together. This makes the seams nest and the intersection lay flatter.

Often we worry about always pressing to the darkest fabric when maybe we need to look at pressing from the standpoint of construction. Sometimes pressing to the lighter side can make for a flatter and easier to piece block!

See you back here next month (next year!!!!) for the final block, Block 9!!

Happy Holidays! Happy New Year to all!

Happy quilting!

Kate

Please Note: All the sizes need for Block 8 are in the pattern. I am not sharing block or cutting sizes on the blog; you will need the pattern to make the quilt.

Fabrics are from the Aura fabric line from QT Fabrics!