Row 9 Prairie Queen

September 2009

Prairie Queen Row

Here's our next to last row! These blocks are fast and easy blocks to make.

If you're making a 36 inch wide quilt, you need three 12 inch or six 6 inch blocks.
If you're making a 60 inch wide quilt, you need five 12 inch blocks.
If you're making a 72 inch wide quilt, you need six 12 inch blocks.

Here's a layout of the Prairie Queen block. I picked it for several reasons. First, a couple of you had said you wanted larger squares of fabric to showcase some larger prints. Second, we've used stars, but hadn't used four patches yet, so this would be a different looking block. I also liked the diagonal step effect you get where the blocks connect. ;)

I'd select only three fabrics per block, a light background with a medium and a dark, and try to get good contrast between your colors. Your blocks can be all different, or all identical.

This is the EQ rotary cutting diagram for the 12 inch finished block above.

As usual, I'll cut the squares for the hsts (piece A) at 5 inches, not what's shown, then trim to 4½ after I've sewn and pressed them.

Piece C is a good place to use your focus fabric and fussy cut a motif.

E-mail me if you need 6 inch block instructions.

My row of blocks will be browns and greens and creams, of course. What will your Prairie Queen blocks look like?

I cut long strips 2½ wide to make the 4 patches, sewed a brown strip to a green strip, and a brown strip to a cream strip, then sub-cut them after they were sewn. Trim your finished 4 patches and half square triangles to 4½ inches, to match the size of that center square.

Then always lay out your pieces prior to sewing, like in the picture on the right side, to make sure you get the positions right. It's so easy to get the 4 patches turned wrong if you don't! Look at my EQ layout and my block layout, can you see my mistake?

(Hint -- look at the position of the cream squares in both blocks.)

When I sew my row together, I want the blocks to fit next to each other like the row at the very top of the page, so I need to watch where I position the cream squares, so I don't end up with a cream touching a cream in my final row.

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