Radiating Sparklers - A Tutorial

Many months ago, I promised you all a tutorial for a little block I like to call "Radiating Sparkler".  Well, today is the day!

I first came across this block whilst doing the Fat Quarter Shop Designer Mystery Block of The Month.  And instantly fell in love with it!

When it came to thinking about which block I would like my QCA Bee #5 to make for me back in March, I kept coming back to this block.  After an extensive search on the interwebs, with no results, I ended up emailing Kate Spain, who is the fabulous designer of this block, and asked her permission to share her tutorial with my Bee.  Kate very graciously replied and gave me the thumbs up!

I got cracking and made up my "radiating colour" version of the block to see if it would actually work!  And it did!  So here is my twist on Kate Spain's "Sparklers" block design.  I hope you like it!

Let's go!

 

The first task is finding five fabrics in the same colour, but different shades.  You want a good progression from light to dark/bright.  You don't need much fabric for each block, a fat eighth is plenty big.  You also need a background fabric, for my blocks, I am using white.

Then it's time to cut:

Now let's get sewing!  Use a scant 1/4" seam.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the fabric L squares and Fabric F squares.  

With right sides facing, layer a fabric L square on the left end of a fabric I rectangle.

Stitch on the drawn line and trim 1/3" away from the seam.  (This is how you will trim the other blocks that ask for same instructions).

Press to one side.  Then take your fabric F square and place on the other end of the rectangle, sewing along the marked line.

Trim and press.  This gives you your first two blocks.  They should measure 2 1/2" x 4 1/2".  Put to one side.

Draw a diagonal line on your H fabric squares and right sides facing, lay on to a Fabric K square and Fabric D square.

Stitch 1/4" on either side of the marked line to make four HST's.

Cut down the middle on the marked line and press.  These blocks should measure 2 1/2" x 2 1/2".

Assemble your F/I/L block and your D/H block as shown on the left.  Then take your K/H blocks and attach to your M square as shown on the right.

Assemble those three blocks together as shown above.  Put to one side.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong sides of the fabric C squares.

Place them on top of the right sides of your fabric E rectangles, with the line facing as shown above.  Stitch on the drawn line.

Draw a diagonal line on your fabric G squares, then place on top of your fabric A rectangles as shown above.  Stitch on the drawn line.

Trim and press as show above.  These should measure 2 1/2" x 3 1/2".

Trim and press as above.  These should measure 3 1/2" x 4 1/2".

Draw a diagonal line on your fabric J squares.  Place on top of your G/A blocks as shown above and stitch on the line.

Trim and press as shown above.

Assemble the last two blocks together as shown above.  These should measure 3 1/2" x 6 1/2".

Take all of your finished blocks and assemble them as shown above, adding in your fabric B squares.  I sew my the top three, middle three and bottom three together, and then sew the three rows together.

And you're finished!  The finished block should measure 12 1/2" square!

And when you receive all your bee blocks, and throw in a few mini sparklers - you get this!  I will have a little old tutorial for the mini sparklers in a couple of days for you!

So - what do you think?  Will you be making some radiating sparklers for yourself??  If you do, then be sure to show me!  Use the hashtag #radiatingsparkler on IG and FB!

Have a wonderful weekend! xx

I'm linking up - You can too!

T.G.I.F.F. Party Over Here!

I'm playing Hostess with the Mostess today!  So welcome!  I have a bright and sparkly reveal that has been months in the making.....

You see, back in February, I found a block I loved and wanted to use for my month as Queen in my quilting bee.  I had to be resourceful and literally go straight to the source.....

And then re-write the tutorial to suit my block with a twist....

I like to call it the "Radiating Sparkler"!  I actually received 14 of these gorgeous blocks and made two myself.  So what happened to the four blocks not used in this quilt top?  Well, they have been joined together and will be made in to a big and bright cushion.  A very big THANK YOU to my lovely QCA Bee #5 friends!

I ummed and ahhed whether to put sashing in between the blocks, but reallllly liked the point on point vision!  To make it up to lap size, I added some borders and little mini sparklers as corner stones.  I absolutely ADORE how it's turned out and can't wait (well, I will wait) to get it backed, basted and quilted!

And tomorrow?  Well, tomorrow I will pop the tutorial up here on the blog for all of you!  So you can go forth and make your own Radiating Sparklers!  Remember to pop back in and check it out.

Now it's your turn to show your finish or finishes for the week.  Be sure to include a TGIFF button or link back to the party so everyone else can find it too!  And of course - pop in to some of the other party animals and share the comment love!

An InLinkz Link-up

W.I.P. Wednesday...... Progress

Yesterday brought progress to my Wavelength quilt.  It's now at cot quilt size and I was maybe who knows am aiming for single bed size.  Soooo, 168 4.5" blocks done.  Probably about 80 more to go.  Hmmmm........

My original plan was to use all the colours in the Color Me Happy range but I'm second guessing myself - so who knows what this will look like when it's finished!?

You can really see why V & Co named this range what they did!  It's just so damn cheerful to look at!

And in other W.I.P. news - I've received quite a few more bee blocks from QCA Bee #5!  You may remember the Radiating Sparkler block I first whipped up a couple of months ago HERE?  Well, they're multiplying.  And I am ADORING how it's all coming together!

Photo is from IG, so apologies for its fuzziness!

I'm also realising that I may or may not have a slight addiction to the use of gradient colour schemes!?!?  So be it!  And for all of you who asked me back when I did the first of these blocks - I will have a tutorial for you all in a month or so ;)

I had planned to pull out all my W.I.P.'S to fess up, but clearly did not have the time!  I was discussing with a quilty friend the other day about the onset of my quilter's ADHD, and she made me feel much better by confessing she has 27 W.I.P.'S.  I promised I wouldn't judge, and I won't - basically because that could very well be my count in a couple of years if I don't pull my finger out!  I think my count is at six.  But don't hold me to that.....

I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced - You can too!