Learn how to make 60° angled cuts to create diamond shapes.
You know how the song goes….Lucy in the sky with diaaaaamonds! This month in the Carolina Sunset series our quilt blogger, Lara, uses the darkest blue and a sparkly yellow from her color palette to create diamonds that resemble stars twinkling in the night sky. It’s another great interpretation from her original sunset image that inspired this whole series. You’ll learn how to use the Omnigrid 6″ x 24″ ruler to make 60° angled cuts to create the diamond shapes to emulate those “stars.”
We’re excited to have Lara Whiting contributing our block of the month series. Lara is going to be teaching you how to make 9 different quilting blocks, which you can use in any combination to make a 9-block quilt. This month’s block is the fourth in the series, and teaches you how to make diamond shapes.
Hello friends, and welcome back! So glad you’re following the Carolina Sunset sampler block sew-a-long. This month I’m excited to introduce you to another OmniGrid ruler that I enjoy using – it’s the 6 x 24″ folding travel ruler. The folding feature makes it portable (which is great for quilting on-the-go this summer) and all the angled markings add so much versatility. For this block I’ll be showing how I made 60° angled cuts to create diamond shapes.
Omnigrid® supplies:
Dritz® supplies:
Other supplies:
- Sewing machine and coordinating thread
- Iron and pressing surface
Fabric requirements (remember to check out the initial inspiration for my color palette – I explored a couple of options, but went with the color palette derived from my sunset photo, hence the name Carolina Sunset):
Dark blue:
- 2 pcs: 7.5” x 18.5”
- 2 pcs: 2” x 18.5”
- 2 pcs: 4.5” x 15”
Yellow:
- 1 pc: 2.5” x 18.5”
Notes: ¼” seams and all seams are pressed open.
Makes a 12.5” block.
Stitch yellow strip between largest pieces (7.5” x 18.5”) of dark blue fabric. Align long edges of 1 dark blue piece and yellow strip together; stitch and press seams. Align other edge of yellow strip to second piece of dark blue fabric; stitch and press seams. You will now have a 16.5” x 18.5” strip set.
Align 60° angle line of ruler along 18.5” side of strip set. Edge of ruler should line up with corner.
Cut along ruler edge with rotary cutter. Save cut piece for another project.
Rotate strip set so angled cut is now on the left. Place ruler on top of angled end. Align ruler so edge is 2.5” from angled cut and lower edge is aligned with 60° line.
Cut 3 strips from your blue and yellow strip set. Each strip set should be cut at a 60° angle and 2.5” wide. Save remainder for another project.
Add the skinny 2” x 18.5” dark blue strips in between the strip set pieces you just cut. Start from the middle and work your way out.
Center one 2” strip along the long right edge of middle strip set piece, right sides together. Pin in place and stitch together; press seams.
Add second 2” strip to other side of middle strip set. Stitch and press seam.
Mark the horizontal axis of center diamond across both 2” strips. This line will be used to line up the other strip sets.
Place right edge strip set, right sides together, on the center diamond piece. Lower seam of edge diamond should line up with marked line.
Stitch seam and press.
Add second strip set to left side. Be sure to line up top diamond seam with marked line. Stitch seam and press.
Trim off excess from top and bottom of stitched strip set. Rotate strip set and place the 6.25” marking of 9.5” x 24” ruler over the left and right center diamond points. Trim off uneven ends. Slide ruler to other side and repeat on opposite side of block.
Stitch one 4.5” x 15” dark blue strip to left side of block. Line up bottom of the strip and bottom left corner. Repeat on right side, lining up top of strip and top right corner. Press seams open.
Trim off excess fabric at top and bottom of block. On left and right sides of block, measure 6.25” from top and bottom points of center diamond and trim off excess.
And now, the best step: stand back and admire! Take photos of your creation and share on social media so we can see your blocks! Within Instagram use #carolinasunsetBOM to share your progress.
That’s it. You’re looking at this month’s block .. Twinkle Diamonds.
As a refresher, here is my initial sketch of the 9 blocks that I’ll be making, and teaching each month. The initial concept for this month’s block is in the far right bottom corner. Remember that this is a sampler, so it doesn’t matter the order you go in, which blocks you choose to make, duplicate or delete .. at the end of the day it’s going to be your 9-block quilt using some combination of what you’re learning here. Make sense?
Check out all of the blocks, join Omnigrid on Instagram and tag, tag, tag! We’d really love to see your take on a Carolina Sunset.
Lara Whiting is a passionate quilter whose designs are inspired by a fusion of influences that include traditional quilting, architecture and the natural world. When she’s not quilting, you can find her training for half marathons, tending her garden or hanging out with her rescue dogs. She lives in upstate South Carolina.
