Reappearance of the Spiky 16 Patches

I spent some time yesterday just sewing donation blocks, including these Spiky 16 Patches. I came home to all the pieces on the floor. This is a problem with my new design wall that is making me crazy. I decided to get them off the floor and sewing together.

These will be part of another donation quilt. You saw these blocks unpieced back in April. I hope to have the fourth one finished sometime this week so I can put the top together in time for Sew Day.

Another Blue Spiky 16 Patch

Spiky 16 Patch for 2023
Spiky 16 Patch for 2023

I wanted to try the HuRTy, so I grabbed some scraps and started working on another Spiky 16 Patch.

I I have to admit that I mostly ended up using my Split Rects ruler. The HuRTy isn’t bad; I just haven’t gotten the hang of it yet.

I got inspired, partially, because of the blocks with the solid fabrics and the dots. They look really good and I decided I wanted to make something good with them.

Will this be good? I hope so, but if it isn’t great, I know someone will like it.

My current problem is that I am running out of background. I am not running out of ALL backgrounds – just the particular background I chose for this project. I’ll have to select something else to use to finish the quilt. I have time.

Double Spiky 16 Patch #1 Quilted

Double Spiky Star #1: quilted
Double Spiky Star #1: quilted

A long time ago, I made the Double Spiky 16 Patch #1. At Sew Day the other day, Lindsay brought it back quilted. I was pretty excited to see it done an in reality it was only February of 2021 that I finished it.

Double Spiky Star #1 quilted detail
Double Spiky Star #1 quilted detail

She quilted it really well. I love the designs she chose. I am so pleased this was a group effort.

Very Spiky

The other day i talked about the Double Spiky 16 Patch that Lee Ann finished. It made me wonder about all the Spiky 16 Patch quilts I have made. I looked back at my media files and decided to put them all into one post.

Mrs. K's Spiky 16 Patch Top
Mrs. K’s Spiky 16 Patch Top

I also inspired Mrs. K to make a top. I love it when you sew along with me, especially if you use one of my tutorials. Hers is great! It makes me think I need to add a yellow version to my list. Look at the corner triangle detail. Isn’t it great?

I always think I have made more of anything I want to show you than I really have. Six tops is not nothing. I want make more of these and now, that I see them, in different colors.

 

I am sure I will make more of them, so I’ll have to update this post.

 

Double Spiky 16 Patch #2

Double Spiky 16 Patch #2
Double Spiky 16 Patch #2

I spoke about my first Double Spiky 16 Patch a few days ago. This is the second one. I am still happy with this version as well. I made two thinking I would make one quilt, but I decided I would leave them small.

This one is also 32″. There is a charity to which my guild donates takes small quilts, so I think it will be fine.

Double Spiky 16 Patch

After writing the Spiky 16 Patch Tutorial I decided to try adding another round of HRTs to my regular block to see what would happen.

I am still using the Split Rects ruler** (By Deb Tucker) from Studio180 Designs for this project, so you will still need to review the how to use video.

Double Spiky 16 Patch in process
Double Spiky 16 Patch in process

The photo looks like a bit of a mess because the pieces are all overlapping and I need two more HRTs for each block.

I have a lot going on and this has been my leaders and enders project, so I haven’t worked on it in a week or so.

Double Spiky 16 Patch in process detail
Double Spiky 16 Patch in process detail

I like the look of the double row of HRTs. The outer HRTs are pretty large!

I am not sure if I will make more of these blocks for this project, whatever it is. If it is a donation quilt, I have to make it larger

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Spiky 16 Patch Tutorial

This is more of a guideline than a tutorial. It will teach you how to make the Spiky 16 Patch block in a general way. You will need to review the Studio180 video and know how to do basic piecing.

This block is my own design and uses Half Rectangle Triangles (HRTs) and 2.5 inch squares to make a 16 inch (finished) block. I have used these blocks to make a number of donation quilts.

Supplies:

  • Fabric:
    • 16-2.5 inch squares
    • 8 -2.5 inch squares for foreground
    • 8-2.5 inch squares for background
    • 5 inch strip of foreground – you’ll have to work through what width you need. I use scraps, so I don’t know the exact length
    • 5 inch strip of background fabric
    • Background fabric for corner squares
  • rotary cutter
  • rotary cutting ruler large enough to cut 5 inch strips
  •  Split Recs ruler** (By Deb Tucker)
  • Optional: 4.5 x 8.5 inch Creative Grids ruler** to cut smaller squares
  • Optional: Mary Ellen’s Best Press (or similar)
  • Optional: pins
  • sharp trimmers or scissors
  • thread for piecing
  • Iron
  • ironing surface
  • sewing machine in good working order
  • Computer or other device capable of viewing YouTube
  • Internet connection

Fabric Units Needed

This is a repeat of above, but with, perhaps, some additional information

  • 8 – 2.5 inch squares (unfinished) from background fabrics
  • 8 – 2.5 inch squares (unfinished) from foreground fabrics
  • 8 – 2 inch x 4 inch (finished) left facing half rectangle triangles (half foreground and half background)
  • 8 – 2 inch x 4 inch (finished) right facing half rectangle triangles (half foreground and half background)
  • 4 – 4.5 inch (unfinished)  squares from background fabrics

Center of block:

Take your 2.5 inch squares and sew them into 4- 4 patches

Blue Square Donation Block
Blue Square Donation Block

Sew your 4 patches together into a 16 patch as shown above.

I start with 5″ strips for the 2 in x 4 in (finished) HRTs. Remember: I am using the Split Recs ruler and it uses that size strip for the HRTs. You can make your HRTs using whatever method is convenient. Make sure they end up 2 inch x 4 inch finished.

It is really important to take the time to look at the Studio180 Split Recs video. It will make your life a lot easier.

Cut and trim HRTs using Split Recs ruler
Cut and trim HRTs using Split Recs ruler

Following the directions in the video, cut, sew and trim your HRT pieces:

  • 8 right facing triangles
  • 8 left facing triangles
Spiky Star in progress
Spiky Star in progress

Once you have sewn and trimmed your HRTs place them with your 16 patch, like the photo above. Note: until you sew the HRTs together, the laid out block will look uneven as my example above shows. The bottom left hand HRTs are already sewn together and you can see how they fit nicely next to the squares in the 16 patch.

Spiky Star laid out
Spiky Star laid out

Cut 4 corner squares from background fabric 4.5 inches by 4.5 inches. Sometimes I use a variety of background fabrics when I am cutting from scraps. It adds interest to the block. Just make sure you have enough contrast.

Group of 4 HRTs
Group of 4 HRTs

Start sewing your HRTs together into groups of 4.

 

Sew HRT units to center 16 Patch
Sew HRT units to center 16 Patch

Once I have the four HRT units, I sew one to each side, starting with the sides. Above shows the center block with two HRT groups of 4 sewn to the sides.

Group of 4 HRTs with background squares
Group of 4 HRTs with background squares

Once part of the block is made, I start making the last two sections, the top and the bottom.

Take one HRT section and sew it to a 4.5 x 4.5 background square. Sew the second background square to the other side of the HRT section. Do this step again for the top.

Spiky Star - 3 sections
Spiky Star – 3 sections

You will end up with 3 sections.

Complete Spiky Star block
Complete Spiky Star block

Sew one HRT/background square section to the top and then sew the second section to the bottom of the center section.  Once you have done this, press and your block is complete.

There are other ways to make the HRTs for this block. This is the method I use. Take a look at the Spiky 16 Patch blocks and quilts I have made using this technique.

 

 

 

**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

May Spiky 16 Patch

New Blue Spiky 16 Patch donation top
New Blue Spiky 16 Patch donation top

Apparently, I forgot to show you the latest blue Spiky 16 patch. Maybe not, but I couldn’t find a post about it, so I am assuming I didn’t show you this quilt.

I finished this in May. It is made from some of the guild’s 16 patches. I looked at it again the other day when I visited Tim. It is small, but mighty. I’ll see about making a larger one next time.

New Blue Spiky 16 Patches – Again

Design Wall: Spiky 16 Patches
Design Wall: Spiky 16 Patches

I finished the 4 blocks I need to make another Spiky 16 Patch donation top.

In the image you can see the extra pink/red/orange one I didn’t use in Flame. It is a lone, sad orphan right now. I don’t know what to do with it. I could combine it with the blues and make another 5 block quilt, like Spiky 16 Patch n.3. I can’t seem to generate much enthusiasm for veering away from my monochromatic road. I should lash out, but so far I haven’t.

Another idea is to send the pink/red/orange Spiky 16 patch to another guild member to build upon. That is very appealing. I don’t sincerely dislike the idea of including it with the New Blue blocks.

Since I haven’t done anything with the blues yet, I can still decide.

New Spiky 16 Patch Blocks

New Blue Spiky 16 Patch #1
New Blue Spiky 16 Patch #1

While sewing the Frolic! top together I used the New Blue Spiky 16 patch blocks as leaders and enders. I felt like I had quite a bit of Frolic! to sew together, but I only ended up with two Spiky 16 Patch blocks. I guess the Frolic! top work seemed like more than it actually was because I feel like I have been working on it forever.

I haven’t, of course, but it feels like it.

New Blue Spiky 16 Patch #2
New Blue Spiky 16 Patch #2

In any case, these Spiky 16 patch blocks are coming along well. They are the same, or similar to Spiky 16 Patch #1 and #2. I’ll probably do the same kind of setting as Flame just to get this top finished. I’d like to try something else with the HRTs.

New Blue Spiky 16 Patch

New Blue Spiky 16 Patch in progress
New Blue Spiky 16 Patch in progress

As soon as Flame was off the design wall, I dug out some HRTs I had made last year (?) when I made the other Spiky 16 Patch tops.

I am thinking about making a donation quilt with just the HRTs, but don’t think I will do that yet. I think I want to just make another Spiky 16 Patch quilt. I think I want to make the HRT version (no 16 patch) with a variety of different colors – not monochrome or warm/cool.

Finished: Flame Donation Top/Back

Flame Donation top - April 2020
Flame Donation top – April 2020

I decided to call this donation quilt ‘Flame’ to make things more interesting. I guess we all need a little ‘nice’ interesting right now rather than alarming interesting. Enough of that going around.

I am feeling kind of bad that I am still working on donation tops rather than making masks. I think I will need to make some soon, at least for my son. I wonder how many are being made at the moment?

Flame Donation back - April 2020
Flame Donation back – April 2020

I used a pretty large piece of Jay McCarroll fabric for the back. I had to add a strip to it to make it large enough, but it will be fine. I still worry about labels. I think I might use stitch lettering to put my name and the year on the back and note that it is from BAMQG. I sort of want people to know I existed down the line. Of course, who knows if the quilt will exist for very long?

Flame Donation top - April 2020 (annotated)
Flame Donation top – April 2020 (annotated)

There is one thing that is interesting that is going on with this top. If I pay careful attention to the placement of colors, the piece looks woven.

I didn’t plan this, but it has design potential. The overall design might work better with more variety in the colors, so a viewer could tell where the colors were weaving. I suspect that too many colors wouldn’t work.

Warm Spiky 16 Patch Block

Warm Spiky 16 Patch #1
Warm Spiky 16 Patch #1

As I said the other day, I am working with HRTs again. After getting re-oriented to the Split Recs ruler (By Deb Tucker). I followed my own advice (for once) and watched the video, which told me what I needed to know to get going.

I am using these as leaders and enders, though I also seem to be sticking in some regular 16 patches as well, while I work on the Frolic!

I am really loving these warm colors, which is an antidote to staying home most of the time and the rain (no complaints; we need it). They look so happy. I have used 5 blocks to make a quilt in the past, but might try 4 this time. It will be easier to make the corners.

 

 

 

 

**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Warm Spiky 16 Patch

The other day I talked about making some HRTs with the intention of making a new donation top. I got inspired by some 16 patches that I made while my subconscious worked on Frolic! I also have the Warm Windmill on my mind.

Warm Spiky 16 Patch on the design wall
Warm Spiky 16 Patch on the design wall

For the past few days, I have been cutting and sewing HRTs and trying to relax. I am coming up with a quilt top that I really like.