Quilt Block of the Month - May 2018
Author: Elanda Tonil, May 2018
This month’s quilt block is called a Jacob’s Ladder. It uses only techniques we’ve already learned, but in a slightly more complex way than what we’ve done so far.
If you look at it, you’ll notice it’s really just five 4-Patches and four Half-Square Triangles.
- Fabric
From each fabric:
Cut one strip – 2 ½” x at least 25”
Cut two squares – 4 7/8” x 4 7/8” (feel free to round up to 5”, as you can always trim it down later)
- Tips
If you press your seams in opposite directions, you can fan your center seam to greatly reduce bulk, leaving your quilt looking smoother when finished. It will also make your quilt easier to quilt.
- Step 1
Cut your strips, press and make sure they’re straight and even.
Pin your strips with right sides together.
Pin your squares, a light and a dark each, right sides together.
- Step 2
Sew your strips along one edge. Press to the dark fabric
Prepare your Half-Square Triangles as we have learned: draw a line down the center, corner to corner. Sew ¼” from each side of your drawn line. Cut your new HSTs apart on your center line. Press to the dark fabric and square up these new HSTs.
- Step 3
Cut your strips into 10 vertical strips, 2 ½” wide. These should be 4 ½” x 2 ½”.
You’ll make five (5) 4-Patch blocks now. Align these with dark fabric against light fabric, and pin along the edge. Make sure you nest these seams so that they finish smoothly.
- Step 4
If you consistently press to the dark fabric, you’ll be able to nest your seams so that you can fan the center seam. The video at the beginning of the article shows how to do this. If you’ve done it right, you’ll end up with a tiny cute 4-Patch from your seam allowances.
- Step 5
Lay out your 4-Patches. Notice that they are all facing the same direction. You’ll have a diagonal line of light fabric going from bottom left to top right, and a diagonal line of dark fabrics from bottom right to top left. I check for this X to verify that I have everything oriented correctly.
Now fill in the gaps with your HSTs, dark triangles pointing toward the center diagonal. This is what will give it that ladder appearance.
Lay the right squares on top of the center squares and pin along the right edge.
- Step 6
Continue as in step 5, and sew each row together.
Lay them out to make sure you have each block in the right place and facing the right direction.
Pin your rows together. Nest your seams and pin them to ensure your corners line up. Sew them together and… *drumroll*
You’re done!
Let me know how it goes! As always, feel free to send me any questions about this block or any other quilting topic.
