Block Party Block #55 - Cross Roads Tutorial Part 1

Block Party Block #55—Cross Roads is a simple block comprising Lemoyne Star, Square Squared, and Half Square Triangle units. You will utilize the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star, Square Squared, and Tucker Trimmer tools for this block. 

In Part 1 of this tutorial, I will cover how to create the Lemoyne Star quadrant units. Next week, Part 2 will be released, which will cover the Square Squared units and Half Square Triangles.

The fabric used in this block comes from Deb Tucker Studio 180 Design's “Bubbles, Curves and Corner” Collection by Island Batik for Lumen Fabrics. For the Lemoyne Star, you'll need two colors: one for the background (white) and one for the stars (green).

Download your block: https://bit.ly/BPB55CrossRoads

However, I will refer to the finished block size in the cutting chart. For instance, if you make 4” units, you will check the 8” finished block size on the Lemoyne Star Tool instructions cutting chart. If you divide the 8” into four quarters, those will be 4” units.

To begin, determine your block size and consult the cutting chart on your Block Party Block pattern. Next, refer to each tool-cutting chart to identify the starting squares and strip sizes needed.

Please note that you will need a standard ruler, For example, a 6 ½” x 12 ½” ruler. I'm using the new Studio 180 Design First Choice Ruler in the images below as my standard ruler. This new series of rulers features the appropriate lines, including 45-degree lines for making sub-cuts and secondary cuts. Like the other Studio 180 Design tools, these rulers are designed for left- and right-handed cutters.

Lemoyne Star Quarter Units

To create your Background and Star Strips, you will need to cut them according to the size of the block you are making. For example, if I am making a 12” Cross Roads block with 4” units, I will need to use an 8” finished block size. So, I will cut one 3 ¾” Background strip and one 2 ½” Star Strip. Since I am only making one block, I will then cut those strips in half.

Strip Sets

Place your background strip's right sides up on the cutting mat. Label the strip on the left “A” and the other “B.” This will help you as you work through the making of the Lemoyne. Now, you will need to measure the down the width of the strip. A quick way to do this is to fold the top outward, ensuring the points align as shown in the image.

Place the star strip below the marked point, with the right sides up between the background strips.

Flip the star strips on top of the background strips with the right sides together and stitch the length of the strips. 

Press the “A” Strip toward the background strip, and the “B” strip you will press toward the star strip. 

For right-handed cutters, place the “B” strip set on top of the “A” strip sets, nesting the seams together. Arrange it horizontally to cut from left to right.

For left-handed cutters, place the “A” strip set on top of the “B” strip set, nesting the seams together. Arrange it horizontally to cut right to left.

Set the 45-degree angle.

Now that we have our strip sets on our cutting mats, it’s time to make some 45-degree angle cuts. It is very important to maintain a good 45-degree angle during this process.

Right-handed cutters, position the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler so the ¼” line is on the star strip fabric (shown) or place it on the seam line. Then, line up the standard ruler next to the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler so they bump up next to each other following the 45-degree angle. Carefully remove the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star tool and make your first cut by trimming the ends of the strip sets.

Left-handed cutters position the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler on the ¼” line so it is on the seam line. Then bump up the standard ruler next to the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star ruler to secure that 45” angle. Carefully remove the Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star tool and make your first cut by trimming the ends of the strip sets.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

To continue those 45-degree cuts, use the standard ruler to make 2 ½” cuts across the strip sets. You will need four cuts for one block.

Second Cuts

Now, we need to make a second cut that will go vertically from south to north. This cut-off triangle will be placed in a triangle on our pieced units.  It is important to keep your cut going as straight as possible.

Right-handed cutters will line up with the standard ruler so that the 45-degree line is along the sub-cut and is just right of the tip of the star strip to the ruler, and the tip is touching. Cut straight up to make the triangle.

Left-handed cutters need to carefully flip the sub-cut so the “B” is now on top. Line up the standard ruler so a line crosses the top of the star strip and the end of the ruler. Cut straight up to make the triangle.

Layout

Open the sub-cuts so they are laying right sides up.  Placing the cut-off triangle on the outside short edges of the sub-cuts.

Stitch the cut-offs on the edges of the pieces. Pressing carefully, “A” will be pushed toward the star point fabric, and “B” will be pressed to the background fabric. 

Trim to Size

Trim using your Rapid Fire® Lemoyne Star tool to the exact size of the finished Lemoyne block size listed on your Block Party Block Cutting Chart. For Example, for the 12” block, we are making 8” finished Lemoyne blocks, so we will use the 8” line on our tool.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place your unit's right sides up on the cutting mat. Then, Right-handed cutters position the unit with the diamond point at 2 o’clock, and left-handed cutters position it at 10 o’clock. Place and align the desired block size lines with the seams of the lines. Trim along both sides of the tool.

Stitch

Now that the piece units have been trimmed, it is time to stitch the “A” and “B” pieced units together to create the quarter unit. Place the pieced units' right sides together and match up the star point to nest the seams. Then, stitch with a reasonable ¼” seam allowance. Press the seams open.

Trim to Size

We need to trim the Lemoyne Star quadrants to size before sewing them into our block.  

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place your unit's right sides up on the cutting mat; positioning stars “dog ears” are removed first. Right-Handed cutters position so the seam runs from the upper Right-Handed Corner to the bottom Left. Left-handed cutters position so the seam runs from the upper left corner to the bottom right.  Place the edge of the Tucker Trimmer to the edge of the star points, keeping the common diagonal line down the center of the seam. Trim off the dog ears.

Now, we are going to trim the background fabric, so it is now to the exact size, giving us that good ¼” from the outer star points. This size we will be trimming to is half of the finished block size, for example, for an 8” finished block, we will be using 4 ½” lines. 

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Rotate the trimmed quadrant 180 Degrees so the previously trimmed dog ears are now in front of you. Place the Tucker Trimmer Common Diagonal down the center seam, lining up the desired size clean-up lines on the trimmed edge of the quadrant. Ensuring the ¼” seam allowance lines are lining up on the outer points of the quadrant.

Now, you have a perfectly trimmed unit for your block. This process can be used for any of the Lemoyne Star Techniques. 

Next week, we will cover the remaining units for this block.

Block Party Block #54 - Compass Twist Tutorial Part 2

Last week, I released Block Party Block #54, titled "Compass Twist," along with part one of a two-part tutorial on how to make this block. If you missed last week's tutorial, you can find it here: https://quiltingaffection.blogspot.com/2025/01/block-party-block-54-compass-twist.html.

This week, we will cover Units C and D, starting with the same base: a combination unit. We will apply the techniques we learned last week to pop our corners.

Please consult the cutting charts in the tool instructions to find the starting sizes for the squares and strips required for your block.

Let's start by discussing how to create this combination unit.

Unit C and D Combination Units.

For these units, you will need three different-colored fabrics: a background, a medium, and a dark fabric. I used white for the background, light purple for the medium, and teal for the dark fabric.

Using your Quilter’s Magic Wand, mark the background fabric with two diagonal lines ¼” from the center diagonal.

Place the background fabric on top of the medium fabric, with the right sides together. Stitch on the drawn lines. Cut down the middle of the stitch lines to make two triangles. Press toward the medium fabric.

Now, we will place our untrimmed units on top of dark fabric with the right sides together. Center the half-square triangle, ensuring the diagonal point matches the larger square. Using your Quilter’s Magic Wand again, mark two diagonal lines ¼” from the center diagonal through the seam of the half-square triangle.

Stitch on the newly drawn lines and cut down the middle. Press toward the dark triangle.  

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place the Combination unit on the cutting mat. Place the Tucker Trimmer on the unit using the Cutting Size listed on your block pattern, lining up the sizing line across the sewn seam and the common diagonal down the center along the other seam. Trim up and across the unit.

Rotate your unit 180 degrees, replace the Tucker Trimmer on the unit, realign the sizing line and the clean-up lines on the previously trimmed edges, and trim up and across the final two sides of the unit.

You will repeat this for all the Combination units.

Now, sort your Combination units into two stacks for Units C and D.  The Combination Units' large dark triangles will point toward you and to the center. See the above image.

Cutting Type 1 and 2 Replacement Triangles

Consult the Cutting Chart in the instructions for your Corner Pop III tool to determine the strip size needed based on the finished size of the unit you are popping. Gather your fabric strips for the replacement triangles; I will use dark purple fabric for the replacement triangles.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Fold the strip in half with either the wrong or right sides together. Then, lay the strip flat on the cutting mat. For right-handed cutters, place the strip horizontally. For left-handed cutters, place the strip Vertically. Clean up the short edge of the strip. Find the bold Replacement Triangle line on your Corner Pop III tool. Place the Replacement Triangle line on the trimmed edge of the strip and position the Cut Away Corner line that corresponds with your width size along the long edge of the strip. See the above images.  Trim across the angle of the tool. You will now have two replacement triangles, Type 1 and Type 2.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

You will need to perform a straight cut to make the next cut. Begin by aligning the tool's top edge with the strip's top. Position the ½” dashed line on the tool approximately 1/8” from the corner edge. Then, trim across the tool.

Repeat this process for the number of replacement triangles needed for your block. You will need four Type 1 Replacement Triangles and four Type 2 Replacement Triangles.

Popping Unit C Type 2 Combination Units

Gather your Unit C Combination Units and Type 2 replacement triangles.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Position Unit C Combination with the wrong side up on the cutting mat. For right-handers, place the large, darker triangle in the bottom left-hand corner. For left-handers, place the large, darker triangle so it faces toward the right and you. See the images above for placement. Use the Unit Cut Away Size indicated on the cutting instructions for the block pattern to align the Corner Pop III tool Cut Away Corner tool lines on the unit, as shown above. Position the Trim along the angle to remove the triangle.

Place the Dark Replacement Triangles on the right side of the trimmed unit.

Place the trimmed Combination unit on top of the replacement triangle and sew a ¼” seam allowance. Stitch a ¼” seam allowance along the angles with the Combination unit on top of the replacement triangle. Press the seams open. Repeat for all four Unit C units.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place the unit right side up on the cutting mat. For right-handers, place the replacement triangle across the top; for Left-Handers, place the replacement triangles on the left side. Locate the Corner Trim Down section on your Corner Pop III tool. Place the diagonal line that indicates the unit size you are making on the seam line; see the images above. Trim away the access. Repeat for all your Unit C units.

Popping Unit D Type 1 Combination Units

Gather your Unit D Combination Units and Type 1 replacement triangles.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Position Unit C Combination with the right side up on the cutting mat. For right-handers, Place the large, darker triangle in the bottom left-hand corner. For left-handers, place the large, darker triangle so it faces toward the right and you. See the images above for placement. Use the Unit Cut Away Size indicated on the cutting instructions for the block pattern to align the Corner Pop III tool Cut Away Corner tool lines on the unit, as shown above. Position the Trim along the angle to remove the triangle.

Place the Dark Replacement Triangles on the right side of the trimmed unit.

Place the trimmed Combination unit on top of the replacement triangle and sew a ¼” seam allowance. Stitch a ¼” seam allowance along the angles with the Combination unit on top of the replacement triangle. Press the seams open. Repeat for all four Unit D units.

Right-Handed

Left-Handed

Place the unit Wrong side up on the cutting mat. For right-handers, place the replacement triangle across the top; for Left-Handers, place the replacement triangles on the left side. Locate the Corner Trim Down section on your Corner Pop III tool. Place the diagonal line that indicates the unit size you are making on the seam line; see the images above. Trim away the access. Repeat for all your Unit D units.

Block Construction

Now that all your units are completed, it's time to assemble your block. 

Start by arranging the units to form your block.

Next, stitch the units together into rows, remembering to press the seams open as you go.

Finally, stitch the rows together, pressing the seams open again to finish your quilt top.

You have now completed Block Party Block #54. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Please check back next month for another Block Party Block release. In the meantime, you can explore the other Block Party Blocks on my website.