Week 5: Final Block Construction

This week, we’re putting everything together to complete our blocks! You’ll be piecing your plant blocks with the remaining background strips and finishing off with the checkerboard block. Here’s how to do it:

Piece the Plant Blocks Together 

   - Sew the plant blocks to either side of the center background strip.

   - Press the seam allowance (SA) toward the center.

   Pieces Needed:

     - Plant 1 

     - Background strip (1 1/2” x 20”)  

     - Plant 2  

Add the Background Side Pieces

   - Attach the background side pieces to the block.

   - Press SA toward the center, then square up the ends.

  Pieces Needed:

     - Background (2 1/2” x 20”)  

     - Plant blocks  

     - Background (2 1/2” x 20”)  

Attach the Top Background Piece

   - Sew the top background piece to the top of the plant blocks.

   - Press SA toward the center.

   Pieces Needed: 

     - Background (4 1/2” x 23 1/2”)  

     - Plant blocks  

Join the Checkerboard Block

   - Align the seams of the plant and checkerboard blocks before sewing.

   - Press SA toward the center.

    Pieces Needed:

     -Plant Blocks w/ Background attached

     -Checkerboard Block

Final Press and Trim

   - Give your block a final press.

   - Trim any stray threads.

   - True up your block to 23 1/2” x 31”.

Tip of the Week: When Your Pieces Don’t Match Up

Sometimes, when sewing long seams, you may find that your pieces seem to be slightly different lengths. Don’t panic! A simple trick to make them fit perfectly is to find the center of each piece and pin from the center out. Here’s how:

1. Fold both pieces in half and mark the center with a pin or a small crease.

2. Align the centers and pin them together.

3. Then, pin at the ends.

4. Finally, ease in any extra fabric by adding more pins as needed between the center and ends.

This method distributes any slight variations evenly, preventing puckering or mismatched edges. 

Share Your Progress & Enter This Week’s Giveaway 

We can’t wait to see your full blocks coming together—share your progress with us in our discord or on instagram using #GrannyCoreQAL. Plus your posts will enter you into this week's giveaway! This week's prize is a $50 Daisy Chain Patterns Gift Card. 

Entries for this week's giveaway close on Tuesday 3/12.