AQS Block by Block Basics: Card Trick sponsored by AccuQuilt

Welcome to the AQS Block by Block Basics Series sponsored by AccuQuilt! Each month we'll spend three weeks playing with one block.

Week one, we'll kick things off with hand piecing from templates like the quilters of yesterday.

For week two, we'll use the AccuQuilt Cutting System and machine-piece the blocks with a focus on precision piecing.

Finally, in week three, we'll focus on making the block fabulous with a variety of embellishment techniques.

Be sure to join our AQS Quilting Project Parade Facebook Group to sew along with other quilters, ask questions, and share your progress. 

If you missed the first blocks in the series, check them out by clicking the name:

Sixteen Patch

Uneven Nine-Patch

Jewel Box

Clay’s Choice

Card Trick Block

12" x 12" finished block size

Week One: Template cutting and hand piecing

Week Two: AccuQuilt cutting and precision machine piecing

Week Three: Embellishment fun

Each month, we'll complete two blocks, one hand pieced and one machine pieced. You can finish one or both of the blocks to make mini quilts or use them in projects. We'll have lots of creative ideas along the way for using your 12" blocks. We'll also offer finishing instructions if you prefer to save all the blocks for a quilt.

This month’s block, Card Trick, is one of my lifelong favorites, and I had so much fun exploring two construction methods. The first is the same we’ll use in week two and involves Half Square Triangles and Quarter Square Triangles sewn together in a Nine-Patch. The second construction method has Flying Geese Triangles, Half Square Triangles, and Quarter Square Triangles sewn together with Y-seams.

“The second method for this block came about after seeing all the hand stitching featured at AQS QuiltWeek Paducah this year! It was so inspiring to see and hear the passion for sashiko and embroidery. The month of May in my neck of the woods brings out the turtles of the Ozarks. The alligator snapping turtles with their rough shells and smiling snarls are often seen sunbathing on roadsides. I imagined a beautiful set of playing cards featuring a kikkou (hexagon) sashiko pattern, inspired by the shape of the alligator snapping turtle, and featuring the prehistoric-looking critters. I’m including the pattern for the Alligator Snapping Turtle Sashiko this week for anyone who wants to embellish their fabric before piecing.” -Emily Cross, Ozark Modern Crafting

Download the Alligator Snapping Turtle Sashiko by clicking here.

Week One

Template Options

Follow the steps from our first month (click here to visit the first tutorial) to make the templates needed for this month's Card Trick block. We have two piecing options to explore for hand piecing: Simple and Y-Seam!

Cutting Simple Card Trick

The first option uses fewer templates but creates more seams. For the Simple Card Trick block, you need the following two templates from a starting square:

(1) 4" x 4" square, then subcut it in half diagonally once to get two Half Square Triangles (HST)

Then take one of the 4" HST templates and cut it in half again to create a Quarter Square Triangle.

Then, following the color layout you like, cut patches out as listed below:

• Background 
• (4) Half Square Triangles (HST)
• (4) Quarter Square Triangles (QST)
• A Fabric
• (4) HST
• (4) QST
• B Fabric
• (4) HST
• (4) QST
• C Fabric
• (4) HST
• (4) QST
• D Fabric
• (4) HST
• (4) QST

Cutting Y-Seam Card Trick

The second option uses more templates but creates fewer seams. We’re going to explore this technique to provide a larger area to embellish with Sashiko, and to stretch our piecing skills by learning how to Y-seam. For the Y-seam Card Trick block, you need the following three templates from a starting rectangle:

1. 8" x 4" rectangle, cut a 4” HST off each end to create a center Flying Geese triangle with two side HSTs. 

Set aside the center Flying Geese, and one of the HST.

From the remaining HST, cut it in half again to create a Quarter Square Triangle.

Then, following the color layout you like, cut patches out as listed below:

• Background 
• (4) Half Square Triangles (HST)
• (4) Quarter Square Triangles (QST)
• A Fabric
• (1) Flying Geese Triangle (FG)
• (4) QST
• B Fabric
• (1) FG
• (4) QST
• C Fabric
• (1) FG
• (4) QST
• D Fabric
• (1) FG
• (4) QST

Remember, these are finished sizes and don't include the seam allowances. Be sure to label your templates so it's easy to find the right size when you need it!

Select your fabric, and start tracing. If last month was your first time hand piecing, you'll have a pretty good idea of how much seam allowance you want. We are using wide seams for this block due to some heavier handling the fabric is going through.

If this is your first try, here's some important info you shouldn't miss:

Seam allowances are different for hand piecing. They don't serve as a guide for accuracy, rather, they exist so the fabric doesn't fray too much while you sew. If you're new to hand piecing, give yourself some extra room. You can always trim them down later. DO NOT CUT ON THE DRAWN LINE - it's tempting, but don't do it.

Step one: Select the fabrics for the block. Each “card” can be different colors, some can match or coordinate like two colors and a background. You can do anything you want anytime with your block, that’s the best part! 

Step two: Trace the template on the backside of the fabric, leaving enough room between the patches for the seam allowances (a 1/4" or so for each patch is preferred for the seam allowance, but it's not a rule for hand piecing - you'll learn what you like best). 

Step three: Cut out the patches, leaving enough fabric outside the drawn line for a seam allowance.

Hand Piecing

Previously, we covered the Quilter's Knot, the Tailor's Lock Stitch, and the End Knot. If you missed it, you can catch up here.

Hand piecing Simple Card Trick uses all the same techniques as you used for the previous blocks to create Half Square Triangles units and Quarter Square Triangle units. 

The Y-Seam Card Trick block appears at first to be more complex, but breaks down to two units: Flying Geese with a pieced corner, and a Quarter Square Triangle unit.

Piecing the Simple Card Trick Block

Check out AccuQuilt’s block instructions for more piecing instructions by clicking here!

Lay out all of the pieces of your Simple Card Trick block as shown above and assemble each unit.

Remember, begin and end each seam at the corner, not sewing into the seam allowance. Finger press as desired. Each unit will measure 4 ½” unfinished.

Lay the units back out. Start sewing the units into rows. Make sure to pass through the seam at intersections.* Sew the rows together into the block.

*Below is a refresher on how to pass through the seam when sewing this patch.

Passing Through the Seam

Step one: When you come to a seam, take a back stitch on the marked line, right up to the seam.

Step two: Pass the needle through the seam on the same side you are stitching from, above the seam's stitches. If you pass the needle below the seam's stitches, your stitch will show on the front of your block.

Step three: Once on the other side of the seam, take a stitch forward and then backstitch over this stitch to continue. 

Piecing the Y-Seam Card Trick Block

To begin, lay out all the patches as the block will be sewn. Then, begin assembling units.

There are four units of Flying Geese:

And one unit of Quarter Square Triangles for the center. Once units are made, lay the block back out.

Sew the center square to the bottom of one of the Flying Geese units. Only half of the seam will be sewn on the Flying Geese unit. 

Sew another Flying Geese unit onto this, going all the way across the bottom of the new Flying Geese unit.

Repeat to add another Flying Geese unit.

This leaves the final Y seam to confront to add the final Flying Geese unit. No worries with hand piecing! 

Start with the long seam first.

Then finish up by sewing the bottom of the first Flying Geese unit to the side of the last Flying Geese unit.

Sashiko Embellishment

Sashiko is a hand stitching method from Japan used to repair fabrics and mend clothing. It has a lot in common with utility stitching, more famous these days by its artistic name: big stitch or visible mending. I love my utility stitched quilts created by my great-grandmother Mary. The inspiring amount of handwork I saw in the form of sashiko and big stitch quilting at AQS QuiltWeek Paducah made my fingers itch to play with the technique and create something from the heart. - Emily Cross, Ozark Modern Crafting

Download the Alligator Snapping Turtle Sashiko by clicking here.

Sashiko uses running stitches which do not touch to create shapes and patterns. The stitching can be applied before or after piecing the block. We did it ahead of time so we could address any shrinkage to the fabric caused by the stitching with a re-tracing of the piecing template at the end. By over stitching into the seam allowance by about an 1/8th of an inch, a pleasing edge was achieved.

To ensure sashiko lines don’t run together, the end of each line is marked on the pattern. Mark the right side of the fabric with the stitching marks either as dots, or add your own stitch lines between the ends of each line. 

To stitch, tie a knot in the end of the thread using a large-eyed sashiko needle. Come up from the back and follow your markings. Be mindful of tension and evenness of stitches. Tie off through threads on the back or in the seam allowance as needed.

You can even travel through stitches on the back of the work to backtrack, if desired.

Have fun playing with various threads and adding your own little flourishes!

Week Two

Welcome to week two of the AQS Block by Block Basics Series sponsored by AccuQuilt! For week two, we'll use the AccuQuilt Cutting GO! to die cut the fabric, and then we’ll machine piece the blocks with a focus on precision piecing. 

Be sure to join our AQS Quilting Project Parade Facebook Group to sew along with other quilters, ask questions, and share your progress. 

Download the free 12" Card Trick block pattern from AccuQuilt here.

Cutting with the AccuQuilt GO!

This version of Card Trick uses two shapes to create three units. It’s a block rich for variations and explorations of unity and scrappiness. It was great fun to run my scraps through the cutting system and pick randomly to make “cards.” It was also rewarding to topstitch my solid background with a variegated WonderFil Spaghetti thread and then simple chop the stitched fabrics into patches! -Emily

Supplies for Cutting with the AccuQuilt GO!

Download the free Card Trick pattern from AccuQuilt here.

Small scissors to cut threads, if needed

Dies Used:

GO! Half Square-4" Finished Triangle (55031)

GO! Quarter Square-4" Finished Triangle (55316 or 55047)

Fabric: 

• Fabric 1—1⁄8 yard
• Fabric 2—1⁄8 yard
• Fabric 3—1⁄8 yard
• Fabric 4—1⁄8 yard
• Fabric 5—1⁄8 yard

If you need a refresh on the cutting process using the AccuQuilt Cutting System, visit our tutorial here.

To make a block, cut out:

Fabric 1—Background:

• Cut 4—4" finished quarter square triangles
• Cut 4—4" finished half square triangles

Fabric 2—Upper Right Card:

• Cut 2—4" finished quarter square triangles
• Cut 2—4" finished half square triangles

Fabric 3–Bottom Right Card:

• Cut 2—4" finished quarter square triangles
• Cut 2—4" finished half square triangles

Fabric 4–Upper Left Card:

• Cut 2—4" finished quarter square triangles
• Cut 2—4" finished half square triangles

Fabric 5–Bottom Left Card:

• Cut 2—4" finished quarter square triangles
• Cut 2—4" finished half square triangles

 Tip: Lay all the pieces out for the block to play with scrappy arrangements! 

Machine Piecing

Machine piecing is rich with a variety of techniques and tricks for assembly. If you have any trouble figuring it out or have questions, visit the AQS Quilting Project Parade Group on Facebook. We'll be happy to show you how.

Machine Piecing Supplies

Download the free Card Trick pattern from AccuQuilt here.

Sewing machine

Thread

Scissors 

Fabric

Half Square Triangle (HST) Units

Construction Steps:

1. Select one half square triangle patch from the background fabric and one HST from a card fabric.
2. Place them right sides together, matching long edges.
3. Sew along the long edge with a ¼" seam.
4. Press the seam toward the darker fabric or open, as preferred.

Color Pairings (Make 1 of each):

• Fabric 1 (Background) + Fabric 2 (Top Right Card)
• Fabric 1 + Fabric 3 (Bottom Right Card)
• Fabric 1 + Fabric 4 (Top Left Card)
• Fabric 1 + Fabric 5 (Bottom Left Card)

Split Quarter Square Triangle (Split QST) Units

(Units at top, bottom, left, and right positions of the block)

Construction Steps:

1. Sew one quarter square triangle (QST) from the background to one QST from a card fabric along the short edge to make a half unit.
2. Press the seam open or to one side.
3. Select the assembled QST with an HST from a card fabric.
4. Place them right sides together, matching long edges.
5. Sew along the long edge with a ¼" seam.
6. Press the completed unit flat.

Color Pairings (Make 1 of each):

• HST: Fabric 4; QSTs: Fabric 2 + Fabric 1 (Top Unit)
• HST: Fabric 5; QSTs: Fabric 3 + Fabric 1 (Left Unit)
• HST: Fabric 2; QSTs: Fabric 4 + Fabric 1 (Right Unit)
• HST: Fabric 3; QSTs: Fabric 5 + Fabric 1 (Bottom Unit)

Quarter Square Triangle (QST) Center Unit

Construction Steps:

1. Select four quarter square triangles—one each from four different card fabrics.
2. Sew two triangles together along their short edges to make a half unit. Repeat for the other two QST.
3. Press seams open or to one side.
4. Sew the two halves together along the long edge to complete the square.
5. Press the center seam.

Color Pairings (Make 1 unit using one triangle of each):

• Fabric 4 (Top QST)
• Fabric 2 (Right QST)
• Fabric 3 (Bottom QST)
• Fabric 5 (Left QST)

Block Assembly

1. Lay Out the Block:
• Top Row: Left Top HST, Center Top Split QST, Right Top HST
• Middle Row: Left Middle Split QST, Center Middle QST Unit, Right Middle Split QST
• Bottom Row: Left Bottom HST, Center Bottom Split QST, Right Bottom Split QST
2. Double-check orientation so color placements form the overlapping “card” effect.

1. Sew Units into Rows:
• Sew each row of three units with ¼" seams.
• Press row seams in alternating directions for nesting.
2. Join the Rows:
• Match and sew the top, middle, and bottom rows together.
• Press final seams open or to one side.
3. The block should measure 12.5" unfinished (12" finished size).

Check back next week for a tutorial on stabilizing fabric for embellishment stitching. It’s great fun putting the machine through its paces once the fabric is ready for playing! If you enjoyed the sashiko alligator snapping turtle pattern provided for hand embellishment, stay tuned. We’ll get up to some whimsy next week!