Spiderweb Block

So I saw this cool looking block that one of my Flickr friends had made and which she blogged about. She had gotten the tutorial for the block from another site.

What I did not like is the use of a 12.5 inch square of fabric to use as the foundation.  That’s wasting some nice fabric, and if your star fabric is bright, the color might burn through the strips.  SO, I designed a paper piecing pattern for this block.  The problem with that is, most printers are limited in size, so my pattern will only make a 10.5 inch trimmed, 10 inch finished block.  Please note – you still have to add the ¼ inch seam allowance to the pattern when making the final trim.  I suggest you draw the cut lines in, so you won’t forget! 

It’s a lot like the block I blogged about last.  You start with the middle piece and then piece either side of it. 

Starting the quarter block.

  Trim each triangle with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.  After making four, sew the triangles together on the short sides.

Finished Block

A few things to note: 

•  If you wanted the corners to have the same color way, then you would have to alternate on which side a particular color way goes on two of the blocks.  Realize, as you make more blocks and sew them together, it's those corner strip triangles that will form the spiderwebs!  See the mockup below (I only have made one block so far).

• You can make this go faster if you sew the strips to each side at a time, before pressing and getting the next strips ready.
• There’s nothing sacred about the lines for the strips – you can make as many or as few, as straight or as wonky as you want.  The only piece that has to be correct is the central one, labeled BG.
• As usual I used freezer paper, but any style of foundation piecing will work.

BTW, I recently discovered that there are wide format printers that will print on 13 inch wide and up to 44”long paper.  They cost no more than a regular printer.  I have already decided I am buying one.  Many are WiFi, so I can set it up in my studio, but print from any computer in the house.

Enjoy!