Final Step Dinner Plates Quilt Along

Marny here...If you have been sewing along with us you have your circles inserted into your blocks.  (The three previous posts are available by clicking on Dinner Plates in the right side label bar.  It is never to late to join us!)

So let's get this Dinner party started.

With your circle blocks complete, it is time to figure our how to trim them
square.  You recall they started out oversized because some distortion
takes place while insetting the circles.  It will be fun to figure out what to do with the leftover 12" circles!  Any ideas?

Remember the finger pressed line down both axes of the circle?  My ruler is 8" across.
I want the block to be 15 1/2" raw(15" finished.)  So I place the 7 3/4" (7 3/4 + 7 3/4 = 15 1/2) mark along the fold line, as best I can.  Then I trim the fabric off to the right of this ruler.

Back to the two ruler technique we used earlier.  See here for a refresher.  My long
horizontal ruler on the right is on the 15 1/2" line.  I snug my vertical left
ruler up against the end of the first ruler.  Next, remove the first ruler and cut along
the ruler on the left.  

Two edges are now "square." 

The previously trimmed edges are at the top and bottom of this picture.  (The scrap to
the left is a leftover from a previous cut.  Sorry I didn't notice it when I took the picture.  Just pretend it
isn't there, please. )  The ruler's 7 3/4" mark is lined up on the finger pressed axis.  Note, the
ruler's top end is used to make sure the cut will be perpendicular to your previously squared edges.
See below.

Close up of the above step and ruler placement.  This area is from the side
looking at the top of the square in the above picture.

Last cut.  The 15 1/2" mark on the ruler is lined up on the right side.  The
"top" of the ruler is aligned with the top edge of the block to make sure the
last cut is square.

Your blocks are now complete.  Here is a layout diagram for the queen size quilt.

And here is the layout diagram for the throw size.

Please spread all your blocks out in a mock layout.  You might just want 

to do a bit of tweaking.

Oops.  Time for a confession.
Following my fabric placement chart I end up with too much of the
pink background fabrics on the upper left side.  There will need to be some
rearranging after all.  Best laid plans and all that...

I exchanged a plain number one fabric block (2nd down on far left column) with

a plain number two fabric block (4th down on the far left column) to balance

out the strong pink areas.  Other than that I followed the layout diagram.

Sew your columns together.  

Then join the columns.  

And your quilt top is done!!!

Wouldn't you know the lighting threw off the pink color for its completion shot!  But I still love how it turned out.  What do you think?

I hope to find a lovely way to use the 12" leftover circles--any ideas???  Any chunks of fabric leftover will probably go on the back, and I haven't decided whether scrappy or one of the darker pink fabrics for binding.  Any opinions?

How are all your quilts coming along?   Please note the comments on the previous posts--they lead you to at least one fresh idea from a Crafty Mom in Maine.  Our flickr stream has some photos submitted of some fabric choices made by one of our loyal readers.  

Again, if you want to join in any time the steps are in the label column to the left by clicking on Dinner Plates.  We would love to receive pictures via the "contact us" bar above, and we can put them in the photo stream if you do not know how to add to Flickr.

We will be here next Tuesday, hope you can be too.