Dear Jane - Melissa's Cross (B-11)

I wasn't too sure how to approach this block. I thought about straight hand piecing but when I cut the curved background pieces the skinny ends just looked too fiddly to me. I then considered reverse applique but I wasn't too sure I could make that work either so on and on I went...in circles really.


I finally decided the best way for me to create this block was to do a combo of applique with hand piecing. I started by breaking it into 4 quarters and I cut 4 squares of background fabric to use as the foundation. On the first two squares I appliqued the curved piece to the background first and then added the pieced section.

On the other two I did the reverse and I pieced each blue triangle bit to the corresponding angled white strip and then added the blue curved piece. Once I completed that step, I appliqued the curved part to the foundation square and I think that turned out much better. I didn't make this block in just one sitting so I guess I figured out a better way for the last two sections. You can see the difference in the applique edges in the finished block and I assume that is what made the sections look different. I hope the edges all end up somewhat even once this block is sewn to the others but in the end it doesn't really matter at all.

It was a bit thick with so many layers so I trimmed the underside of the foundation square leaving a 1/4" seam allowance where the pieces joined together.

All that was left to do was to add the sashing strips and press and I had a completed block!

I am linking up over at Kathy's Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday. Drop on by for a visit and check out the links from other participants.