How to Make an Eight Hands Around Block or Mini Quilt

Quite some time ago I mentioned I'd be doing a tutorial for the Eight Hands Around mini quilt that I made for the last round of #BCBarnQuiltSwapMini.  Time clearly got away from me, but here it is. The instructions are for a 6" finished quilt block or mini quilt.  

Cutting Instructions:

Aqua:  Cut (1) 4-1/2" square
                 (2) 2-3/4" squares
Green:  (4) 2-5/8" squares
Navy:    (1) 3-1/4" square
            (4) 1-1/4" squares
White:  (4) 2" squares
            (2) 2-3/4" squares
            (1) 2" square

All seams are 1/4" unless otherwise noted.  Fabrics shown are various Bonnie & Camille prints. White is Moda Bella.  No endorsement is implied.  

From here on, the directions for each step will be directly below each picture.
Here are the cut fabrics.
Mark the diagonal on each white 2-3/4" square.  Place one aqua and one white 2-3/4" square right sides together.  Stitch 1/4" away from each side of the drawn line.  Repeat to make a second set.
Cut along the drawn line.
Press each piece towards the aqua side. (Trimming instructions to follow in next step.)
Trim each aqua/white HST to 2".  To do this, place the 45 degree line of your ruler right along the seam, making sure  that there is enough to trim all the way around the square.  Trim the top and right sides.
Rotate the square and cut the two remaining (untrimmed) sides to yield a 2" square.  You should have four total.
Next, draw lines on the backs of the four green 2-5/8" squares.  Line them up, right sides together, with the aqua 4-1/2" square as shown.
Sew seams 1/4" on either side of the drawn lines as shown.
Cut along the drawn line.  Then press seams toward the green pieces.
Place another green square as shown, paying attention to which way the drawn line goes.
Sew 1/4" to each side of the drawn line.
Cut on the line.  Press toward green triangle.  This yields two flying geese.
REPEAT previous two steps to make another set of geese.
 
Time to trim!  Line up the center of the aqua triangle with the 1-3/4" line on your ruler as shown.
Make sure the horizontal 1/4" line of the ruler runs right against that intersection point.
Make sure the 45 degrees line of your ruler is parallel to the diagonal seam.
Trim the right and top sides of the flying geese units.
Flip the partially trimmed flying geese units upside down.
Line up the LEFT  side with the 3-1/2" line on your ruler.
Line up the bottom of the unit along the 2" line.
Make sure the diagonal line of the ruler runs right along your seam.
Trim the right and top sides of the unit.

You should now have four perfectly sized flying geese units, 2 x 3-1/2".
Next, draw diagonal lines on the wrong sides of your four white 2" squares.
Layer them as shown, right sides together, on your navy 3-1/4" square.
Sew 1/4" away from each side of the drawn line.
Trim on the drawn line and press towards the white triangles.
Place another white square as shown.
Sew 1/4" from each side of the drawn line.
Trim on the drawn line.  Repeat previous two steps to make second unit.
Press towards the white.
Time to trim!  Line up your ruler so that the 1" line is lined up with the peak of the triangle.
The 1/4" horizontal line should run perpendicular to the triangle peak and
the 45 degree line is parallel to the triangle's left leg.  Trim to the right and top of the ruler.
Turn the partially trimmed flying geese unit upside down.   Line up the left side of the block on the 2" line and the bottom of the unit on the ruler's 1-1/4" line.  The diagonal line of the ruler should run right along the seam.  Trim the block on the right and top sides of the ruler.
Repeat so all four flying geese units are trimmed to a final size of 1-1/4" x 2".
 
Line up your navy 1-1/4" squares, white 2" square, and flying geese units as shown. 
Sew the rows together.  Press the top and bottom rows towards the navy squares and the center row towards the white square.
Sew the rows together.  Press seams open.
Press the seams open.
Lay out your remaining pieces as shown.  Pay careful attention to orientation.
Join pieces of each row together.  Make sure all your points and seam intersections match.
Press seams OPEN!
Join rows.  Press seams OPEN!
Congrats, you've sewn an Eight Hands Around block!  You can either quilt it and make it into a mini mini quilt or just use the block for something else.  If you choose to go the mini mini route, I highly recommend Amanda Jean's How to Bind Tiny Things method.  It is seriously awesome!

Maybe someday I'll get this made into a nice, downloadable PDF.  At least I made it this far!  :D Have a great week; I'm off to MQX.

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