Test blocks

It seemed like a good idea to make a test block for the 6th Grade quilt before cutting all of that background fabric.  I often make a test block using scraps but this time I did use the project fabrics.  I had cut all 36 of the starting point squares when I decided that a test block should be a good idea. 

The basic block is done like a braid, starting with a square and then adding the side strips to one corner.  I checked my sizes for all of these pieces to make sure I cut them right.  This is a really quick process and it measured correctly at this point.  

Once the braid section was complete then the instructions said to trim it down both sides so that you have a 7" wide diagonal unit.  Next step was to cut a 10" square of background diagonally into triangles and add them to the sides.  This was a very simple block with nothing tricky. 

 Final step was to square up the whole block to 13.5" using the colored bottom corner to line up the ruler.  And that is where the wheels fell off this bus . . . 

One side was sliver trimmed to 13.5" with no problems. But the other side has a problem - not a huge problem, but a small problem.  The big triangle part was able to be sliver trimmed to the correct size.  But the background square area is about an eighth of an inch too small.  

The second test block was done with scant 1/4" seams and it came out perfectly.  Knowing that solved the problem makes me feel much more comfortable cutting into the rest of the background and jelly roll for the rest of the blocks.