Greek Cross – October 2020 BOM

We are continuing to do more blocks from the  “One Hundred and one Patchwork Patterns”  book by Ruby Short McKim.  The book was published in 1931, and my husband’s maternal Grandmother learned to quilt from this book.  These blocks are done in her honor.  

This is the 26th block for 2020, the Greek Cross block.

From the Original Instructions: “THIS Greek Cross is one of the many variations of nine-patch, that old-time time favorite upon which so many little girls have learned the gentle art of stitching.”  (McKim)

The original block was a 9″ unfinished block. Our block will finish at 12″ x 12″  (12 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ unfinished).

The instructions are for the easy block, just as pictured below.  At the bottom of the instructions is an alternative, more medium block, that repeats this same block 4 times, but finishes as a 12 1/2″ unfinished block.

Fabric Required

Color A – 7 1/4″ x 7 1/4″
Color B – 10 ” X 18″
Color C – 10″ x 14″

Fabric Cutting

Assembly

Create HST – 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ unfinished

Using one Color A (7 1/4″ x 7 1/4″), and Color B (7 1/4″ x 7 1/4″). Place front sides together

Stitch 1/4″ along all four sides of square (red line is stitching)

Cut Diagonally from Corner to corner both directions

Square up using your preferred method to 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″

Sew Color B (18″ x  2 1/2″) to one Color C (18″ x  2 1/2″)  Sewing the 18″ sides together

Press open, Cut into 4 sections of  4 1/2″ long, making sure that each piece is 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″

Layout

Layout your pattern according to the pattern, and sew the rows together, then the columns.

You have now completed the Greek Cross.

Alternative – Medium

For those wanting to do a more difficult block, the options are to make the block into 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ unfinished blocks, by repeating this block four times and sewing together, to create a different block. 

Here are four examples of what you can do, it is all up to what fabric or colors you want to use.

Fabric Cutting – for alternative

For creating all four different.

If you want them to all four be the same, you will not use Color D, E or F, and cut 4 of both pieces of Color B.

The HSTs should be squared up to 2 ½” x 2 ½” and the Strips should be cut to 2 ½” x 2 ½”.

Then assemble the block the same way as the instructions above.  Then square up each section to 6 ½” x 6 ½”.  Then sew the four blocks together to create a 12 ½” x 12 ½” unfinished block.

• Best Practice, would be to make sure that you alternate how you press the seams, so you can nest the blocks together.  When sewing the rows, press towards the center, and then when sewing the columns press towards outwards away from the center.  Then you can nest the four blocks together.

I look forward to seeing all your wonderful blocks!  Make sure to post on the Facebook group!  Remember to add the hashtag #BomGreekCross

Thank you for joining us for this October 2020 block of the month!  

Click Here for a downloadable PDF of the instructions.For the previous blocks, you can check under “Units” in the Facebook group.