Block 11 of The Star’s quilt: ‘Moonlight and Roses’
We’re nearing the end of our 2015 block-of-the-month project, “Hazel’s Diary,” a 1950s-style quilt with appliquéd wildflowers over pieced blocks. This year’s quilt is inspired by diary entries written by a Missouri farm girl.
On Christmas Eve 1950, teenager Hazel Hyde received a little red five-year diary from her parents. She wrote in the book every day for the next few years, noting events on the farm, the fun she had with friends and the news of the day.
Today: Block 11, “Moonlight and Roses”
In 1954, Elvis Presley recorded his popular single “That’s All Right.” Everything was more than all right in Hazel’s world. Her social calendar was full of school activities as graduation drew near, and she wrote, Dale told his folks that he’s going to give me a ring.
Her story continues with these diary entries.
April 16, 1954
Dale came & got me at church after Easter Practice & he gave me my Grad. present — a diamond. I was thrilled to pieces. I could have died. It’s real pretty & the wedding ring is beautiful. I’m so happy!
It’s official — Hazel and Dale are engaged. She writes, I just love being engaged. It’s such a nice feeling.
She made herself a “purple princess dress” for the “Moonlight and Roses” banquet, the first junior/senior banquet to be held in the new school gymnasium, which was finished and dedicated Oct. 11, 1953.
April 23, 1954
Went to banquet tonite — Moonlight & Roses. Was real nice. Afterwards Dale & I went to Moberly with Don & Jane, to the Wayside & then out to Reed’s Corner. Had fun.
The seniors took a class trip to the Ozarks for four days, enjoying lots of sightseeing, souvenir shopping and other activities.
May 1, 1954
Went to Branson & Shepherd of the Hills Country this morn, & then this aft. came back to Rock-a-way & we rode in a speed boat & me & Don rode a pedalo. Had fun. Ate at Naitos & had Chams party & then bowled, danced & play min. golf.
Hazel was valedictorian when her class graduated in May. By June, the summer heat was setting record highs across the country.
June 10, 1954
Staying home again tonite. Mom is gone to a church party. Boy, is it ever hot. I’m going to fix something cold to drink before I go to bed. It was 91° today.
To read the complete transcript of the diary, plus recipes and additional quilt patterns, visit HazelsDiary.Wordpress.com. The site also has information on how to buy a PDF of this installment.
Shelly Pagliai of Wien, Mo., designed the quilt, which tells the story of her mother, Hazel Ilene Hyde.
BLOCK 11 : “MOONLIGHT AND ROSES”
Block size: 18 inches finished
SUPPLY LIST
2 1/4 yards white background fabric
1 5/8 yards gray solid
20 (5-inch) squares various scrappy prints similar to or the same as used in the blocks
Cutting instructions
For the piecing
From white background, cut:
12 (3 1/2 -inch by 26-inch) rectangles (A1)
6 (9-inch) squares. Cut the squares in half once on the diagonal to make a total of 12 triangles. (A2)
30 (4 1/8 -inch) squares. Cut the squares in half twice on the diagonal to make a total of 120 triangles. (A3)
From the scrappy prints, cut:
60 (2 1/2 -inch) squares (B1)
From gray solid, cut:
12 (4 1/2 -inch by 34-inch) rectangles (C1)
ASSEMBLY
Arrange 10 A3 triangles with five B1 squares in the following arrangement, mixing up the B1 squares for a scrappy look.
Sew them together in diagonal rows, pressing seams toward the squares. Join the rows together to complete the unit, pressing seams to one side.
Locate the center point of the long side of an A2 triangle, and match it up with the center point on the lower edge of the A3/B1 unit, right sides together. Sew them together, and press the seam toward the A2 triangle.
Locate the center point of the long side of an A1 rectangle, and match it up with the center point of the top edge of the A3/B1 unit, right sides together. Sew them together, and press the seam toward the A1 strip. Repeat and add the C1 rectangle, pressing the seam allowance toward the C1 rectangle.
Trim the sides of the unit straight to make a large triangle, using the bottom edges of the unit as a guide. Make 12 of these.
Set four of the units aside for now. Sew the remaining eight units together into pairs as shown. Press seams to one side. Make four of these.
Next, lay out all your previous months’ blocks and your Month 1 and 2 medallion as shown, making sure the arrangement suits you. Join the blocks in pairs, pressing seams to one side. Sew the pairs of blocks on the sides to the center medallion. Press seams toward the center medallion. Add all the setting triangle units to the layout as shown.
Sew the setting triangles to the ends of the two pairs of blocks that aren’t attached to the center yet. Press seams toward the setting triangles. The setting triangles will appear to be too large for the blocks. This is how it should be.
Sew the setting triangle pair to the outer side of each pair, crossing over the portion of the other setting triangles where they stick out. Press seams to one side. Check to see that the gray strip lines up as it should and that the intersection of the gray strips lies flat, then trim the excess out from behind the setting triangles.
Repeat for the bottom set of blocks and setting triangles. Then join the three sections of blocks together. Finally, sew the two remaining pairs of setting triangles onto the corners, checking to make sure everything lines up before trimming the excess out from behind. See Fig. 10.
The quilt top should now measure 82 1/2 inches square unfinished.
We’ll piece the outer borders and add them to the quilt next month, in the final installment.
Look for Block 12 of “Hazel’s Diary” in H+H on Dec. 20.
This story was originally published November 13, 2015 at 3:00 AM with the headline "Block 11 of The Star’s quilt: ‘Moonlight and Roses’."