Oh, Happy Day! Sampler Sew Along Week 3 [& Background Cutting Info]
Oh, Happy Day Pillow
Welcome to week 3 of the Oh, Happy Day! sampler sew along. Today, we are making the block, Oh, Happy Day. This is the quilt which the book ended up being named after. It is also the cover quilt of Oh, Happy Day! =)
Be sure to read down through today’s post for some helpful background cutting information towards the bottom.
This block is a nice change of pace from the triangles of last week’s block. It’s a great one to piece using strip piecing methods.
Oh, Happy Day! book and block
If you haven’t tried strip piecing before, you are in for a treat. Strip piecing, as opposed to cutting individual squares and then sewing, is a faster, more accurate way to piece 9 patch blocks. I’ve also shared helpful, pressing tips for pressing your strips as you go in my latest YouTube video.
Cutting and Piecing Instructions for today’s block:
Turn to page 46 in your Oh, Happy Day! book. Under the “Materials” section, cut the pieces listed under Aqua print, White print, and Green print. I am using the white on white print from Buttercup & Slate for my background.
The written, piecing instructions can be found on pages 43-44 of the Oh, Happy Day! book. In step 1, you will be using the 3 longest strips that you cut and sub-cutting your strip set into 8 segments. In step 2, you will be using the next longest strips that you cut and sub-cutting your strip set into 4 segments.
Your completed block will measure 12 1/2″ x 12 1/2″.
Oh, Happy Day! block
You can see how quickly and accurately this block comes together by using strip sets for those 9-patches. It’s my favorite way to make them!
Oh, Happy Day! quilt
Background Cutting Information
Last week, Jamie C. (Hi Jamie!) asked a question about the best way to cut out the background fabric each week. There are a number of different ways you can go about cutting out your background fabrics each week.
When I am working on a project like this, where it’s a mystery quilt along, and I don’t know exactly what I am going to need to cut each week, I prefer to cut just the pieces that I need, leaving most of the background intact. This allows more flexibility in upcoming weeks. I would suggest the same thing when cutting out the print fabrics. Cut just what is needed each week.
I’ve also decided to share the strips that you can cut from your background fabric for the setting. You can cut these now, if you’d like to, and set them aside. We will start using them in week 10.
We will be using (29) 1 1/2″ x 42″ (width of fabric) strips for the quilt setting.
Those strips will be used for piecing/sashing/borders in our final quilt setting. After cutting those 29 strips, the remaining background fabric is allocated for the weekly blocks.
As always, if you have any questions after reading through the blog post and watching the weekly video, just let me know! Corey
Oh, Happy Day! Sampler Sew Along Schedule
September 24: Block 1, Generations of Love (cutting/piecing instructions on page 32)
October 1: Block 2, Friends Forever (cutting instructions on page 26/piecing instructions on pages 22-23)
October 8: Block 3, Oh, Happy Day (cutting instructions on page 46/piecing instructions on pages 43-44)
October 15: Block 4
October 22: Block 5
October 29: Block 6
November 5: Block 7
November 12: Block 8
November 19: Block 9
November 26: Finishing Instructions 1
December 3: Finishing Instructions 2
December 10: Finishing Instructions 3
Love your fabric & patterns. I’m unable to do the sew along right now…but hope to find space soon. I do have the fabric..just need the book & time!:)
Time always seems to get away from us, doesn’t it!
I love your fabrics. I am new to quilting but love this line sew much that I think I’ll join the QAL. I have a Coriander Seeds layer cake and was wondering if that would work for the background used in the blocks? I know I would need yardage for the setting/finishing. Thank you!
You wouldn’t be able to follow the directions exactly as they are written in the book if you were using a layer cake. Last week, we needed a 12 1/2″ background square and this week we needed a 20″ long strip…neither of those could have been cut from the 10″ layer cake squares.
Corey, this QAL is such a joyful part of my week. Love your book and your fabric. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
Thank you so much for your kind comments and for joining in on the fun!
Loving this QAL! But oh my goodness, where did you get your sweatshirt?
Thank you!–I’ve had it for a number of years but I purchased it from American Eagle. =)
Just got your book in the mail today! Now I need to purchase my fabric. I was hoping to have everything before this quilt along started. I will just have to pace myself and catch up when I can. 🙂
These first three blocks stich up quickly!
Thank you so much for providing the cutting instructions for the setting SAL. I’m also making the Generations of Love quilt with a Civil War Jelly Roll that I’ve had forever. It makes a great leader/ender project.
That will be lovely!
block 3 is delightful. I am waiting for background fabric. I completed the first block but only cut the buttercup and Sage prints for block two and three so they are ready. Thanks for doing this sew along for all.&
Have fun sewing them up when you get to them!
Several of my friends and I are doing the Oh Happy Day sew along. In week 3 you indicated the 9 patch block should measure 5 3/4. However all of ours came out to only 5 1/2. We checked our 1/4 inch seams and could not get the full 5 3/4 inch block size. Knowing the block would need to be the same size as the previous blocks we increased the “sashing” block make up the discrepancy. If it were only me having the problem I would have thought it were only my mistake but all of us had the same problem. Did anyone else have this problem?
If you look at just the math, you’ll see that they should measure 5 3/4″ square. For me, when I piece with strip sets, I have to be careful with my pressing because mine tend to go too big. I don’t know if you got a chance to watch the video I shared last week but I mentioned how I press strip sets (and then the subsequent 9 patches) so my ironing doesn’t skew the block measurement. I find that makes a big difference in the finished block. Double checking your initial cutting and making sure that everything measures as it should as you work your way through the steps is another way to insure accuracy.