Trim and square large blocks

A couple of weeks ago I finished the last block in a series of machine applique blocks, from a pattern called Folk-Style Sampler, by Michelle Hill, Australian Patchwork & Quilting, vol. 12 no. 12 and vol. 13 no. 1.  I had received the first part of this series pattern as a Christmas gift a few years ago...then had to go and get the second part!

These blocks finish at 16" - I don't have a 16 1/2" ruler, and hardly have 16" of space on my cutting board.  So I used freezer paper to help me out.

First I cut a large piece of freezer paper, folded it carefully into fourths, then, measuring from the two folded edges, measured a square 8 1/4" so the freezer paper would measure 16 1/2" when opened.

I marked a line on the freezer paper, 1/2" up from the bottom, where I want each vase bottom to sit.  And, marked a vertical and horizontal centre lines (although for these designs, the vertical line was the only important one).

I can then iron the freezer paper on to the block, placing the marked line at the bottom edge of the vase, and centring the vertical line through the centre stem.

Now, I can take it to the cutting board and it doesn't matter if the block overhangs the edge a bit or is a bit crowded in the space.  I can use my 24" long ruler to trim the extra fabric!  Voila!

This worked so well, I think I'll try it on those Mountain Top blocks, although I'm not sure how well it will worked on a pieced block with lots of seams.

The original pattern for the Folk-Style Sampler called for a wide floral border; however, I want something smaller that will fit on to a certain wall in my hall.  I think I'm going to go with a formal setting of a three-strip setting - black, background ivory, black; with nine-patch setting squares.  This is a layout I did just to see what the black would look like in the finished quilt.