Capitol X and lowercase x
I started with the capitol X, but the method is about the same for the lowercase x. Make a slash in a rectangle, with the top of the slash originating at the corner, and the bottom the slash off the corner by about an inch or so. How big is that rectangle? I didn’t measure, but it’s probably about 7″ x 9.” I just took my rotary blade and cut it freehand.
Find a strip long enough to fit, and then trim so the top of the strip is narrower than the bottom of the strip. For the capitol, I used a 2 to 2 1/2″ strip. For the lowercase x, I used a 1 1/2″ strip.
Sew this on to one side of the rectangle, centering it if it’s a wee bit shorter.
Press to the dark, then take another wedge-like sliver off the other side.
Sew, then press to the dark.
Slice at an angle through this, not exactly at right angles. I thought about how big the angle was, and what kind of “look” those background wedges in the inner parts of the X were going to have.
This is actually a picture of the lowercase x, but you can see that I had to make sure the second strip was long enough (as it is below). Cut your thin wedges off the second strip, then sew to one side and press to the dark.
Back to the capitol X. After sewing on the second strip, I lined the pieces up where the top part of that X crossed and put two pins to indicate the placement. I sewed it, then pressed to the dark.
This is my X, untrimmed. I do know I want it about 7 1/4″ long, and I kept in mind that seam allowances would take another bite off all the edges when it’s sewn.
This is my capitol X, all trimmed up. You can see I created right-angle corners on the lower arms of the X, but tried to miss the arms at the top.
I wanted to teach a class based on my Lollypop Quilt, but knew that since it took me three years to make that original quilt, that was unworkable for a quilt shop class. So I went back to the original lollypop quilt from the turn of the century, drew my own pattern, and made the class into a Christmas wallhanging. I still like this little number (about 24″ square).
