Chiloquilters Block of the Month Train Quilt, Block Five, Caboose

Just like last month's block, this month's block has lot's of little pieces, so go slow and make sure your finished sizes match the drawing.  Special Hint:  Linda cuts out all her pieces from the cutting instructions list, pins a tag on each one identifying the part number, slips them into baggies, and then starts to follow the rest of the instructions.

Strip One is actually a couple of little strips sewn together.  Start by sewing CB4 to S7, then to a second CB4, sew the top of this, to the bottom of CB5, sew this to the S6 and S8 pieces after sewing on the little corner pieces as shown (remember these are the same colors as the caboose).  Sew the top of this to the bottom of S1 and strip one is complete.  Check your measurements here so that Strip One is 12 inches by 4 inches.

Strip Two is the hardest and actually can be sewn as separate strips to make the final strip as follows: C1 sewn to S2, then make a strip starting with CB2 to S3, take this combined piece and sew it to another CB2, then another S3 and then finish with CB3.  With this partial strip made, sew the top of CB1 to the bottom of the strip, then sew the top of the strip to the bottom of the other CB1.  Add on the little caboose colored corners to the upper right hand corner of the first S2 piece (use the wheel diagrams below as a guide),  sew on this C1/SC piece to the mini strip,  Repeat the C1/S2/colored corner for the right hand end, this completes the complicated strip two!  Whew!  (make sure your finished measurements let you end up with a 12 inch by 4 inch long strip).

Strip Three is built by making the W1 wheels the same as last month (see figures below), then sewing S4 to the completed W1, add the next W1, sew top of S5 to bottom of CB6, then sew these to the first set of wheels, complete the right hand end set of wheels and sew to complete strip three.  Another special hint:  Linda sat down one evening and made up a whole bunch of wheels, and placed them in a baggie.  Now when she wants to make another train block she doesn't have to make any more wheels (hurray!), that was her comment!

Strip Four is built by sewing G1 to E1.  Note:  Strips Three and Four will be repeated in most of the remaining blocks for the Train Quilt.

To complete the block sew the bottom of Strip One to the top of Strip Two, the bottom of Strip Two to the top of Strip Three (special note: these seams won't line up for Strips Two and Three as the rectangles are all different sizes), and finally the bottom of Strip Three to the top of Strip Four.  Block Five complete!

Start thinking about the finished size of your quilt as that will determine how many of the blocks you will need.  As an example a 6 x 7 block quilt will require 42 of these blocks to complete the quilt.  We will have dimensions for the more popular size quilts in future issues.

Cutting Instructions
Note:  These sizes include
the 1/4" seam allowance.

CB1--2 pieces caboose material 2 x 10 1/2
CB2--2 pieces caboose material 1 1/2 x 2
CB3--1 piece caboose material 1 1/2 x 5 1/2
CB4--2 pieces caboose  material 1 1/2 x 1 1/2
CB5--1 piece caboose material 1 x 4
CB6--1 piece caboose material 3 1/2 x 1 1/2
CC--4 pieces caboose material 1 x 1 (corners)
C1--2 pieces dark material 1 1/2 x 1 (couplers)
G1--1 piece light gray material 1 x 12 1/2 (track)
E1--1 piece earth colors material 2 x 12 1/2 (earth)
W1--4 pieces dark material 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 (wheels)

A special note from your editor, Linda and I are writing the instructions for these blocks and any and all criticism is greatly appreciated.  If you have a different way or a better way or have any kind of a question regarding this quilt, please drop us a line: Train Quilt, P.O. Box 927, Chiloquin, OR 97624 or linda@hobby-tronics.com or gazette@trainmountain.org

Caboose Block Copyright 2002-3
Printed with permission From Chiloquilters