Improv / free form quilt blocks series – block 4 – tutorial

This is the fourth block in a series of 6. The blocks will be used to make a quilted bedhead.

See

• improv / free form quilt block number 1
• improv / free form quilt block number 2
• improv / free form quilt block number 3

Materials

Matching fabrics in 4 solid colours plus some white. Choose colours with good contrast.

Block size

The finished block measures 10 ½ in.

Instructions

Start creating wonky log cabin mini blocks.

Choose a colour for the centre and cream for the surrounding pieces.

Make interesting pieces with different angles and trim after you get one complete row.

Once you finish the mini block, you will need to trim again.

Trim like below.

Continue to make mini log cabin blocks in the same fashion using different centre colours.

Then cut a 12 and a half inch square and p lace your mini log cabin blocks on the square in a kind of row so when we will be able to cut a strip following the position of the mini blocks.

Pin them in place.

Using the rotary cutter start cutting strips following the placement of the mini blocks.

Then, using each mini block, cut a piece of green fabric which is the size of the mini block width minus one half inch to make up for the seam allowances.

Stitch the mini log cabin blocks to the green fabric.

Place the  strips next to each other to see if you need to trim any of the strips to match the next strip before sewing.

Sew all strips together and you’ve completed the fourth block.

Tags: free form patchwork, free form quilt, improv quilt, scrap quilt

Improv / free form quilt blocks series – block 3 – tutorial

This is the third block in a series of 6. The blocks will be used to make a quilted bedhead.

See improv / free form quilt block number 1 and improv / free form quilt block number 2.

Materials

Matching fabrics in 4 solid colours plus some white. Choose colours with good contrast.

Block size

The finished block measures 10 ½ in.

Instructions

Start with two 12 ½ inch squares in contrasting colours.

Using the rotary cutter, cut both triangles in half in a curve like below.

Then cut the white piece into strips again using the rotary cutter or a pair of scissors.

Now start adding strips in other colours in between the white strips. To cut wavy pieces and sew them neatly, place the colour piece underneath the white strip and cut the colour strip along the white strip edge.

Important: Make sure the colour strips you cut are at least one quarter inch longer than the previous white strip.

Sew strips together.

I ended up with a shorter piece so I added an extra green strip at the end.

The width of the bottom piece now matches the top’s. Now we need to trim the curved top edge.

Place the bottom piece just under the top piece like in the picture and cut along the colour edge using a rotary cutter.

Now you are ready to pin both pieces and sew them together.

Pin both pieces.

Stitch along the edge and then make some cuts along the seam like in the picture so that when you iron it flat, seams to one side, the block will lay flat along the seam.

Iron flat and then trim it to 10 ½ inches square.

Here is the trimmed block!

Tags: free form patchwork, free form quilt, improv quilt, scrap quilt

Improv / free form quilt blocks series – block 2 – tutorial

This is the second block in a series of 6. The blocks will be used to make a quilted bedhead.

See improv / free form quilt block number 1.

Materials

Matching fabrics in 4 solid colours plus some white. Choose colours with good contrast.

Block size

The finished block measures 10 ½ in.

Instructions

Cut a rectangle at least 12 ½ long by 11 ½ or even a 12 ½ square. I started with a smaller piece and I had to add some fabric around the block to make it up at the end.

Now, using a rotary cutter cut the rectangle or square into strips. Wavy strips make for a nicer effect.

Then make some cuts along the strips.

Now make a cut next to the first cut to obtain a small rectangle or square and put aside.

Use the triangles you cut out to cut another piece of fabric. See picture below for an example. Here I added just ¼ seam allowance though I should in fact have added ½ allowance. If you add ½ allowance on each side your initial rectangle doesn’t need to be bigger.

Do this for each white piece to be replaced.

Place each piece where it will be stitched.

Mix the colours a bit.

Now start stitching each strip individually. And then all strips together.

I added an insert in a different colour between two strips to break the even design a bit.

Continue to stitch all strips and iron flat.

My seam allowance errors I made earlier made the block too small so I added an extra strip at the top and squared the block on the left.

The block is complete.

Now you just need to square it.

Tags: free form patchwork, free form quilt, improv quilt, scrap quilt