Improv / free form quilt blocks series – block 1 – tutorial

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

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 12 ½ x 12 ½ in square.

Cut the square in smaller squares/rectangles. An example is below.

Now start cutting each rectangle/square in half and add a strip of a contrasting colour to join back together.

Iron flat.

Cut joined piece in half again.

And join back again using the same contrasting fabric.

Continue to do the same and try and use strips of fabric which are uneven for a different effect.

Now we have 2 squares completed.

This time just cut a large rectangle in 3 pieces like below and join back together as we did earlier.

As you can see the block starts taking shape.

Cut another square in 3 pieces and substitute one of them for another colour as per picture below.

Now we have all the rectangles/squares done, let’s put them back together.

You can use here other fabric colours so that it doesn’t look all the same.

To close large gaps you can use different strips of colour.

And here is the finished block. The next step will be trimming the block to 10 ½ in which I’ll do later when all improv blocks in this series are completed.

Now you just need to square it.