Block 8: Undulating tucks – Textured quilt sampler tutorial

Block type: log cabin

Block size: 11 inches

Colour scheme: reds and neutrals

Texture/fabric manipulation: undulating tucks

Quilt size: The finished quilt is 52 ½ x 52 ½.

Needs:

1 rectangle 10 in x 6 in in white/cream
two 5 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles and two 11 in x 3 1/2 in rectangles for the border

Making the undulating tucks

Cut one 10 in x 6 in rectangle and draw lines at 1 inch intervals on the back of the fabric.

You could make small cuts on each end of the markings to make it easier when pressing.

Press on each marking like below.

Start stitching tucks that are 1/4 inch deep. When done, press to one side, then to the other.

Then square the block to 5 inch square.

Mark the square along the middle, at 2 1/2 inches from each side and then mark along the middle or each half, i.e. at 1 1/4 from the middle on both sides.

Stitch along the marked line (see below) in the middle making sure the tucks face the same direction.

Then stitch along each of the lines on the sides making sure the tucks face the opposite direction.

Now, you could attach the borders to the square like I did and later, when sewing the larger border stitch the tucks in opposite direction or stitch a last line on each side with the tucks facing the opposite direction.

What I did was a bit more difficult to handle in the end, and I’ve learned from it. I ironed the tucks facing the opposite side and then pinned them to the border to keep them in place while I stitched the border.

The block is finished.

Textured blocks tutorials

This is the 8th block in a series of 25 exploring texture in fabric.

Each block is made out of a centre 5 inch square featuring some fabric texture such as pin tucks, smocking, shirring and the like. Then a 3 1/2 wide border encloses each centre square.

The colour scheme is red and white/cream alternating reds and white/cream for the centre square and border.

Some of the textures show better on plain colours than on heavily patterned fabric.

See all Textured quilt sampler tutorials for this quilt.