Saturday, August 9, 2014

Fat Quarter Friendly Stacking Blocks Quilt Tutorial


(click on any image to enlarge)

I wanted to make a quilt that was fat quarter friendly.  After all, we all have a great stash of fat quarters, Right?  So here's a simple, easy, quick pattern that can easily be made using fat quarters.  The quilt top can be completed in just a few hours.   With machine quilting and binding, the entire quilt can be finished in a weekend.

Finished size approx. 37" x 47

WOF = width of fabric

1/4" seam allowance


What you will need:  (see diagram below for fabric placement)

  • 6 Fat Quarters - fabric A thru F
  • 1.25 yards if making vertical stripe as shown - fabric G & binding  (or -  1/4 yard fabric G, plus 1/3 yard binding fabric of choice)
  • 1/2 yard white for sashing & borders
  • 1.5 yards for backing
  • Batting of choice
  • Rotary cutter
  • Cutting Mat
  • Iron
  • Sewing Machine
  • White cotton thread


CUTTING:
  1. Cut one 6.5" x 19.5" strip from each Fat Quarter (A - F)
  2. Cut one 6.5" x 6.5" square from each Fat Quarter (A- F)
  3. Cut the entire half yard of white into 2" x WOF strips.  Trim off the selvage. You can sub-cut 5 strips 19.5" long, and 5 strips 6.5" long, but it's easier and faster to cut them after they're sewn onto the rectangles and squares.
  4. Cut fabric G (depending on your fabric choice) 6.5" x 44" - or - 6.5" x WOF - trim selvage edge off of one end.


Refer to this chart for placement in instructions.


INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Sew a 2" strip of white onto the bottom 19.5" side of rectangle fabric A.


2.  Repeat with rectangles B, C, D, E.  Not F.
3. Press seams.  Trim off excess.

Continuing with rectangles. 

4. Sew top of fabric B to the white strip on the bottom of fabric A.



5.  Sew top of fabric C to the white strip on the bottom of fabric B.
6.  Sew top of fabric D to the white strip on the bottom of fabric C.
7.  Sew top of fabric E to the white strip on the bottom of fabric D.
8.  Sew top of fabric F to the white strip on the bottom of fabric E.
9.  Press seams. Trim excess. 

10. With white fabric strips, or the 2" x 6.5" strips if you sub cut.
       Repeat the instructions above to sew together the 6.5" squares.

11. Press seams, trim to square.

You should now have two sections that look like this. (Photo coming soon)
(I clearly did not expect to publish a tutorial when I took this photo) ;-)







12.  Sew a 2" x 44" white strip (#2 & #3) to each side of fabric G.
        Press seams.  Trim edges. Set aside.




For these next steps, always start sewing at the top (fabric A) matching the trimmed edges, and sew to the bottom.  The sashing will be slightly longer.

13. Sew a 2" x 44" white strip to the right side of strip of squares (#1).  Press seam.  
14. Sew the left side of the strip of squares to white strip (#2).




15. Sew a 2" x 44" white strip (#4) to the left side of the strip of rectangles. Press seams.
16. Sew the right hand side of the strip of rectangles to white strip #3.  Press seams.  
17. Trim excess and square. 

18.  Sew a 2" x 37.5" white strip (#5 & #6) to top and bottom.
19.  Press seams. Trim and square.


20. Add batting and backing, and quilting of choice.
I did a simple meandering.






21. Trim and square quilt. Add binding.  Enjoy! 
(there are many great videos on squaring & binding on  YouTube)





Here's my finished quilt. 




















Fabric used in this quilt are from tillalili.com


Photos, Pattern,  and Instructions are the property of Tillalili, LLC and cannot be copied or duplicated without written permission by Tillalili, LLC.

copyright (c)2014 Tillalili, LLC - all rights reserved