Simple blocks – Improved Four-Patch

The Improved Four-Patch block is a merger of the Square in a Square and Four-Patch units – essentially a 4-patch ‘on point’. You can download the free pattern for this quilt block here.

You can have fun playing with the colours and shades in this block, changing the emphasis of lights and darks from one part to another. Like the ordinary Square in a Square it isn’t very exciting when straight set on its own, but changing the colours or combining it with other similar blocks can make quite a difference.

or turning it on point –

A similar patchwork block is Coffin Star – this time a 16-patch square turned on point –

improved-four-patch

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Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

February already, and the fourth block in our quilt-along Block of the Month quilt. This time it’s the turn of Churn Dash, but with an added twist – ‘Churn Dash Variation’, if you like – I have added Flying Geese units to the traditional block.

You can download the instructions for the block here. Other colourways could look like these –

 

 

 

 

 

 

You could make the Flying Geese units and the rectangles the same colour as two students did –

 

 

 

 

 

 

They also made the units by just adding triangles to two corners of a square – because they didn’t like making Flying Geese.

block-4-churn-dash-varn

Simple Blocks – Square in a Square

Sometimes called Diamond in a Square this unit/block is worth learning how to make as it crops everywhere from a unit in assorted bocks to a simple block used as a ‘spacer’ between more complicated blocks where, as you will see further down the page, it can create the illusion of a star within the quilt design.

The basic block is, as it says, a square within a square and you can find the instructions to make it on the Tutorials page or download them here.

But suppose we keep adding squares around our square?

and again

and again

The basic block on its own doesn’t make much of a quilt –

But if you alternate the colours it starts to look a little more interesting

Or suppose you alternate the different variations of the block?

or

or

or

or

and then change the colours completely and emphasise the star in the centre –

Simple blocks – Star and Pinwheels

Like the last few blocks this first one of the New Year contains the Three-triangle unit. Star and Pinwheels has Half-square triangles in its four corners and, like Martha Washington’s Star has the 3-triangle units forming the centre. You can download the instructions for the block here.

This is what the block looks like when nine are set together to make a quilt –

The block is symmetrical so turning it around makes no difference but you can always play with the colour.

There are more quilt ideas in the instructions.

star-and-pinwheels

Simple Blocks – Martha Washington’s Star

This is another block with the three-triangle unit in the middle of the block giving a pinwheel effect. Just four of these units and four big Flying Geese units, together with squares in the corners, make this block with lots of opportunities for changing the look of the block with colour placement. Download the instructions to make the block here, along with ideas for colour and quilt settings.

Move the colours around –

And then put the blocks into a quilt –

martha-washingtons-star

Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

Our second block is similar to last month’s – again just a few Half-Square Triangle units and a square make up the Eccentric Star.Download the instructions here.

And here it is in two other colour choices –

Next month the instructions will be for making these blocks ‘dance’ and then in January we will have another block.

 

 

Simple Blocks – Mystery Flower Garden

I’m sure this block has featured on the blog before – probably as part of one the Block of the Month quilts – but no apologies for showing it again. You can download instructions for a 12 inch block here along with all sorts of ideas for colouring and quilt settings. Look on the Tutorials page for quick-piecing instructions for the various units in this block (and others in the series).

The instructions show the block in this colourway –

but here’s a few more ideas from almost monochrome, through acid greens to Autumnal –

In addition to the quilt ideas in the instructions, here’s a few more – starting with the block just straight set and no variations –

two differently coloured blocks –

then set on point –

and finally two very different colourways set together (though the same pale fabric does appear in both) –

mystery-flower-garden

Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

Time for the first block in our new Block of the Month Quilt-along. We’re starting nice and simple with the Friendship Star block. Download the instructions here.

Just a few squares and Half-Square Triangle units is all it takes to make this lovely easy block.

 

Simple Blocks – Crow’s Nest

This is a bit of a cheat because if you look carefully at the Crow’s Nest block you will see it is exactly the same as Card Trick – the difference is in the colour placement. Download the instructions for Crow’s Nest here.

This colouring makes the block look like two interlocking stars – red and blue.

We can keep these colours and just play around with them a bit –

to give two more very different looking designs, but still with those interlocking stars.

Playing around with different colourings in quilt settings can be fun as well –

or if we use pastel colours –

You’ll find plenty more ideas in the instruction sheet.

Crow’s Nest

Simple Blocks – Card Trick

Time for another few in the Simple Blocks series now that the summer holidays are over. Today its that old favourite, Card Trick. The colouring of this block is key to making it look as if four squares are interlocking.Download the instructions for the block here. The block has Three-Triangle, HST and QST units. One key tip our students use is to always lay all the pieces out first before you start stitching – that way you can be sure you have got those colours in the right place. It helps to make one block first before you start on a quilt – that way you can be sure the measurements are correct and your colours are right.

You can make it in monochrome as above, or in rainbow colours or . . .

And the quilts you can make with this block? There’s a lot (as usual) and again, colouring and colour placement is key – so first a pastel colouring on a white background and straight-set

change the background –

or add sashing to separate the blocks –

Set on point the blocks look completely different –

or with the dark background –

And there are more ideas in the instruction sheet.

Card Trick.