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Quilt Block of the Month: June

Have you ever wanted to make a quilt but couldn't find just what you had in mind? The editors of Quilter's World magazine have compiled some block patterns, from the thousands of traditional blocks available, that you can download for free. With a few basic skills and a variety of block patterns, you can create countless designs in no time.

A new 8" x 8" finished block will be available each month along with helpful hints, tips and tricks. We will also give you ideas for block combinations and possible quilt settings from time to time to help you create fabulous quilted projects. We hope these blocks will inspire you to experiment with quilt design and create your own layouts. So get a binder and some page protectors to fill with block patterns and samples to fuel your creative juices.

Fair & Square

Finished Block Size
8" x 8"
Fair & Square

Cutting

From Light Fabric:

  • Cut 4 (21/2" x 41/2") A rectangles.

From Medium 1 Fabric:

  • Cut 1 (2 7/8") square. Subcut on 1 diagonal to make 2 B triangles.

    Fair & Square

  • Cut 4 (2 1/2") C squares.

    Fair & Square

From Medium 2 Fabric:

  • Cut 1 (2 7/8") square. Subcut on 1 diagonal to make 2 D triangles.

From Dark Fabric:

  • Cut 2 (2 7/8") squares. Subcut each square on 1 diagonal to make 4 E triangles.

Assembly

  1. Stitch an E and B triangle together along the angled edge referring to Figure 1; press. Repeat to make a second E-B half-square unit. Repeat with E and D triangles to make two E-D half-square units.

    Fair & Square

  2. Referring to Figure 2, stitch E-B and E-D half-square units together in rows, pressing seams in opposite directions. Then stitch rows together matching seams to make the block center square.

    Fair & Square

  3. Stitch a C square to opposite ends of an A rectangle to make a row (Figure 3); press seams toward A. Repeat to make a second block row

    Fair & Square

  4. Stitch an A rectangle to opposite sides of the block center square (Figure 4); press seams toward A.

    Fair & Square

  5. Stitch a block row to top and bottom of block center row to complete block (Figure 5). Press seams to avoid bulk.

    Fair & Square

Helpful Hints

  • Choose light and dark fabrics for this block. Use scraps from other projects or purchase fat eighths (9" x 22") or fat quarters (18" x 22") to make one sample block.
  • Cut individual pieces from scraps or cut strips and then individual pieces from strips if using yardage or large pieces of fabric. For example, to cut several 2 1/2" squares, cut a 2 1/2"-wide strip the width of the fabric. Subcut the strip into 2 1/2" squares.
  • Use a 1/4"-wide seam allowance for all seams and stitch right sides together.
  • Use common sense and press seams to cut down on bulk. Traditionally, quilters press seams toward the darker fabric. However, some blocks may benefit from pressing seams open. Pressing tips are often given in the pattern.

Choices

Simple blocks are the best for baby quilts. Fair & Square fits the bill for simple. When used by itself it will make a simple four-patch secondary design that compliments the center of the original block. And the block can be quilted simply by stitching-inthe-ditch for a quick and easy baby quilt that will be treasured for years.

Make a baby quilt from 5 blocks wide and 6 blocks long for a 40" x 48" quilt without borders. If you prefer to use borders layout 4 blocks wide and 5 blocks long and add a simple 4"-wide border for a 40" x 48" baby quilt.

Copyright © 2015 Annie's. All rights reserved.

For more detailed help with quilting techniques, view our Quilting Lessons or consult a complete quilting guide. Your local library will probably have several on hand that you can review before purchasing one.

DOWNLOAD
Click here to download the PDF (397.4 KB)

Other quilt blocks in the series:








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