Make a Quilt Block

Here are all sorts of tips on quilt blocks to get you right down to the fundamentals of quilting!

My tip has to do with using the “left-overs” any time I’m making Flying Geese (or other blocks where one sews a square diagonally, then cuts off the “waste” corners).

After I make the original seam, I go back and sew a SECOND seam ˝ inch from the original seam (1/4 inch from the center diagonal line).  Then when I cut off the waste corner, I have a “bonus” half-square triangle.  I throw all of these into a box or bag and at some point square them up to one size and use them in another project.  Quick, easy, cost nothing except a little extra time.  Great for "scrappy" quilts.

Kay DePriest

Adrian MO

This is a foolproof way to organize quilt pieces when assembling blocks for chain sewing. Lay out pieces as desired- for example, for a nine patch block 1 2 3 - First Row 4 5 6 - Second Row 7 8 9 -Third Row. Flip the blocks on the middle row over onto the left row, right sides together- 2 on 1, 5 on 4, 8 on 7 Then pick up pairs from top to bottom- 2, 5, 8 Pick up the third row from top to bottom- 3, 6, 9- and set aside or put under the other pile. Sew the first pile in a chain, sewing down the right side of 2, 5, and 8. Don’t cut apart yet. Open and sew the third row squares to pairs, 3 to 2, 6 to 5 and 9 to 8. Now cut apart and press. This sounds confusing, but once you get comfortable with it, you can stack and sew whole quilts using this technique. You just lay it out, and stack however many pieces you need. Not having to stop and cut the rows apart saves a lot of time. You also avoid having to stop and make sure the pieces will be in the right order.

Anytime you make Flying Geese (or Half Square Triangle Blocks) by sewing diagonally across a square, give yourself a bonus by sewing across the diagonal again, this time 1/2" from the original stitching. 

Then when you trim for your original block, you'll have a BONUS HS block.  Just throw them all in a small box or bag.  Before you know it, you'll have a bunch of these little squares.  Press and trim to the size you need, using the diagonal line on a ruler line to square up blocks.  Put these little beauties together to make borders, fill-in blocks, etc.  A LITTLE more work, a BIG bonus