|
How to Quilt>Beginner Quilt Block
Quilting Basics - Beginner Quilting Block
Most patchwork quilts are made using a basic unit called a Block. Generally blocks are square, although they can be any shape the quiltmaker wants them to be – rectangles, triangles, hexagons, diamonds; all are fairly common. Quilts are usually made with the same shape block throughout, however, it is possible (and more interesting, although more challenging) to include more than one shape block in a quilt. Quilt blocks are made up of smaller units – or patches. Since there is no set number of patches in a block, the design (or pattern) of the block is created with the placement of the shapes in the patches and the colors of fabric used in each shape. A very common quilt block is a nine patch – a simple square block made up of 9 smaller squares. Because this block is so easy to make, it is one of the more popular quilt blocks for beginning quilters. All of the stitching is along straight edges, and all of the patches are the same size. What makes the nine patch interesting
is the placement of color within each block as well as what the
whole quilt looks like when you place the blocks next to each other.
Using four basic shapes, you can make hundreds of different quilt blocks. As quilting has developed, many more shapes have been added, but as a beginning quilter, it is a good idea to start with these four basic shapes.
Once you understand and can sew these basic patch shapes, it is easy to sew blocks that look very complicated. For example, the block below is called Bachelor's Puzzle, and is made using simple squares, half square triangles, and quarter square triangles. The magic is in placing the colors in each of the patches in the block. For example, in the center block, the center square (on point) has been cut into quarter square triangles while in the other two blocks, it is a single square patch.
The finished quilt top includes some pinwheel blocks and sashing (the yellow and blue stripes between the blocks). All of the non-pinwheel blocks use the same basic block pattern. The pinwheel blocks are simply four patch blocks using half square triangles. That is, there are 4 squares cut into half on the diagonal. The alternating pink and navy, yellow and navy, lavender and navy and baby blue and navy are what make the design called pinwheel.
The pinwheel blocks are simply four patch blocks using half square triangles. That is, there are 4 squares cut into half on the diagonal. The alternating pink and navy, yellow and navy, lavender and navy and baby blue and navy are what make the design called Pinwheel. Happy Quilting!
Penny Halgren
©2006-10, Penny Halgren This article courtesy of http://www.How-to-Quilt.com.
Our sister site, www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com has free quilt block patterns, as well as quilt block patterns for sale, that include full size templates for several different size quilt blocks. In addition, there are rotary cutting layouts for many of the patterns. These patterns are easy to use and come in sizes that many quilters like to make - no adjusting required! The site offers free patterns as well as patterns for purchase. In addition, every week a different quilt block is featured in a video showing how to sew it together. You can register for free and download free quilt block patterns and view the Video Archives - www.QuiltBlockLibrary.com Sign up for our "Understanding Quilt Blocks" newsletter and learn about quilt blocks:
Just fill in your information below:
|
Learn to make this machine quilted quilt on your home sewing machine by following along with this DVD set. More
|