Fat Quarterly Issue 7 is out now! All about colour palettes and where to find help in choosing colours for your projects.




Sampler Blocks and Tutorial

The 3 x 6 Min Sampler Quilt Bee is lots of fun. The idea is that we all make one block for 6 other people. Each person can say what colours they would like but that is it.

It was difficult to begin with to think of what block to make to suit 6 people's tastes. In the end I decided upon a pinwheel within a star. A couple of my group wanted wonky so I wonked their star points and borders. I hope they all like the outcome!



Melanie asked for a rainbow block.




Sheridan asked for red / aqua.




Katelyn asked for rainbow with critters.




Amanda asked for pink, grey, white and wonky.




Carla asked for green / turquoise and wonky.




Jo asked for eye spy.

In case you are interested in making these blocks yourself below are instructions for both the normal block and the wonky / liberated block! Have fun making them and let me know if you used this tutorial!

How to make the Basic Block

4 x 2.5" squares for corners (white)
2 x 3" squares of each pink, green, blue and red
8 x 3" squares white

2 strips 8.5" x 1.5" white
2 strips 6.5" x 1.5" white
4 strips 2.5" x 1.5" (pink, green, blue and red)
4 strips 3.5" x 1.5" (pink, green, blue and red)

2 x 3" squares white
2 x 3" squares yellow

Centre Pinwheel

Draw a line down the diagonal of 2 white 3" squares. Put right sides together with the 2 yellow squares. Sew 1/4" from the line on BOTH sides of the line. Cut along the line and press open. Trim to 2.5" square.

Arrange the 4 half square triangles to create a pinwheel. Sew together.



Borders

Sew pink and green 2.5" x 1.5" strips together to create a strip 4.5" x 1.5"
Sew red and blue 2.5" x 1.5" strips together to create a strip 4.5" x 1.5"
Sew pink and red 3.5" x 1.5" strips together to create a strip 6.5" x 1.5"
Sew green and blue 3.5" x 1.5" strips together to create a strip 6.5" x 1.5"

Sew borders to pinwheel.

Star Border

Draw a line down the diagonal of each of the remaining white squares.
Put each white square right sides together with each of the remaining 3" squares. Sew 1/4" from the line on BOTH sides of the line. Cut along the line, open, press and trim to 2.5" square.

Arrange as diagram

Sew block together.

Instructions for Wonky Liberated Block


4 x 2.5" squares for corners (white)
2 x 3" squares of each pink, green, blue and red
8 x 2.5" squares white

2 strips 8.5" x 2.5" white
2 strips 6.5" x 2.5" white
4 strips 6.5" x 2" (pink, green, blue and red)
4 strips 4.5" x 2" (pink, green, blue and red)

2 x 3" squares white
2 x 3" squares yellow

Create centre pinwheel as described above.



Add wonky borders to pinwheel by adding first border and cutting at angle.



Add second border and cut to make 8.5" square.



Star border

Cut each of the coloured 3" squares in half along the diagonal. Place right sides together on top of a 2.5" white square at an angle. Sew a 1/4" seam.



Open, press and trim to 2.5" square.



Sew border and block together as above.

Comments (18)

Pamela S.

January 17, 2010 at 12:58 PM

What a fabulous block!! I printed your instructions and look forward to creating some of my own. Thanks, Natasha!

Floh

January 17, 2010 at 1:38 PM

Thank you for ther great Tutorial! The blocks are beautiful, I can not decide witch one I like best.

Anonymous

January 17, 2010 at 2:26 PM

Thank you so much for this tutorial!!!!
It'd always fun finding out how Quiltin' genius's like yourself go about making their mini masterpieces!! expect more half squared triangle blocks with pinwheel activity from me!!!

RosaMaría

January 17, 2010 at 3:22 PM

great blocks!! i love the raimbow one!!! thanks for the tutorial!!! have a nice sunday!

Marysia

January 17, 2010 at 3:57 PM

O, I like it so much! The same pattern and they look so different! I can not decide which of them I like the most.

Tina

January 17, 2010 at 5:41 PM

They look good. If I choose a favorite, I'd go with the wonky one. Because wonky is fun.

Molly

January 17, 2010 at 6:04 PM

These are so great! And I think the making and posting of a tutorial is a big job so thank you so much. I am already visualizing my quilt with these blocks! My favorite is the one with the little robots in the corner.

Little Miss Shabby

January 17, 2010 at 8:28 PM

These are great blocks! Thanks so much for the tutorial. =)

Monika

January 18, 2010 at 2:32 PM

So thanks for this tute! I´ve marked it and I will DEFINITLY try it - I just need to work on my cutting ....
These blocks are great - and I love especially the one with white!

Muriël

January 19, 2010 at 9:59 AM

Hi Tacha!
I gave you a Sunshine Award on my blog, for being fun and inspiring with your blog!
You can find out about the award on my blog.
Have a good day,
Muriël
p.s. I love your blocks and the tutorial!

machen und tun

January 19, 2010 at 10:54 PM

thanks so much for the tutorials/recipies!! i am sooo gonna try those..

Mandalin

January 20, 2010 at 7:07 AM

Fabulous tutorial Tacha, I'll definitely be trying it out. Your blocks are amazing!
Mandy

Amanda Elizabeth

February 26, 2010 at 11:18 PM

This is such an awesome block...I just printed it out & I might give it a try this afternoon...it is *so* awesome looking!!!! thanks a bunch for sharing it <3!

Unknown

February 27, 2010 at 9:46 PM

Gorgeous! The only info I can't find above (unless I do math, and my weekend brain isn't helping me out much there) is a finished size for the block. I'll keep working on the math, but would love to see the info above!

Unknown

February 27, 2010 at 9:48 PM

OK, my math brain turned on. 12"! Yay!

Strawberry Patch

September 11, 2012 at 9:43 PM

I just made this up for my sampler quilt, love it! Thank you :-)

Anonymous

May 19, 2013 at 2:23 AM

what about the second border? am i missing something? thanks!
(cbiro@alumni.iu.edu)
christina :)

Admin

November 7, 2019 at 11:56 AM

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