Every month, we’ll announce a quilt block for members to make for the following month’s guild meeting. You can make as many blocks as you want and for every block you make, you will be entered into a drawing for ALL THE BLOCKS! From there, winners can let their creativity fly with the block winnings.
For September, we are collecting Polaroid blocks!
Here are the details for the September block:
- Description: Create a picture perfect block that highlights fabric within a Polaroid frame. Fussy cutting is when you cut out a specific portion of fabric in a way that showcases the print, rather than just cutting a piece off the edge. In this situation, we’re looking for prints that will be showcased within the frame, so think of the images as photos.
- Block Size: max size 6 1/2″ x 7 1/4″ unfinished (see tutorial below for smaller block variations)
- Fabric : 2 ½” wide white strips; fussy cut squares (see instructions for details)
- Skill to Explore: fussy cutting; piecing
Instructions:
- Fussy Cut your fabric into squares. Fussy cutting simply means cutting a specific “scene” out of your fabric versus just cutting it off the end of the fabric. A note about size: The size of your center squares will depend on the size of the “motif” of your fabric that you’d like to feature. See the tutorial linked below for specific size recommendations.
- Place one of your fussy cut squares on top of one of your 2 1/2″ wide white strips right sides together so that you will sew down the side of your square (not the top or the bottom). Stitch in place with a 1/4″ seam allowance.
- Repeat the above process of stitching on the other side of the square. Press the seams of the block to one side.Trim the top and bottom of the white fabric so that it is flush with the top and bottom of your square.
- Next, using your ruler as a guide, trim the white sides to a 3/4″ width.
- Stitch a white strip of fabric to the top and bottom of the sewn blocks. Press the seams to one side.
- Trim white strips so that they are flush with the sides of the block.
- Next, trim the TOP white border to ¾” (the same width as your side borders).
- Trim the BOTTOM white border to 1 ½″.
Resources/Inspiration:
How to Make Simple Polaroid Quilt Blocks | Polka Dot Chair
This tutorial has great fussy cutting directions: October – Polaroid Blocks – Vancouver Modern Quilt Guild