Welcome to the first day of the Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop sponsored by Fabri-Quilt and Inspired by Fabric. Today, I am excited to share a unique new quilt block tutorial that finishes at 12-inches square with you! Fabri-Quilt is also generously sponsoring a half yard giveaway of the fabric bundle put together for the blog hop, so don’t miss out on two different ways to enter to win (details at the bottom of the post).

All of the quilt blocks featured this week are going to be assembled into quilts and donated to charity. I hope you check out all the creative new block tutorials based on fat eight cuts of fabric that are going to be shared over the next four days!

Monday, August 31st
Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Kelly @Quilting it Out
Martha @Once a Wingnut
Irene @Patchwork and Pastry
Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life
Andrea @The Sewing Fools
Bernie @Needle and Foot
Silvia @A Stranger View
Wanda @Wanda’s Life Sampler
Sandra @Musings of a Menopausal Melon
Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts
Jess @Quilty Habit
Diana @Red Delicious Life
Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe
Margo @Shadow Lane Quilts
Renee @Quilts of a Feather

Tuesday, September 1st

Host – Cheryl @Meadow Mist Designs

Wednesday, September 2nd
Host – Stephanie @Late Night Quilter

Thursday, September 3rd
Host – Terri Ann @Childlike Fascination

Notched Quilt Block Tutorial

We were challenged to create an original quilt block that finished at 12-inches square (12.5-inches unfinished) using the Watermelon Summer Color Palette.

Fabric Prep

• Color 1 – Lapis Blue
  • Cut (8) 4-inch squares
    • Cut each 4-inch square diagonally to make (16) 4-inch triangles
• Color 2 – Turquoise
  • Cut (4) 1.25-inch by 22-inch strips
• Color 3 – White
  • Cut (4) 2-inch by 22-inch strips

Piecing the Notched Block

Step 1

Right sides together, sew together (1) Color 2 and (1) Color 3 strip along the long edge. Press seam toward the darker color.

Step 2

Lay the assembled strip from Step 1 on your cutting mat with the thin strip on the bottom. Using a clear square ruler, cut (4) 3 7/8-inch triangles from the strip as shown in the diagram and photographs below.

*Note: You may choose to set aside the (3) 3 7/8-inch triangles from the top of the strip for future use.

Step 3

Using a scant quarter inch seam allowance, sew together (1) Color 1 4-inch triangle and (1) 3 7/8-inch triangle from Step 2. Press seam toward the darker color. Trim to 3.5-inches square. Repeat to make (4) 3.5-inch squares.

Step 4

Arrange the (4) 3.5-inch squares from Step 3 as shown in the diagram. Sew together the top and bottom rows and press open the seams. Sew the rows together and press open the seam. This Notched block should measure 6.5-inches square.

Assembling the Notched Block

Step 1

Create (4) 6.5-inch Notched Blocks following the Piecing instructions.

Step 2

Arrange the (4) 6.5-inch Notched Blocks as desired (3 variations are presented throughout this tutorial, but feel free to experiment with your own layout). Sew together the top and bottom rows and press open the seams. Sew the rows together and press open the seam. The block should measure 12.5-inches square.

Alternate Color Schemes and Layouts

Because I was able to create a 12-inch finished block from 3 of the 6 fat eighths in the bundle, I created a second block using the remaining three colors and would like to present an alternate layout pattern that could be considered with the block:

And finally, incorporating more colors into the design and using a third layout of the Notched block, you can create a beautifully feathered and complicated looking design:

There are so many great ways to play with this design, and if you create a Notched block or quilt, I would love to see it! Please let me know by using the hashtag #NotchedQuilt or tagging me @QuiltingJetgirl when sharing on Instagram, or by sending me an email [jetgirl8(at)gmail(dot)com] with a photograph or link to a blog post about your block or quilt!

Final Thoughts

The Notched block can easily be scaled up to more easily make larger quilts; I personally would try for a 10-inch or 12-inch finished block to make piecing a quilt top faster and more fun!

Bonus Block

A bonus 12-inch finished block can be made from the fat eighth bundles by saving the (24) 3 7/8-inch triangles saved from Piecing Step 2 of both colorways and combining with (3) additional 4 1/2-inch squares.

Sew together (4) 3 7/8-inch triangles, press seams, square to 4 1/2-inches square to create an hourglass block.

Create (6) hourglass blocks and arrange as desired with (3) solid blocks.

Giveaway

For a chance to win a half yard bundle of the Watermelon Summer palette, please follow the Inspired by Fabric blog (either by email or blog reader) and let me know how you are following in a comment below. The giveaway is open to everyone (international entries welcome), and the giveaway will be open through Friday, September 4th at 11:59 pm EDT when I will use a random number generator to select a winner from the comments. Good luck! Inspired by Fabric is also hosting a *separate* giveaway today, so don’t forget to visit and enter to win there as well!