How To Make A Sliced Improv Block - My NYC Metro Mod Guild December Bee Block Tute

 

It's December, and it's my month to be Queen Bee for my NYC Metro Mod Guild Bee.

I want to keep it simple because December is such a busy month for everyone so, although my choice for the month involves making 5 blocks, there're only 4 fabric cuts and 20 straight sewn lines!

Then while I was putting together the tute for my Hive Bees it occurred to me it would be good to share it with my readers too - so here's my tute to make a Sliced Improv Block.

A Sliced Improv Block Tute

To make 5 blocks you'll need 5 fabric squares, you can adapt the block to use any size squares you like - so this would be a great block to use up a layer cake.  In the packs I'm sending out to my Bees I include 5 x 10" fabric squares per person.

Take 1 block and mark 2.5 inches from the end on each edge.

Place your long ruler on the left-hand edge of the marked block at any point between the two 2.5" markers (going closer to the edges will create pieces that are small, difficult to sew together and look lost in the final block) and draw a line across to any point between the two 2.5" markers on the top edge of the block.

Go back to your starting point on the left edge and mark out two more lines, this time, over to the right-hand edge of the block - again stay within the 2.5" margins on either end of the right-hand edge.

Now go back to your starting point on the left-hand edge and mark a point to the bottom edge of the block - (remember your 2.5" margins).

Make a 'perfect' pile of the 5 blocks (well as 'perfect' as you can!) and place the marked out block on top of the pile.

Take your ruler and cut through all 5 blocks on your 4 marked lines to create 5 triangular sections on each block, each cut identically to the block above it.

Take 1 different piece from each block to create 5 blocks with a slice of each fabric.

Sew the pieces of each block together using a 1/4" seam.  The fabric is cut on the bias so try not to stretch it as you work.

 

These pieces aren't the easiest to line up but pressing each seam as you sew makes the process easier.

 

 

 

The finished block can be quite uneven at the edges, but there should be enough play in the fabric to allow you to trim the blocks down (in the case of my 10" fabric I can trim them to approx 8.5" squares). (Reminder note to my fellow Bees - please don't trim the blocks just send them back to me as they are :D)

And here are my 5 trimmed blocks.

I'm looking forward to playing around with the blocks when I get them all back and deciding on a layout for them, they're such versatile blocks.  Just by changing the direction of the blocks here are 4 different design example layouts.

I'll be receiving 5 completed blocks from 11 Bees, and then there're my 5 blocks as well so I'll have 60 x 8.5" blocks.  I'm thinking an 8 x 7 block quilt possibly with sashing (56 blocks) and maybe I'll incorporate the last 4 blocks into the backing or make a cushion cover.

All the fabrics I'm using are in the blue/grey/beige/brown colour palette - this will be another quilt for my lounge to sit alongside my Juice Box Sofa Quilt that you can see in my Blog Header photo, and I wrote about that quilt here too.  

I'll be sure to update you with another post once I make the quilt :D


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