Freedom Block - Block Party Block 14

 

Hello everyone, I have an exciting way to play with the Studio 180 Design tools by making a block each month, which I call Block Party Blocks the blocks. Each block is released on the 15^th of the month.  In the Patterns, you will receive instructions on making the blocks and how to use the blocks, such as a pillow, a table runner, or a table topper. This is a great way to practice your skills and play with the tools.

With that said, I want to introduce my latest Block Party Block #14, which I am calling Freedom. This is block is not as complex as it may look at first glance. It comprises only three different units, Split Rects, Corner Beams, and Square Squared. Taking these individual units and putting them together, you can get a beautiful block that can be used by itself to create a table topper or table runner. If you feel adventurous, you could combine the block with others and use it in a sampler quilt. The possibilities are almost endless.

To start building the block, I would recommend picking out your fabrics. I decided to go with a background color, two mediums, and a dark for my block. If you go this way, I recommend that the two medium fabrics are different enough in color to not blend together. You could also substitute one of the mediums with a light. This is one of those blocks that you can go wild or be a little conservative. It is really up to you on the fabric choices and how you want it to look.

To put this block together, you will need to make four of the Split-Rec units, four Corner Beam Units, and one Square-Squared unit. The tools you will need are the Studio 180 Designs’ Split Rects, Corner Beam, and the Square-Squared. Then you will also need some of your standard quilting supplies, like a rotary cutter and fabric pencils or pens. I would also recommend getting some paper plates and labeling them with the name of each unit. This will help you keep organized. 

Split Rects

To get started, I would recommend making the Split-Rects first. That is the easiest of the three units and would make a good warmup to get started. Start by cutting the fabric to the correct size, following the instructions that came with the Split-Rects Tool. Once the pieces are cut, head over to your sewing machine and start sewing them together using a ¼ inch seam. Once the four Split-Rects are sewn together, press the seams, and it is time to trim. To trim your unit to the correct size, again refer to the instructions that came with the Split-Rects tool.

Corner Beam Unit

After finishing the four Split-Rects units, it is time to move on to the Corner Beam units. Again you need to make four of these units as well. Again start by cutting the fabric to the correct size, following the instructions that came with the Corner Beam tool. Once the pieces are cut, head over to your sewing machine and start sewing them together using a ¼ inch seam. With the Corner Beam unit, you have two pieces that need to be sewn onto the centerpiece. Again, make sure you are following your tools’ instructions for how to sew them. Once the four Corner Beams are sewn together, press the seams, and it is time to trim. To trim your unit to the correct size, refer to the instructions that came with the Corner Beam tool taking special care to align the tool before cutting correctly.

Square Squared

Next, it is time to make the Square-Squared unit the goes in the center of the block. As with the first two units, start by cutting the fabric to the correct size. Following the instructions that came with the Square-Squared tool. Once the pieces are cut, head over to your sewing machine and start sewing them together using a ¼" inch seam. With the Square-Squared unit, you have four pieces that need to be sewn onto the centerpiece. Make sure you are following your tools’ instructions for how to sew them. Once the four Square-Squared units are sewn together, press the seams, and it is time to trim. To trim your unit to the correct size, refer to the instructions that came with the Square-Squared tool taking special care to align the tool before cutting correctly.

Freedom Block

Now that the units are complete, it is time to make some magic and sew the units into the completed block. To do this, I would recommend sewing the units, row by row. Once the three rows are complete, then sew the rows together to complete the block.

I have the full instructions for completing this block for sale on my website. The complete instruction is set up like you would find in one of my patterns: fabric requirements, cutting, and sewing instructions. Also, if you are interested in learning more about how to use the Studio 180 Design Tool, please check out my Precision Block Academy and sign up on my waiting list. I will be opening up registration again this fall for a short time, and you don’t want to miss out.