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Friday, October 26, 2012

Scrappy Edge Free Quilt Pattern Tutorial


Sometimes fun things happen when you dig around your UFO bin. I found 15 finished selvege blocks from more than a year ago. Jeez, why didn't I do anything with them? 
I put my thinking cap on tried to come up with a quick pattern to use these up. 


Voila,  the Scrappy Edge Quilt. As I was finishing this up I thought I should take notes so I could share the pattern with you. Finished Size: 54X63

Here is what you will need:

paper piecing paper (I used an old phone book)
selvege strips (not sure how many, a big pile saved over time)
1 3/4 yards solid white
3 yards backing
1/2 yard binding
54X63 piece batting


Several years ago I started saving my selvege strips. I would cut them off my fabric right after I bought it. I do not recommend this. Big bad idea. I was eager, what can I say. I have a milk crate full.


From your paper piecing paper cut 20- 8"X8" squares and 30- 3.5"X3.5" squares


To make the large squares start by laying a strip down the middle.


Lay the next strip on top leaving a bit of the colored fabric showing. Sew down close to the edge of the second strip. Continue with this all the way to the corner.


Go back to your original middle strip and tuck a strip under it.


Sew down close to the edge on the original first strip. Continue to the other corner by tucking a strip under the last strip. Turn the finished block over and using the paper as a guide trim the strips off making a clean 8X8 block. Make 20 blocks. You can then gently rips away the paper


To make the small blocks start by placing a string on one edge and then lay another on top leaving a piece of colored fabric showing. Sew close to the edge of the second string. Continue sewing on strips all the way to the other edge. Again, flip the block over and trim using the paper as your guide. Gently rip the paper away. Make 30 of these.

Solid white fabric:
Block Sashing: Cut 10 3.5" Strips width of fabric. Subcut in to 49 8" rectangles
Outer Border: Cut 6 4.5" Strips width of fabric

Assembling the large block rows:
-gather 5- 3.5X8" rectangles and 4 strip blocks
-decide how you want to lay out your strip blocks, if there will be a pattern to the direction of the diagonal strips. Keep this in mind as you sew your rows.
-sew one rectangle to the left and one rectangle to the right side of a block.
-to the right side the rectangle sew another block. Then another rectangle, a block, a rectangle, a block, a rectangle, a block, a rectangle.
- Make 5 of these large blocks rows

Small block rows:
-gather 5 small blocks and 4 white rectangles. These rows are made the same way as the large rows but you start with the blocks and not the rectangle. 

If that was super confusing you can use  the full quilt picture as a reference for the row configuration.

I quilted the top with a diagonal lines going through each block. I premarked the lines before sandwiching the quilt top batting and backing with a Pilot Frixon Pen and a large ruler (the lines disappear with an iron).

I am linking up this week's finihs to Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it Up Fridays. Pop on Over and Check out other blogger's Friday finishes.
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4 comments:

  1. I really love the look of this quilt. The selvages give it a homey, comforting feel when all put together. Nice work.

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  2. I love your quilt. It's so bright and colorful! And I appreciate the tutorial. I cut my selvedges too narrow (because I use them for zipper pulls or on gift tags) so now I'll have to cut them wider. Thanks!
    Nancy from joy for grace

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  3. Love your quilt. I am just starting to work with my selvages.

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