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Tilted squares- patchwork tutorial

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Edited: pictures of the finished quilt here !I love quick and easy quilts, and this is one of them ! If you have not made yet tilted blocks, maybe someday you would like to try them, it’s fun ! Tilted square quilt tutorial Here is the way I pieced this quilt top.

Tilted Squares Patchwork Quilt tutorial
The top has 42 (6×7) 12″ blocks, 4″ borders and measures about 80″x 92″ (2×2.3 m).
I used this striped fabric (Michael Miller) as accent. I had 3.5 yards (3.15 m).
From this fabric I made Kaleidoscope blocks.
Cut 5 strips 5″ wide and as long as the lenght of the fabric.
Take one of the strips and cut it in 4 equal strips then stack the strips.
Repeat with the other strips.
Place a ruler like this (for making quarter square triangles) over the stack and cut triangles.
If you don’t have such a ruler, here you can see how to cut quarter square triangles using a long rectangular ruler. From a stack I cut 5 sets.

This simplified method of “Stack-n-Whack” kaleidoscope (I learned this method from Bethany Reynolds) works well on fabrics with regular (straight) stripes like this fabric (“Capri” By Textile Creations ).

If you want to use a fabric like this one below ( Timeless Treasures fabric), with wavy lines, then you have to stack strips with identical print. A little more work to do but I can imagine how gorgeous the kaleidoscope blocks will be.

Well, I could not help myself and I made this digital version !

The more colours on your fabric – the better. Try to have different colours on your strips and you will have many different blocks. Here is an example.

Back to my quilt !
From the 5″ wide strips I pieced 21 blocks.
I cut also 4″ wide strips and I pieced other 21 smaller blocks (I think I made them from 4 strips).
After I pressed all the blocks, I adjusted their size.
The final size of the large block is 8.5″x8.5″, I made the smaller blocks 6.5″x6.5″.

A little time and effort- but all the blocks are perfect.

Here is how to adjust the size of a block using a square ruler.
Place the diagonal of the ruler over one block’s diagonal. The markings of the ruler (6.5″ or 8.5″) must be placed over the other diagonal.

Cut the excess…

Turn around and cut again…

Now I have 21 blocks (6.5″X6.5″) and 21 blocks (8.5″x8.5″) – seam allowances are included.

Add strips around these blocks.
To the large blocks I added one row of strips.

To the smaller blocks I added two rows of strips.

Here are the new blocks – they measure 14.5×14.5″ (seam allowances are included ).
Piece all the blocks and press them.
Don’t bother at this time if you don’t have perfect blocks, it doesn’t matter.

The final step – tilt the blocks.
Use a 12.5″ square ruler. If you don’t have this ruler, you could make a clear plastic template in this size (or use a larger ruler but mark on it 12.5 square using masking tape ).
Place the ruler over the block and rotate it until all the corners meet the edges of the blocks.

But you can trim your squares down as tilt as you want.
how to tilt squaresTilt to the right one half of the blocks and tilt to the left the other half (you need a little attention to this step). Double-check the tilt direction before beginning to cut.

Here is the clean, perfectly cut 12.5″ square block.

I made 42 blocks.

Alternate the blocks and join them.

I used this fabric for borders, too bad I did not have more of the striped fabric.

There are so many beautiful striped fabrics on the market ! I would be happy if this tutorial will inspire some of you to use a few.

Tilted squares quilt tutorial
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