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Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial- Part I

May 24, 2020 24 Comments

This is PART I of a series about SEMINOLE piecing. PART II is here and you can download all these instructions. 


Seminole patchwork is just a fun and quick process of piecing strips that helps you create intricate designs with ease. There are so many patterns you could sew using this technique! It works with strips in any size but I find it particularly interesting and helpful when you need small designs. Look at the design below –  it is almost perfectly sewn and the squares measure 1”. You can’t achieve such result with a regular piecing.

I think this is the easiest seminole design; usually the squares are made out of the same fabric (one color) but what I want to show you here is how the design can be enhanced in the easiest possible way: it’s all about your fabric choice!

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial
So here is what you need to make a design like this:

  • one strip of rainbow fabric 1 1/2” wide  x 42” long (cut along the width of the fabric); this fabric is from the Effervescence collection by Robert Kaufman; you can use other fabric too, but one that offers a great variety of colors works best.
  • two strips of solid fabric 2” wide  x  42” long (cut along the width of the fabric).You can use other measurements too, keep in mind that the solid strips must be 1/2” wider than the rainbow strip.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialPiece the strips together, with the rainbow strip in the center. Sew with 1/4” seam allowance and press the seam allowances away from the center strip.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialCut the long piece into 1 1/2”  (the size of the center strip) pieces as shown below.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialYou have to piece them as shown below. I selected a few pieces…

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialPiece two strips as shown below: place them right sides together, nesting the horizontal seam.  It is easy to do this, the seam allowances run in opposite directions.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialPress the seam allowances open.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialSew pairs…

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialthen piece the pairs together.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial

View from the back.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialIn order to straighten the edges of the design, you have to cut at 1/4” from the top and bottom corners of the center squares (see the black line below).

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialPlace a long ruler so that the 1/4” marking line touches the top corners of the colored squares. Cut along the top edge of the ruler.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial

Rotate the piece and straighten the other edge.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialHere is a band design that can be inserted into other designs.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialAll the steps in one picture!

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialHere is what I made with my piece: a pouch (pattern for this pouch here).

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial
Pattern for this pouch here:

I made one mistake! 
I wanted to finish this pouch faster and instead of layering the piece with batting and doing a simple quilting, I chose to fuse it to a medium weight interfacing( Vilene S320, a great interfacing). Due to the seam allowances, it is ALWAYS a bad idea to fuse such a piece to interfacing. A heavyweight interfacing is better, like foam, but I think the best option remains batting/fleece.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorialCreating this tutorial took me way more time than sewing this little piece!!  I hope you will give this technique a try.

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial

Download these instructions and learn more about seminole patchwork in PART II of this series – click here!


MORE SEMINOLE PATTERN IDEAS- click on the pictures below.

Seminole heart quilt pattern
Seminole heart quilt pattern

PIN FOR LATER REFERENCE

Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial

 

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Filed Under: quilting tutorials

Comments

  1. Patti says

    May 24, 2020 at 3:07 pm

    Oh that is a beautiful technique! Love your pouch!

    Reply
    • Cathy Addison says

      July 29, 2024 at 4:50 pm

      This is the best tutorial ever!!! Thanks

      Reply
  2. Andrea Mitchell says

    May 24, 2020 at 3:08 pm

    Thank you so much for this high-quality tutorial. As always, you make your perfect work seem do-able by the rest of us.

    Reply
    • Kate cook says

      March 16, 2021 at 6:20 am

      Oh so grateful to find this. I was going todo this using square in a square. I had forgotten all about Seminole patchwork. Well done tutorial. I appreciate you pointing out how to vary the size.
      The hard part is getting the strip width right so the diagonals are the right size to go on the border of my quilt. Any tips?

      Reply
  3. Patricia Sliney says

    May 24, 2020 at 3:18 pm

    Very nice tutorial. I cannot find a “Print” button, am I just missing it? I’d like to print it off and follow along at my machine.

    Reply
    • Beal says

      May 24, 2020 at 6:13 pm

      Try https://www.printfriendly.com/

      Reply
      • Geta Grama says

        May 24, 2020 at 6:24 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
  4. Cathy Wilson says

    May 24, 2020 at 3:30 pm

    I remember doing seminole patchwork ages and ages ago, but never with such beautiful colors. Your tutorial makes me want to do it again, but this time in the more modern fabrics and colors that were never available 50 years ago. Thank you for the inspiration.

    Reply
    • Geta Grama says

      May 24, 2020 at 6:26 pm

      I know what you say, Cathy!The beautiful rainbow fabric inspired me to do this!

      Reply
  5. Beth says

    May 24, 2020 at 5:01 pm

    You are so talented! Thank you for the tutorial, you make everything look so easy. This is beautiful!

    Reply
    • Geta Grama says

      May 24, 2020 at 6:26 pm

      Thank you, Beth, it really is easy.

      Reply
  6. Mavis Wood says

    May 24, 2020 at 6:25 pm

    That is a beautiful piece. I made a square dance skirt like that starting with seven strips. The two outside strips were the same: a dark navy.
    But you do not need to cut the outside strips wider than the others. I cut mine the same width and I think you could cut them 1/4 inch narrower. When you cut off those points, they do not have to stay connected to each other. In fact, if the corners don’t quite make it to the end, that’s OK. It just has to be connected at the spot of the seam allowance when you sew them onto something.

    Reply
    • Geta Grama says

      May 24, 2020 at 6:28 pm

      Thank you, Mavis, I hope tomorrow I will try another design and I will play with size of the strips.

      Reply
  7. Pat Hanna says

    May 24, 2020 at 7:32 pm

    Two questions: (1) would an ombre fabric work in lieu of the rainbow? and (2) with using squares why does this remind me of squares on point method? Regardless I really like the look it gives. Thanks for the tutorial as always your talent fascinates me.

    Reply
    • Geta Grama says

      May 24, 2020 at 7:44 pm

      Yes, ombre fabric works too, you will just not have the same variety of colors.
      Yes, the design looks like squares on point but this technique makes it easy. Then you can vary the number of strips, their size, the way you piece them and you can achieve lots of other designs, more complex.

      Reply
  8. marsha maxwell says

    May 25, 2020 at 12:04 pm

    Geta,
    You are so blessed and talented. All your creations are gorgeous! Keep up the beautiful work. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us.

    Reply
  9. Laura says

    May 25, 2020 at 1:28 pm

    Thank you for this. The fabrics are gorgeous.

    Reply
  10. Mary Ann Walden says

    May 25, 2020 at 3:50 pm

    Wow! I love this technique and the colors. This is similar to bargello quilting which I also enjoy. Will try this out soon. Should look good on the jean purses/bags I make.

    Reply
  11. Susan says

    May 25, 2020 at 5:05 pm

    This sounds doable. I am going to give it a try.

    Reply
  12. Annie says

    May 25, 2020 at 7:24 pm

    Thank you – this is fun, beautiful, and looks easy enough for a “newbie”! I can’t wait to try it.

    Reply
  13. Frances Dody says

    May 31, 2020 at 9:39 pm

    Thank you, you are so right! What a fabulous new technique

    Reply
  14. martha bauer says

    March 1, 2021 at 1:22 pm

    a year later! i am using your seminole pattern to edge a quilt. i have the strips finished but cant figure out the 4 corners. i tried a triangle approach but that didnt work . do you have a suggestion? thanks

    Reply
    • Kate cook says

      March 16, 2021 at 6:24 am

      Oh good point! I am just about to try this for a quilt border too. Did you figure anything out??

      Reply
  15. Janice says

    July 18, 2021 at 8:06 pm

    I would like to do bigger border! What size ratio should I use on the white strips and colored strips? Love your tutorial! Very easy to follow!

    Reply

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