The top block shown here was made by cutting 1.5” squares from a variety of scraps then piecing them as tiny 9 patches and joining them to create a 12.5” block. This is called a Postage Stamp block.
The other blocks shown here were made using the strip piecing method below. These are a simple form of Bargello work.
Collect
Twelve 19” strips of fabric 1.5” wide. These can be whole strips or pieced strips using a similar colour. If you are joining fabrics to make pieced strips it finishes best if they are joined on the diagonal.
Cut
Trim the strips to about 19”. This will allow a little extra length to trim off later.
Construct
Join the strips together using ¼” seams to create a striped piece of fabric 12.5” x 19”. Centre each strip to the next one to keep the panel straight.
Iron seams in alternate directions as you work.
Fold the fabric so that it is ‘square’, not twisted. Sew the bottom strip of this block to the top strip of the block to form a tube using ¼” seams.
Lay the tube as flat as possible on the cutting board then trim one end of the tube to make it straight and perpendicular, removing as little fabric as possible.
Cut the tube into twelve 1.5” strips. They will actually end up circles of pieces.
On the first circle, undo one of the seams between two small pieces to allow the circle to become a flat strip.
On the next circle, undo the seam between the next two small pieces. This will step down (or up) the patches so that a pattern begins to form.
Continue undoing the seams to make the pattern you want. Arrange the strips to form the pattern.
Pin the strips two at a time then join them using ¼” seam allowance.
The final block should be 12.5” x 12.5” unfinished.
The arrangement of the strips can create a random effect or a simple or more complex diagonal or wavy pattern. This is determined by which seam you unpick at Steps 6-8 and whether you reverse the direction of the strip on each alternate one.
Another variation on this technique is to change the width of the strips at the initial stage so that they are not all the same width. In this case the corners of the blocks may not meet.
Or change the width of the strips at Step 5 so that they are different widths. In this case the corners will still meet. These two changes will create a Bargello effect.
Seminole Borders
These borders start by joining strips of fabric then cutting them as above but it is not necessary to make a tube. Cut the striped fabric into cross-cut sections then turn them and join the strips to create the pattern. Sometimes these cuts can be at 60 or 45 degrees to get amazing effects.
Notes and Tips
Matching the corners of each square is important in some of these options so pinning before sewing is recommended. See the notes on Perfect Points.
Joining will be easier if the seams at each corner are pressed in opposite directions.
Helpful Resources
Heidi provides an illustrated set of instructions for postage stamp blocks at
http://handmadebyheidi.blogspot.com/2010/02/postage-stamp-quilt-along-tutorial-1.html
To do your own searches some suggested search terms might be:
scrappy quilt blocks
postage stamp quilt blocks
bargello quilts
trip around the world quilts
There are YouTube video lessons and some fantastic images of bargello quilts can be found by doing a Google image search.
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