Two Step: a strippy, stash-busting quilt block

The Choo Choo Quilters Cuddle Quilt block pattern for this month's guild meeting is the Two Step block... and it's a fast, easy stash buster. So, get your strips out!

September Cuddle Quilt block: Two Step in shades of blues and browns.

Fabric requirements and Color Palette
Medium grey 5" square (for upper left corner)
2.5" strips in turquoise, blue, navy, lime, orange, clay, brown, tan.

If using scraps, cut 2.5" x 5" strips and 2.5" x 9" strips.

September Two Step Block in shades of blues, browns.

Sew the 5" strips and the 9" strips into pairs. Chain piecing the strip pairs is easy and efficient! 

Sew a 5" strip set to a grey square. (You can also chain piece these units.)

Chain pieced strips and grey square ready for pressing.

NOTE: Keep in mind the placement of the grey square!

After a 5" strip set is sewn to a grey square, sew a 9" strip set to the right-hand side of this unit. Make sure the grey square is in the upper left. (See photo above.) The [unfinished] block should measure 9" square.

Squaring up the Two Step block.

These blocks take no time at all! Even if you start now, you can whip up a few before the October 21 guild meeting. Here is a video of the assembly process.

There are lots of layout possibilities with this quilt block.

Bring the completed blocks to the October guild meeting. You could win a prize!

Orphan Block Adoption at September guild meeting

Yes, you know these blocks—the ones stuffed in the back of a drawer in the sewing room, or tucked in a box of fabric with the plan to make more, the sample block made as a test block, or blocks made in that class from 5... 10... 15 years ago?? Orphan quilt blocks. We all have them!

Bring your orphan quilt blocks and bits to the September guild meeting.

Come to the September 16 Choo Choo Quilters guild meeting and the program, "Orphan Block Adoption: A Call to Action," will provide ideas for embracing those orphans and making them a part of something bigger and more meaningful.

Pre-work
Your mission before the meeting:

• Go through your stash. Find those orphan blocks and bring them to the meeting.
• While you search for blocks, pick out any supplies, books, notions and other sewing/quilting items you no longer want. Bring those to the meeting for a Quilters Flea Market. (Proceeds will go to purchasing backing fabrics for our Chambliss community service quilts.)
• If you've made something from orphan blocks, bring it for Show and Tell.
• Don't forget your black-and-white August quilt blocks for a chance to win a prize!

No longer will you feel the weight of those lost, forgotten, or lonely orphan blocks. You can make them into something fab-u-lous to amaze your friends and silence the quilt police.

August Cuddle Quilt block uses black-and-white strips

Got black and white fabrics? Make strips!

The pattern for the August Cuddle Quilt block uses black and white strips and a small white squares. See the handout from the meeting or follow the photos below. The (unfinished) block size is 12.5".

Raid your scraps and cut 2.5" black and white strips.

Cutting and sewing the blocks

1.  Cut 2.5" strips from your fabrics.
2.  Make strip sets using 3 different strips.
3.  Cut the strip sets into 6.5" x 6.5" units. Four units are needed for each block.

Strips and block units.

4.  Cut white fabrics into 2.5" squares. Fold each square on the diagonal and press/crease.

5.  Place one white square on the corner of of each unit, right sides together. Use the flippy corner method (like making flying geese units) and sew on the creased line (as shown).

Use the "flippy corner" method to attach the small white square.

6.  Trim 1/4" from the sewn line and flip back the white triangle.

7.  Assemble the 4 units together (as shown) to form a white diamond in the center of the block. The block should measure 12.5"x 12.5" unfinished.

Sewn block measures 12/5" (unfinished).

Bring the completed blocks to the September guild meeting. You might be the next prize winner!