Hello there! Today I'm really glad that I have this simple tutorial for you! I've wanted to get it done for a while now, but life just gets so busy, especially at this time of year. We've had everything from being sick, to having relatives in town, to dr. appointments and holiday to-do's. Thanks for being patient! :)
While I didn't come up with this block myself, I don't know of a tutorial specifically for doing it, although it is just a shortened granny square...which I know there are tutorials for. Anyway, what I'm hoping is that this tutorial is helpful to those that visit my blog and want to make a little X quilt too! :)
Ready?! Me too.
First select your fabrics for the little squares.
You will need the following:
Please pay attention that if you are using directional fabrics or are doing any fussy cutting, you are cutting them on point (diagonally) because of the positioning of the finished block.
Lay your squares out like this:
Sew together the rows using 1/4" seam allowance:
Press the rows. I press my seams open. Sometimes I press to one side on bigger pieces, but I've noticed with smaller pieces, pressing seams open helps with accurracy and reduces bulk.
Lay out your pressed rows again. See how they are laying neat and flat?
Pin together rows by matching up seams:
Sew together each row until block is complete. Press.
This is what your block should look like:
Take your block to your cutting mat and position it on point/diagonally. (Please pardon my scrubby mat...it's been well loved.) :)
To trim your block, line up edges so that you are a little more than 1/4" away from your little points. That way you won't sew through them when you construct your quilt. Using a see-through ruler helps to do this.
Trim your block to approximatley 7.5". (Please read all instructions on this portion before trimming your block)
Trim all 4 sides...please read all instructions below before trimming your block so you have a clear understanding of how to do this first.
While trimming, use mat and ruler guidlines to keep block square. The measurement doesn't have to be exactly 7.5". Find the measurement that works for your block and as long as all of them measure the same, it'll be fine. Mine aren't exactly 7.5"...they are a little bigger, I just followed the same marking on my ruler. If I was simply following a measurement of 7.5", I might end up cutting too close to some of the points and I don't want to do that. Just be aware of that 1/4" marking on your ruler to make sure you won't be sewing through any points. Bottom line, it doesn't really matter what the measurement of the final block is as long as they are all the same and you're not cutting within a 1/4" of the block points. I hope that isn't confusing, but I think once you are making your block you will understand this.
Here is the finished block!
So simple! In my quilt I used 12 blocks. If you wanted a smaller project, you could use just the one block for a pillow or make 4 blocks for a larger pillow or a wall hanging.
For making the quilt, I have given some very general measurements to follow and also my fabric choices. I didn't give detailed instructions for each step of constructing the quilt. It's more of a guideline to get you headed in the right direction.
All of the fabrics used in this quilt are from my new line, The Simple Life.
Here are some measurements for sashings and borders.
Sashing is what goes in between and around the blocks. I chose the pink/red polka dot on the white background. Then I have 2 borders....the red polka dot and the pink floral. For the binding I used the aqua gingham.
This quilt measures about 48.75" X 40.5"
This quilt really goes together quickly! If you have done a little piecing or patchwork, this is perfect for you. It's a pretty small quilt...baby sized. If you want it bigger, just make more blocks or wider sashings and borders.
I hope you love making this quilt! It's my favorite right now!
Tasha