Scrap X Quilt Tutorial

 Scrappy X Plus Quilt Tutorial | Plus quilt, Quilt tutorial.

Another month, another strip scrap quilt!  I really enjoyed the process on this one too - the X blocks are quite fun to make and they have a strong visual impact.  I'm itching to try another version with some of my favorite fabrics. 

As I was making this I realized why I was so drawn to the pattern.  Pretty much the same, no?  Except the old quilt was hand pieced with crazy construction on the center of those x's and inset triangles.

I pretty much used the method described in Strips & Strings by Evelyn Sloppy (her "Bunny Love" quilt) but obviously didn't use color coordinated strips and didn't mix in appliqued bunnies.  I made a few changes to the method, desribed below. 

Here's how I made it:

1.  Sew together a bunch of strips to make a unit that is at least 9.5 inches wide and 18 inches long. (I increased the dimensions a bit from her recommendations.) Press.

2.  Cut that unit into four identical strips (yes, only 2 are pictured here) that are 4 inches wide.  Also, for each block you will need four 4.5 inch squares of background fabric cut in half diagonally to make 8 triangles.  (I think it would help if these were just a smidge bigger - see cutting, below)

3.  Sew the triangles to either side of the center strip, lining them both up in the middle.  Press them open and use a square see-through ruler to trim the entire piece to a 6.5 inch square as shown.  (The block with triangles added was supposed to be oversize but I found that the background squares were just the right size or a tiny bit smaller most of the time.  I'm not very good at that SCANT 1/4" seam thing I guess so that made the difference.  Anyway, you'll figure it out -- either sew that scant seam or cut the triangles a hair bigger -- or stretch that fabric when you piece :-))

4.  When you sew four of those together you'll have a block.  Obviously there is a bit of seam matching going on here if you want things to match up nice - so you do need to pin at the intersections.

I did different X variations on the quilt as you can see -- turning all the center strips the same direction, alternating 2 one direction, 2 the other, and even mixing strips from different scrap units.  I think I like the 2nd option the best myself but with this sorta quilt, it is all about the playing.