It was time for some serious scrap busting and this quilt block has been on my mind for some time. The block is inspired by a vintage quilt ~ The Elizabeth Chapman Coverlet dating back to 1829 ~ which features a rectangular panel in the center of the quilt surrounded by a variation of the Drunkard's Path Block.
The block is neither a circle nor a square, hence the reason I am calling it a Squircle block, and while the original blocks (in the Chapman Coverlet) were English Paper pieced, I have also come across reproductions of this block using applique. However, I was keen to machine piece my blocks, using templates to cut out my fabric pieces.
To draw up my paper templates I turned to EQ7 (quilt design software). I am no EQ7 expert and admittedly spent much more time thinking about how I would go about drafting the block in EQ7, then the 3 minutes it took to actually draw up and print out the templates!
Once the templates were ready the fabric cutting could begin. I pieced a few test blocks to see if I could manage the short but rather tight curve by machine. Not all went well at first as every third block or so would have a small tuck in the curved seam. I tried clipping the seam after piecing and some persuasive pressing with a warm steam iron without success, and then I had a light bulb moment. What if I clipped the (concave) curved edge of the fabric before piecing? That worked! The clipped edge allowed me to easily manipulate the fabric and work it around the curve as I slowly stitched. No tucks, no pleats.
I made 100 Squircle Blocks, that's 400 Drunkard's Path variation blocks each measuring 3 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches. They are small units! At the last minute I decided to sew the the quilt together as a rectangle - 11 rows of 9 blocks - rather than a square quilt - 10 blocks x 10 blocks. The quilt top measures 54 inches x 66 inches.
To draw up my paper templates I turned to EQ7 (quilt design software). I am no EQ7 expert and admittedly spent much more time thinking about how I would go about drafting the block in EQ7, then the 3 minutes it took to actually draw up and print out the templates!
Once the templates were ready the fabric cutting could begin. I pieced a few test blocks to see if I could manage the short but rather tight curve by machine. Not all went well at first as every third block or so would have a small tuck in the curved seam. I tried clipping the seam after piecing and some persuasive pressing with a warm steam iron without success, and then I had a light bulb moment. What if I clipped the (concave) curved edge of the fabric before piecing? That worked! The clipped edge allowed me to easily manipulate the fabric and work it around the curve as I slowly stitched. No tucks, no pleats.
I made 100 Squircle Blocks, that's 400 Drunkard's Path variation blocks each measuring 3 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches. They are small units! At the last minute I decided to sew the the quilt together as a rectangle - 11 rows of 9 blocks - rather than a square quilt - 10 blocks x 10 blocks. The quilt top measures 54 inches x 66 inches.
QUILT STATS
99 Squircles Quilt
Quilt top measures 54 inches x 66 inches.
Each finished 4-patch Squircle Block measures 6 inches x 6 inches.
Each finished 4-patch Squircle Block measures 6 inches x 6 inches.
396 Drunkard's Path Variation Blocks.
Each finished Drunkard's Path Block measures 3 inches x 3 inches.
792 patchwork pieces.
250+ different quilting fabrics.
I have used lots of different designer quilting cottons, many which I am sure you will recognise. And of course, if you've stopped by here before, you may already know that I am not a pinner, and not a single pin was used to piece this quilt top. (See here for a tutorial on how I piece curved seams without pins). I am also surprised I still have all my fingers. Using a tiny rotary cutter to trace around paper templates, especially templates with tight curves, is precarious and probably less than ideal. But I made it through unscathed! Happy, scrappy, days.
No surprises for my choice of backing fabric and binding fabric. Now ready for basting and quilting.
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita
RELEVANT LINKS:
Squircle Block Templates available from my Etsy Store.
99 Squircles Quilt - A Finished Quilt
Tutorial: Piecing curves without Pins
More RPQ Drunkard's Path Quilts:
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita
RELEVANT LINKS:
Squircle Block Templates available from my Etsy Store.
99 Squircles Quilt - A Finished Quilt
Tutorial: Piecing curves without Pins
More RPQ Drunkard's Path Quilts:
Follow RPQ on:
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