Flip-Flopped Rectangles Make Fast Quilts

Flip-Flopped Rectangles Make Fast Quilts

Designing quilt blocks is as much fun as sewing them! Create this Flip Flopped Rectangles design by replacing squares with rectangles for a modern look. The skill set is the same, but the strip sizes change. First, let’s create a simple 6-1/2″ block, then learn how easy it is to Flip and Flop the design. The quilt shown is approximately 54-1/2″ x 88-1/2″.

Framed Squares

Sew a basic 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ square block to dip your toe in the Flip Flopped Rectangle design water. This square design is great for 2-1/2″ precut rolls, often called Jelly Rolls.

Cut:

• Cut the remaining 2-1/2″ Fabric B (pink) strips into 6-1/2″ sections.

• Arrange the block as shown, with solid fabric strips at the top and bottom.

• Fold solid strips towards the center, matching right sides.
• Join strips with a 1/4″ seam allowance.
• Press seams towards the solid strips.
• Square if necessary.

Design Basics—Start with Graph Paper

• Outline finished size of rectangular block on graph paper using 1″ per square. (Example: 6″ x 8″ block on graph paper shown below.)
• Draw interior rectangles.

• Divide the rectangular block to determine strip sizes.
• Highlight vertical lines along ends of the rectangle if the interior block is horizontal.
• Highlight the horizontal lines along the ends of the rectangle if the interior rectangle is vertical.

• Count the grids along the dividing line.
• Add 1/2″ to each number to account for seam allowances.

Block A:

• 2-1/2″ Fabric A
• 2-1/2″ Fabric B
• 4-1/4″ Fabric A

Block B:

• 2-1/2″ Fabric B
• 2-1/2″ Fabric A
• 2-1/2″ Fabric B

Sew Blocks Based on Your Designs

• Find more specific drafting and sewing directions in Change-Up Patchwork.
• To create Block B, drawn above, cut:

Two 2-1/2″ crosswise strips from Fabric B (pink)

One 2-1/2″ crosswise strip from Fabric A (gray)

Two 1-1/2″ crosswise strips from Fabric B (pink)

• Sew the 2-1/2″ strips into a strata, alternating colors.
• Subcut the strata into 6-1/2″ squares.

• Add remaining 1-1/2″ Fabric B (pink) strips.
• Place one 1-1/2″ Fabric B strip on work surface, right side up.
• Place the 1-1/2″ Fabric B strip over the 4-1/2″ strata sections, right sides together. Stitch, with lengthwise cut edges.
• Add subsequent sections, butting edges.

• Cut sections apart. Square blocks if necessary.
• Press seams toward outer strips. Rotate sections 180 degrees.
• Lay 1-1/2″ Fabric B strip over the strata sections, right sides together.
• Stitch, with lengthwise cut edges.
• Add subsequent sections, butting edges.

• Cut sections apart. Square blocks if necessary.
• Press seams toward outer strips.

• Using your graph paper as a guide, create Block A in a similar fashion.

Note from Nancy: The steps above are a quick visual representation of how a 4-patch is created. When making a project, I create many blocks at once using chain stitching techniques. Complete instructions are listed in Change-Up Patchwork.

The Book Features Nine Great Quilts

Find these easy Flip Flopped Rectangle quilts, and additional quilts, in the Change-Up Patchwork Book and DVD or in the Change-Up Patchwork Starter Set.

Watch the three-part series of Change-Up Patchwork on Sewing With Nancy online.

1. Episode one features the versatility of a 4-patch block.
2. The star of episode two is the square-within-a-square quilt block.
3. The third episode features the basics for stitching the traditional 9-patch block.

Nancy’s Notions is giving away a copy of the Change-Up Patchwork DVD. Leave a comment below to enter the giveaway. One random winner will be chosen.

Bye for now,

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