Little Blocks Quilt Pattern

Beginner Friendly Companion Guide to Free Pattern

LITTLE BLOCKS

Beginner Friendly

Companion Guide

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Facebook Group!

QUILT PATTERN

Table of

Contents

Introduction

The Language of Quilting

Material, Tools, & Supplies

Cut Your Fabric

Make the First Block

Complete the Quilt Top

Prepare Backing Fabric

Make Sandwich, Baste Together

Trim & Add Binding

Quilting - Three Ways!

Washing Instructions

Diagram with Strokes

This companion guide offers

follow-along help for beginners making

my free Little Blocks Baby Quilt.

If you don’t have the pattern yet,

click this link to download!

Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting!

If this is your first quilt, I’m honored and excited for you! Making a

quilt is easier than you might think. It’s just a series of steps, each

straightforward and—dare I say—simple. I find joy and peace in the

process. I hope you do too. I can’t wait to see what you create!

The Little Blocks design

balances simplicity with visual

interest for a modern, beautiful

result. The big pieces, all

square or rectangle, are easy

to cut and the blocks come

together quickly.

Join the Little Blocks Facebook Group

Click to See Additional Colorways

Throughout this guide, a

pulsing play button

indicates a video.

Click to to play!

The Language of Quilting

Starter List

(I was so confused when I made my first quilt so I’ll start here!)

QUILTING

The method & stitch pattern you use to sew all the layers of the quilt together. In other

words, one of the last steps in quilting is to quilt your quilt.

SEAM ALLOWANCE

Also “SA”, distance between fabric edge & sewing line

1/4" PRESSER FOOT

Edge of the presser foot is exactly 1/4" away from needle, acts as guide

FEED DOGS

Grippers built into machine plate that help move fabric under the presser foot

WALKING FOOT

Adds feed dogs on top, that work together with bottom feed dogs, to move multiple layers smoothly

BACKSTITCH

Process of reversing over first couple or last couple of stitches to secure

CHAIN PIECING

Assembly line sewing -- doing repetitive steps together (see videos on page 10)

FABRIC TERMS

SEWING TERMS

SELVAGE

Tightly woven side edges of fabric, frayed with little puncture holes

WOF

Width of Fabric (inches of usuable fabric between selvage edges)

DIRECTIONAL FABRIC

AKA Prints, designs in a sequenced pattern (vs. solid colored fabric)

RST

Right Sides (of Fabric) Together

WST

Wrong Sides (of Fabric) Together (Note: some solids don’t have a wrong side)

You find and frequent your favorite LQS (local quilt shop).

You debate the best level of CRINKLE in a washed quilt.

Your fabric STASH is becoming STABLE (stash beyond life expectancy).

You’re loud and proud about wining a game of BOBBIN CHICKEN.

You hate FROGGING (rip it, rip it, rip it) but sometimes it must be done.

You FUSSY CUT directional fabric to show off your favorite section.

MACHINE QUILTING

Use sewing machine to stitch thru all layers of the quilt sandwich

HAND QUILTING

Use needle and thread to sew running stitches thru layers

LONGARM QUILTING

Layers are fed into a long frame for computerized quilting using a chosen design or for free motion quilting

BINDING

The strip or band of fabric that goes around the whole quilt to finish

QUILT SANDWICH

Assembling & securing the following 3 layers of a quilt together ...

QUILT TOP

The “front” of the quilt, the pieced together pattern

BATTING

The soft, fluffy middle you don’t see when the quilt is done

BACKING

You guessed it... the back fabric

BASTING

Method you choose to hold layers together for quilting (adhesive spray, pins, or thread)

Comprehensive List!

from American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine

LAYERING TERMS

FINISHING TERMS

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You know

you’re a

quilter

when ...

Material, Tools , Supplies

All You Really Need

A sewing machine - any kind!

An Iron

Ruler - Ideally, 24" Long

Water Mister and/or Starch

Self-Healing Cutting Mat

Pins and/or Clips

Your Fabric Picks

Rotary Cutter

50-Weight Cotton Thread

Quilt Batting

My Favorite Add-Ons

Suction Ruler Handle

Walking Foot

Chain Piecing Thread Cutter

Stitch-in-the-Ditch Foot

1/4" Seam Guide Tape

Wool Pressing Mat

Fun Labels

Stripology XL Ruler

Tailor’s Clapper

Hand Crafted Seam Ripper

Support your local quilt/fabric shop! Many have online stores if you don’t live nearby.

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Let’s Cut

Set up your cutting operation

Maximum flat surface

36" (counter) height

Space to move around

Good lighting

Stay safe out there, quilty

friends!

Organize as you go -- you’ll

thank your future self.

Press fabric -- it’s tempting to

skip, but don’t!

Click to see ideas!

All the Pieces

Cut all your WOF (Width of

Fabric) strips.

Check out this great tool

for faster strip cutting!

Make all your subcuts and

get excited to start sewing!

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Time to Sew!

Choose the best presser

foot, needle, and thread!

See how your first block

will come together.

Each made up of

5 fabric pieces

First Up:

Corner Block (4x)

Make your first complete

Corner Block!

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