If my effort to keeping it simple, I have been enjoying not only playing in my scraps but also using them for some very simple, basic, heritage blocks. And you can add to the whimsy by finding those fun scraps that just aren't enough to play in a quilt of it's own. I love this coin fabric and I used the last of it up in two bow-ties.
I also like to learn the history of the early 'heritage' blocks. The bow-tie arrived in the 1890's and was also part of the undeground railroad blocks - a symbol indicating it was necessary to travel in disquise or a place to change clothing from those of a slave to those of a person of higher status.
There are a lot of tutorials for this block, but I liked Debbie's thoughts on sharing how we progressed in a project rather than just the final outcome. I am making 6.5" unfinished bow-ties so you need two 3.5" background squares and two 3.5" tie squares, two 2" knot squares (same fabric as tie). See, not a lot of fabric is required.
Begin by drawing a line on the two 2" squares - corner to corner. I will admit I just aim and shoot, but showing the 'proper' technique so the quilting police don't come after me.
I think it amusing that they tell you to sew on the line - actually you need to stitch a tick or two over. This gives room for allowance that the stitch and the flip over. So if your little corners aren't coming out right - don't sew on the line, move over a little bit. Trim away extra and press out.
Layout your four pieces and it is just sewing a 4-patch block now.
A tie square to a corner/background square and press to the solid square - repeat.
Match up that center seam (it should nest up nicely) and stitch your two halves together.
And now for the fun in a layout. This is one..........
and this one.................
and this one............
A quick, easy block for those scraps - now go play.........
Sewingly Yours,
Sharon
18 comments:
I like your keeping it simple. Sometimes we forget the beauty of some on the older tradition blocks. Thanks for reminding us and for the great tutorial.
wow i love how you did this,thankyou for sharing Sharon.xx
It seems that this block is going around the traps at the moment. I have seen it on a few blogs, and I am rather inspired to make some. I do like what you have made up with your scraps.
Thanks for joining Debbie in showing the process, it helps all of us. I know that's a bow tie, but I think it could work in my dog quilts as bones and add a little more cuteness.
I love the bow tie block and love how you took us from start to finish..and a finish in several ways! Great tutorial!
Great tutorial on an all time favorite. I even like to do these with different fabric for the "knot", smaller squares. And now we are an army of 2 to show our process....thanks!
Love this block and so simple to do. I am going to try making one.
It was great to read the history of that block. One of my favorite quilts is a Bow Tie that I made several years ago.
That's such a versatile block. I asked for a bow tie block (four bow ties) in a bee I was in a while back. I love the quilt that came from it.
Love this block. The Friendship,Garden quilt that I gave a sneak peek at in my last blog post is a bow tie.
Sharon, Thanks for the tutorial. When people say move a tick from the line, I never know if I'm supposed to move toward the part I'm going to cut off or the part I'm going to keep. It's always confusing to me. And it sure makes a difference. I read a Bonnie Hunter blog a few years ago where she challenged us to make a bow tie quilt using cheddar fabric as our background fabric. I ordered what I thought was cheddar and didn't pay close enough attention. When it arrived it is ORANGE. I'm not particularly fond of bright orange. She suggested using this project as leaders and enders. They are fairly small blocks. I think I may have made 4 blocks and quit. They are on the ledge of the hutch in the dining room. The places I put things!!!! So maybe some day I'll have a bow tie quilt with bright orange background. There are worse things and I may actually like it. My daughter graduated from Oklahoma State and their colors are orange and black and I worked on a doctorate there and got too sick to finish it. Bonnie is coming to our guild in March, so maybe I need to work on some more blocks to show her. One of my good friends and I went to a "quilt tour" (we didn't see that many quilts to England last summer and Bonnie was on the tour, too. Thanks for the tutorial and a nudge for me to think about that quilt again.
Your bowtie blocks are a nice size. Thanks for the clear instructions.
Love it! And thanks so much for the tutorial and history lesson - very interesting!
Looks like you are having some fun sewing time. A scrappy bow tie quilt is on my bucket list, but no new projects till I finish up a few old ones.
I bookmarked this post. Thanks Sharon....I like that the bows are quick and easy!!
lovely!!
One of my early quilts was a bow tie quilt. All those Y seams. I know better now, but, I didn't back then.
Thank you for that tutorial. I will obey your words to "go and play" soon but not with bow tie blocks, cute as hey are.i have three QAYG blocks to do then I can start assembling the quilt!
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