Spools

The inspiration quilt came from an eBay search for vintage quilts.

I was impatient to start so I didn’t draw out my quilt in TouchDraw like I usually do.
My Quilt size will be 48 x 64

  • Block size is 8 inches finished (8.5 with seam allowances)
  • Blocks will be set 6 x 8

Strips are cut 2.5 x width of fabric and you’ll need 48 strips – I’m starting with a Jelly Roll with 40 strips and adding 8 additional strips from stash.

Sew two strips with good contrast together and press to the darker strip – each strip set will yield two blocks.

Using a quarter square ruler cut 8 triangles from each strip set, you will need to alternate the direction of your ruler with each cut.

I’m using an Omnigrid quarter square triangle ruler. Since the ruler was sliding around a bit on me when I made my test blocks, I bought some of the Dritz grippy dots at Joann’s last month.

To sew them, you can lay out your triangles like the block ….

But I like to sew with the straight edge under my needle rather than the skinny edge …

So, I lay my 8 triangles like this and just fold that top one down on the side triangle and I don’t have to do a lot of twisting of my pieces – it also keeps me from sewing the wrong side of the triangle!


Pressing these seams open is easiest as I’m going to twist and turn the blocks in the final quilt.

Sew two halves together


….also pressing that last seam open.


You will need to nip those little triangle bits off the corners too.

My finished top

8438A382-B770-4976-B6B9-747FC2FA94EA

My finished quilt

DEEFCF72-BE72-41E7-8F71-1A4074C318F0

How about a RWB version?

  • Quilt Size = 60×76
  • Block size 8 inches finished (8.5 inches with seam allowances)
  • Inner border is cut 2 inches
  • Outer border is cut 4.5 inches

To make 24 RED blocks and 24 BLUE blocks you will need

  • (48) background ( white, cream, beige) 2.5 inch strips x width of fabric
  • (24) RED 2.5 inch strips x width of fabric
  • (24) BLUE 2.5 inch strips x width of fabric

EQ estimates that you will need 1/2 yard of the red for the inner border and 1.5 yards of a blue for the outer border and binding …. THESE ARE UNTESTED amounts and assumes the borders are pieced – check the math yourself  if you have a limited amount of fabric!

RWB spools-001

And here’s the finished quilt. As you can see I didn’t put a border on mine and used 7 x 9 blocks instead so you can decide whether you want one or not.