Savanna Scramble Quilt Block Tutorial with Partial Seam Piecing
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Here is the fabric I found in my stash. I paired it with a swirly fabric that looked a little bit like fur to be the background fabric.
Before starting this project, I recommend that you press your fabric with spray sizing. It will make it easier to cut small pieces. Take the time to clean your machine, put in a new needle, and fill a few bobbins. When pressing, just hold the iron over a spot for a moment or two. This pattern assumes a perfect 1/4” seam.
The Traditional Method of Making
Quarter Square Triangle (QST) Blocks
To make QSTs, you start with Half Square Triangle quilt blocks. The Traditional Method of making Half Square Triangle Blocks (HSTs) is to place a dark square 7/8″ larger than the desired finished size right sides together with a light square of the same size. Draw a diagonal line on the back of one square. Sew 1/4″ on both sides of the line. Cut on the line and press to the dark.
My personal preference is to cut the original squares slightly too large and square up the HST later on. However, you are making Quarter Square Triangles (QSTs) using these HSTs so you may prefer to skip this step. Make a test block using both methods to see which gives you the best results.
To make a QST, lay (2) HSTs right sides together with opposite colors touching. Draw a diagonal line on the back of the top HST going through the seam. Sew 1/4″ on either side of this seam. Set your seam by pressing the sewn block, then cut it apart on the diagonal line.
Here’s a Tip: Don’t take each piece out of the machine after you sew it. Start the next piece immediately without cutting the thread. This is called chain piecing and it makes continuous sewing much easier.
After you have made the QST block, you will have to square up the block. Before you do that, here is a trick that will help you reduce bulk anywhere you have an intersection.
Finger press open the center seam, then pick a couple of stitches out of the center. I am a big fan of the Surgical Seam Ripper, but be careful! It is SHARP. The seam won’t ravel because the second seam will hold it. Push two of the seams in opposite directions so each seam covers one patch. You know you have done it right if the seam twirls around the intersection giving you a tiny four-patch in the middle.
There are two ways you can square up your block. You can place a square ruler so the diagonal line is directly over the seam and just cut two sides. Quilt-in-a-Day has a Square Up Ruler that uses this method.
Or you can press open the block (pressing to the dark) and square it up using a ruler the same size as the block you are making. A fussy-cut ruler with lines on both diagonals will be very helpful with this.
To Make the Savanna Scramble Block, you will need:
- (4) 6-1/4″ squares of Wild Fabric (the fabric I used in my sample was a scrap, but you can find something similar here. )
- (4) 6-1/4″ squares of swirly fabric for the Background. You will also need (4) 2-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ rectangles and (1) 2-1/2″ square from the Background.
- Very helpful but not required: a 5-1/2″ square ruler.
Let’s Get Started!
Using the 6-1/4″ squares of the Wild Fabric and the Background Fabric, make (4) HSTs following the directions above. Don’t bother to square these up. You are going to use them to make QSTs.
Again following the directions above, make (4) QSTs from the (4) HSTs. Square them up to 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″.
Here is the layout of the block before any seams are sewn. As you can see, it relies on partial seam piecing. Have no fear! It’s really quite easy.
Start by sewing all the 2-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ Background rectangles to the dark side of the QSTs. Press to the rectangle.
Sew about half of the 2-1/2″ center square to one edge of a QST-with-rectangle block as shown in the picture below.
Your next step will be to sew the sideways QST to the top of that unit, including the 2-1/2″ square. Press to the square.
Keep sewing the QST-with-rectangle units around the center square. Press to the square.
Now finish that last seam, press to the center 2-1/2″ square, and square up the block.
And you are done! What do you think? This block can be made in any size and is really great for scraps. To print the pattern, use the green Print Friendly button at the bottom of the page. If you would like an easy-to-read chart of HST and QST measurements, just sign up for the mailing list below.
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