While I was working on this demo, I realized there were two ways to make this block. I will give you my preferred method first, then the alternatives. Every quilter is different – try them both, then decide what feels best to you.
Start with two strips of fabric. I am using 2-1/2″ strips, but that is not a magic number. Use what you have. You can even use scraps! I am using a 40″ long strip, which is the Width of Fabric (WOF.) Sew the two strips together with a 1/4″ seam. Press the seam open.
Place a 45-degree ruler with a horizontal line such as the Cozy Quilt Strip Ruler on the strip. Match one of the horizontal lines with the seam line.
Cut on both sides of the ruler. Turn your ruler upside down and cut in the other direction. Take care to match the line on the ruler with the seam line. That makes your triangle cut just a little bit smaller.
Repeat in the other direction. You won’t be able to snug the ruler up against the cut edge because of the way the previous triangle was cut. Keep matching that seam line.
One more time.
You now have enough for one block! Let’s make this block, then you can go back to the strip and try the other method.
Sew two sets of two triangles together. Press the seam open. Make sure that your triangle sets are identical! If they are not, they won’t make an hourglass block when you put them together.
Create the block, then put it on a rotating mat if you have one. You need to square it up to 8″ x 8″, taking care to match the center diagonal seam line of the block with the center diagonal line on the ruler. The ruler shown in the picture is a CGR8 from Creative Grid.
I usually find that I only have to trim a little bit. Because you are matching that center seam line and pressing your seams open, the block comes together perfectly and lays flat.
Another way to make an hourglass quilt block
Sew two more strips together. This time, press the seam to the dark. When you cut your triangles, match the vertical line to the bottom of your seamed strips. Your triangles will be larger.
Because you have alternated the seam bulk, the center seam of your triangles will actually be easier to match when you sew them together. Just be sure to make your triangle sets identical! If not, you will make the block below. (I meant to do that.)
It’s an interesting block, but not the one we want. After you take it apart and resew it, you will notice that you can keep the center seam pushed to one side if you unpick a few stitches and twirl it in the center.
Now you can square this one up. This block doesn’t seem to go together as precisely. I was hoping that the extra space meant I could square the block up to 8-1/2″, but I couldn’t. I made that one 8″ square also.
And now for the moment of truth: which block is better?
I am partial to the one on the left with the open seams. It doesn’t seem as lumpy as the one with the seams pressed to one side. Which do you like better?
Making an Hourglass Quilt
Each strip set of (2) 2-1/2″ wide strips will yield approximately 6 triangles, which will make 1-1/2 blocks. If you want to make a baby quilt with 20 blocks, you will need 14 strip sets. That would be 7 of each color unless you are making it scrappy, plus a border. My sample has a 4″ border.
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Another Example
The quilt below was made with blue and yellow scraps, carefully placed to give the illusion of depth. Use the same cutting method as you did with two strips. This time, half the blocks will be blue on the bottom and white on the top. The other half will be yellow on the bottom and white on the top. I bet you will be using your design wall with this quilt!
