Featured Fabric: Studio E Fabrics Cream & Sugar X by Studio E Fabrics

Pattern Design by: Classic design used since the early 19th century

Sewn by: Meredith Daniel

I was thrilled when I was asked to create a project for SIY - Sew It Yourself because there is nothing I love more than empowering beginner sewists to learn new techniques and grow their skills. I just love a “basic” quilt block because you can truly make anything with a good repeatable quilt block whether it is a quilt, a table runner, bag, or whatever you can dream up. If you master the basics, I believe you can do anything! Plus, a simply laid out quilt block is a perfect way to show off beautiful fabrics. I’m using Studio E’s Cream & Sugar X collection paired with some favorite FreeSpirit Designer Essential Solids for this project. I’ll be demonstrating how to make several quilt blocks in just a few steps, and then I’ll show you how I used my blocks to make a quilt top. You can use more or less fabrics to create a project of your very own! That is the beauty of working with a great foundational block.

Technique: basic quilt block

Skill Level: Beginner 

Finished Size: 6” block, can be used to make a variety of projects

Fabric Requirements: please note the following is what was used for the whole quilt top- only 1/4 yard each of one solid and one print are required for the block demonstration

1/4 yd of each of the following from Studio E Cream & Sugar X:

• Lemon Slices white/white
• Skin Print white/white
• Stars white/white
• Hearts white/white
• Snowflake white/white
• Scribble Flower white/white
• Tossed Cats white/white
• Detailed Floral white/white
• Small Vine white/white
• Tiny Roses white/white

1/4 yd of each of the following FreeSpirit Designer Essential Solids

• Dazzle
• Sparkle

1/2 yard of each of the following FreeSpirit Designer Essential Solids

• Merlot
• Grass
• Licorice
• Freesia

Additional Recommendations: You’ll just need the quilting basics here- a cutting mat, rotary cutter, good acrylic ruler and quality thread.

Cutting: Cut three strips of fabric 2.5” wide x width of fabric which is typically 42-44” from one solid, and one print (this will make 11 quilt blocks total, so increase the number by adding in more solids and prints in groupings of three)

*for this particular quilt, I cut 3 strips each from all 10 of Cream & Sugar X white on white prints, plus 30 additional strips from 6 solids, which yielded a total of 110 quilt blocks to work with

Instructions: Let’s get started! I will be demonstrating how to make two color variations using just two colors of fabric- one solid and one white-on-white print from Cream & Sugar X.

Pair one strip of your print and one strip of your solid and with the print on bottom, sew the whole length of the fabric using a 1/4” seam allowance.

Without cutting that fabric, grab another strip of each and sew them together but with the solid on the bottom this time.

Remove both strips from the machine, and open up the first strip you sewed.

It will have the print to the left, then the solid, and now you will grab your final print and place it right side down on the solid fabric.

Next, sew down the whole length with a 1/4” seam allowance. You now have a long strip with a print, solid, print.

Repeat this step with the remaining solid strip so that you have a second strip that has solid, print, solid.

Pressing is just as important as sewing, so be sure to press your fabric now. Press all seams toward the dark solids. This is also going to help your quilt blocks line up flawlessly in a few steps!

Now we need to cut these strips up and sew them back together. One way to simplify this if you are working with multiple strips is to line them up well on your cutting mat and cut them at the same time. Line both of your strips up on the cutting mat so that they are perfectly parallel. 

Using a good acrylic ruler and rotary cutter, slice off about 1/2” at the start of the strips to get rid of any selvedge.

Next, cut in 2.5” increments until you reach the end of your strips. I consistently cut 17 2.5” pieces from each.

Now we are going to sew the strips into 9 patch blocks. Like we did when we sewed the strips, we are going to utilize the chain piecing method to save time and thread. You will find you won’t need to pin the fabrics together because the way we pressed the seams will cause them to “lock” together.

Pick up one print-solid-print and place a solid-print-solid face down on top then use a 1/4” seam allowance to sew them together, and do not remove from the machine. Place a print-solid-print face down on your sewing table- we are creating a pile in order for chain piecing the third block section next.

Grab a solid-print-solid and place a print-solid-print face down on top, and then sew. Place a solid-print-solid face down on top of that new pile we are making.

Repeat until you have 11 2-strip sections sewn together and then remove from the machine.

Grab that first section you sewed together, and turn your pile over so that you have your remaining strips in order and ready to sew to complete your nine patch blocks.

Once you attach those third sections you can remove from the machine, clip the thread chains attaching them, and press your blocks.

As you did before, press your blocks toward the sections with the most color. For the blocks with the dark solids in the four corners, press the seams toward those solids. For the blocks with the light/white corners, press your seams toward the center. Again, this is going to cause your blocks to lock together perfectly when you attach them.

Continue to make as many blocks as you desire for your chosen project. Using the fabrics I cut, I was able to sew 110 blocks and when I laid them out randomly in a 10x11 block grid, it yielded a 60x66” quilt. Remember, the blocks are 6.5” before they are sewn together, so when you are thinking of a finished project, remember to only multiply by 6” as that is the size the block will be once sewn to other blocks.

Basic doesn’t have to be plain! The nine patch block is a foundational wonder and you can get so creative with it. Increase or decrease the width of your strips when you cut to make larger or smaller blocks, get creative with your color and print choices, or even make it entirely from scraps. Make it your own and have fun with it! That is the joy of sewing!

Fabric Details:

Studio E Fabrics Cream & Sugar X by Studio E Fabrics

View full collection & find a retailer near you here.

Lemon Slices white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6113-01W

Skin Print white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6112-01W

Stars white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6111-01W

Hearts white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6108-01W

Snowflake white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6107-01W

Scribble Flower white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6106-01W

Tossed Cats white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6105-01W

Detailed Floral white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6104-01W

Small Vine white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6110-01W

Tiny Roses white/white
E-CREAMSUGAR X 6109-01W

FreeSpirit Designer Essential Solids:

CSFSESS.DAZZLE

CSFSESS.SPARKLE

CSFSESS.MERLOT

CSFSESS.GRASS

CSFSESS.LICOR

CSFSESS.FREES

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Learn more about Meredith here.