Easy to cut fabric wedges sew up quickly into a modern quilt block

Yesterday I showed you how to make placemats with the modern Log Cabin blocks we made using Northcott’s Artisan Spirit Shimmer and Toscana fabrics. Today I’ll show you how to use wedge-shaped strips to make another type of modern block. For this block we’re going to use 2½” strips cut from the Artisan Spirit Shimmer and Echoes fabrics.

I started by cutting two 2½” strips from each of the nine fat quarters that I had. It helps to cut the strips on the lengthwise grain of the fabric to minimize stretching when sewing the strips.

I then cut each strip into two 8½” x 2½” strips, but with this type of block, you can cut the strips any length you like.

Next, I trimmed the sides of each strip on a slight angle. The angles don’t need to be the same on each strip – in fact, it makes for a more interesting block if the angles are varied.

I continued trimming the two long sides of each of the strips to create similar wedge shapes.

Next, sew the wedges together, alternating the wide and narrow ends. Don’t worry if the outside edges don’t line up exactly. They will be trimmed later.

Press all seams in the same direction. Press carefully to avoid stretching the fabric. To make my block I first sewed the wedges together into pairs and then joined the pairs to make each block have a total of eight wedges.

You could also join more wedges together to make a long strip for a border or for the center of a quilt.

I made a total of nine blocks like this.

Be sure to come back tomorrow to see how I use these blocks made with Northcott Artisan Spirit Shimmer and Echoes to make a small quilt with gray Toscana fabric.