How do they add those lines in this modern quilt? Easy!

Yesterday I showed you how to use 4 fat quarters fromBanyan Batiks Visual Sound collection to make 4 improv blocks. Today, you’ll be cutting the blocks again to create another new block. Here’s how to get started:

• Stack the pieced blocks, one on top of the other, right sides up, and press.
• Cut these blocks into 4 sections with diagonal cuts. You’ll be cutting each section of the block approximately in half.

• Re-arrange the sections to make 4 new blocks.
• Leave 1 set of pieces unsewn for now. Sew the remaining sections together to make 3 new blocks.
• Square-up the outside edges. Each block will be about 15″ x 20″. Set these blocks aside for now as you add sashing strips to the unsewn pieces.

• From the sashing fat quarter (I used green #80027-52 from the Visual Sound collection), cut strips 1½” x WOF (approximately 21″). You should get 11 – 1½” strips. These will be sashing strips for the remaining unsewn block.

• Sew the sashing strips between each of the sections of the block. Trim the outside edges as required.

• Now sew 1½” green strips around the outside edge. You’ll have to sew some strips together to get the right length. This will be the inner border.

• For the outside border, cut 3 – 5″ strips from 2 of the remaining pieced blocks.
• Sew on 2 of the 5″ strips for the side borders, trimming as needed.
• For the top and bottom borders, you’ll have to sew 3 strips together, end to end. From this long strip, cut 2 strips long enough to make the top and bottom borders.
• Sew on the top and bottom borders, trimming as needed.
• Your quilt top should now measure about 28½” x 32½”.

Using the fat quarter set aside for binding, cut 2½” x WOF strips to use for binding.

Now your Banyan Batik improv design is ready to quilt and finish with the binding.

You’ll still have 1 pieced block left. This would make a great little table topper or add more borders and make another modern, improvisational wall quilt.

Come back tomorrow and I’ll show you another way to use it – as a background for some fusible applique!