Marking your fabric to cut duplicate blocks – no pattern required

Yesterday I showed the process to make what is basically an improv tree block. Today’s block resembles yesterday’s block. The difference is, that today’s block is made in a way that’s easily duplicated.

I also quickly wrote about the SCHMETZ #1739 Quilting Needles Carded – Assorted Sizes and the SCHMETZ #1856 Piecing and Quilting Needles Pack Carded – Assorted. Now, for the sewists out there who only use the one thread brand and weight, yes there are SCHMETZ needles you can purchase that are all the same size such as the SCHMETZ #1709 Universal Needles Carded – 80/12. These single-size packs are available in many other sizes.

Three different packs of SCHMETZ sewing needles; SCHMETZ #1739 Quilting Needles Carded - Assorted Sizes, SCHMETZ #1856 Piecing & Quilting Needles Pack Carded – Assorted, SCHMETZ #1709 Universal Needles Carded - 80/12

SCHMETZ needles

I’m using the same tools I used yesterday.

· OLFA Splash Handle Rotary Cutter 45mm – Navy Blue

· OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler

· Heirloom Double Sided Cutting Mat – 24″ x 36″ (61 x 91.4cm)

· Oliso M2Pro Mini Project Iron with Solemate – Orchid

· UNIQUE Quilting Wool Pressing Mat – 14″ x 14″

OLFA ruler, OLFA rotary cutter, Oliso iron, Heirloom gray cutting mat, and Unique quilting wool pressing mat; OLFA Splash Handle Rotary Cutter 45mm - Navy Blue, OLFA 12½″ Square Frosted Acrylic Ruler, OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler, Heirloom 24″ x 36″ Double Sided Cutting Mat, Oliso M2Pro Mini Project Iron with Solemate - Orchid, UNIQUE Quilting Wool Pressing Mat - 14″ x 14″ - Grey

Tools needed for today’s block

Today’s method of making a tree block is very similar to what we did yesterday. The difference is, with this technique you can make multiple trees that are all the same.

To get identical blocks, you need to place little marks on the fabric to indicate where to put the ruler.

On the top of a 10” x 10” square piece of fabric, I place 2 little marks, each at 4” from the edges.

Marks placed at an equidistance from each edge of a white fabric with a blue snowflake print; a quilting ruler is on top of the fabric that lies on a gray cutting mat with red grid lines; OLFA 12½″ Square Frosted Acrylic Ruler, OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler, Heirloom 24″ x 36″ Double Sided Cutting Mat

Place a mark equidistantly from each edge but close to the center.

On the bottom of the 10” x 10” square, I place two more marks, this time 1½” from each edge.

Place a mark equidistantly from each edge but close to the outer edges.

Layer two different colored fabric squares.

Place the OLFA 6″ x 12″ Ruler from the lower left mark to the upper right mark. Then cut two layers of fabric like I showed you yesterday.

On a gray cutting mat with red grid lines, a quilting ruler is placed diagonally on a square piece of white and blue fabric going from one mark to another; OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler, Heirloom 24″ x 36″ Double Sided Cutting Mat

Place the ruler from one mark to another.

After you cut the fabrics, don’t move the fabrics. Place the ruler from the bottom right mark to the mark on the upper left.

On a gray cutting mat with red grid lines, a quilting ruler is placed diagonally on a blue and white square piece of fabric going from the bottom right mark to the upper left mark; OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler, Heirloom 24″ x 36″ Double Sided Cutting Mat, OLFA Splash Handle Rotary Cutter 45mm - Navy Blue

Place the ruler from the bottom right mark to the upper left mark.

On a close-up of white and blue fabric, a quilting ruler indicates a small mark where the ruler intersects the cut line; OLFA 6″ x 12″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler

Make a small mark where the ruler intersects with the cut line.

Gently separate the cut pieces from each other while ensuring the ruler is still on the bottom right marks and the new mark, then cut.

On a gray cutting mat with red grid lines, are three pieces of white and blue fabric cut in diagonal lines to show a triangular piece in the middle and a background piece on each side of the triangle; Heirloom 24″ x 36″ Double Sided Cutting Mat, OLFA Splash Handle Rotary Cutter 45mm - Navy Blue

Make a second cut.

The process to sew the block together is the same as it was yesterday.

This is not a difficult block to make. If the desired effect is to get all identical blocks for your quilt, then today’s method is the one you should use. Yesterday’s block was more improv, so all blocks have different shaped trees.

As I mentioned earlier, if you prefer to use only SCHMETZ needle packs with one-size needles only, such as SCHMETZ #1709 Universal Needles Carded – 80/12, you can.

SCHMETZ needles 80/12

Come back tomorrow as I demonstrate a third way to make a tree block, this time using fabric strips.

This is part 2 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 1: Making an improv tree block starts with the right tools [free quilting tutorial]

Go to part 3: What to do with leftover fabric: Sew a tree! [TUTORIAL]

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