Striped Frame Block Quilting Workshop

Striped Frame Quilt Block Pattern and Free Workshop

Last week I introduced this marvelous free quilting workshop to learn how to make a 9-block sampler quilt pattern in rustic Fall colors. Today we are starting with making our first sample block. I told you that Janeen was going to share a couple of quilting magic tricks, as well as quilting tips to ensure your quilting project is going to be great. This is session #19 by quilting instructor Janeen van Niekerk. (Learn more about Janeen at the end of this workshop page).

Free Quilting Workshop ~ with Tips for Beginners ~

Sampler Quilt – Block 1: The Striped Frame

We will be making our blocks from the easiest one and build up our skill until we reach all 9 of our blocks. Our First Quilt Block is called a ‘striped frame’.

Striped Frame Block

Striped Frame Block Quilting Workshop

This is a very easy block and focuses on accurate cutting and seams.

From the photos we can see that the first block has a darker center. You are welcome to change you center block to something other than the white center. You could “fussy cut” a piece of interesting fabric that is going to stand out or match your other block colors. My quilt is going to have a white background so I chose a white center for this block.

Striped Frame Block Workshop

The Quilt Block Plan

Plan for Striped Frame Block Workshop

Here you can see how your block is going to be constructed and where the placement of your blocks is going to be.

Cutting

Striped Frame Block Workshop

We need to fold our fabric we chose for this block so that the selvedge edges of the fabric are together with the ‘right’ side of our fabric on the outside facing us.

You might need to cut a straight edge to start with depending on how the shop sold you your fabric. Here the fabric is “torn” so I always need to take a long ruler and lie it down onto my fabric and get a straight line with my cutting mat and make a cut. I do this to get a straight line or edge to work from.

I’m starting with my dark fabric:
I cut a strip of fabric straight across the WOF (width of fabric) 2” (5.1cm) high. I need 2 of these strips in the dark fabric.
Now onto my orange fabric:
I cut a strip of fabric across the WOF – 2” (5.1cm) high. I only need 1 of these this size.
Now I cut a strip across the WOF – 3” (7.6cm) high. I only need 1 strip.

Dividing my strips

For now I need the Orange strip that is 3” high.

I cut the strip into blocks of 3” (7.6) I need 4 squares in this color for the corners. This is the A on our Plan.

Sewing

Striped Frame Block Workshop

We need to sew the dark strip to the orange strip using a 0.5” seam (6mm).

Once we finish and press our seam to the darker side fabric, we do the same to the second dark strip. We sew it to the orange strip so that we have a wide strip consisting of 3 strips. Dark on top and bottom with our orange in the center.

Dividing into pieces

The long strip needs to be divided into 4 pieces that measure – 3” (7.6cm). These are our B pieces on our plan.

Centre Piece (c)

Cutting

For your center block you need to decide if you’re going plain or something different that will match with the rest of your quilt.

We need a square – 5.5”x 5.5” (14cm)

Laying out Our Block Pieces

Lay out your pieces according to the Plan so that you get a good visual of what you’re doing and which pieces you need to sew together.

Sewing

Striped Frame Block Workshop

We are going to sew the pieces together in rows across.

Striped Frame Block Workshop

Once our rows are done we need to sew the top row to our middle row. You must match up or ‘nest’ your seams and secure them with pins. Sew a 0,5” seam straight across.

We do this for the bottom row as well.

Once done, open up the block and press your seams to the darker side fabrics.

Striped Frame Block Quilting Workshop

Our block is known as an ‘unfinished’ block because it still needs to be attached to a border or another block. The size of your unfinished block is 10.5” (26.5cm).

If you need to square up or neaten your block remember that you need to keep the size right and only cut off a tiny smidge from each side of the block.

That’s it. Our first block is done!

‘Till next time,

Janeen van Niekerk, free sampler quilt workshop
Janeen van Niekerk, Quilting Instructor
Quilt Art Design

About Quilting Instructor Janeen van Niekerk

how to make a quilt patterns janeen van niekerk

Quilt artist Janeen van Niekerk is an avid quilter. In particular, she’s an accomplished paper piecing designer. She does it all with a passion. Our latest news of quilt making instructor Janeen van Niekerk is that she has just launched a brand new paper piecing magazine.

Janeen’s prolific range of hand-made quilts (she takes commissions for personalized, stylish portrait quilts), as well as her unique quilt patterns (think quilts featuring safari animals and trees, or kids toys) are inspired by her environs; she lives in sunny Pretoria in South Africa, with her husband and kids.

Janeen offers her quilts designs & paper piecing patterns for individual sale Out of Janeen’s 230+ quilt patterns for sale, these are my top 5 Paper Piecing Quilt Patterns, Animals and Flowers. All really beautiful!!

Janeen van Niekerk (spelled by some as Janine van Niekerk) is also part of the Free Block of the Month -club, offering a free paper piecing quilt block pattern, each month. Check it out here:

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Quilting Pattern Library & Other Training Courses

This gorgeous owl quilt pattern is both included in one of Janeen’s books as well as being available for individual sale. Don’t you just love this quilt design?

The owl and all Janeen’s other patterns are for sale here at Craftsy. BTW. Crafty also has other quilting, sewing and other craft workshops, which I encourage you to check out, by clicking either the banner below, or the link above.

How to Sew a Quilt – Quilting Workshops for Beginners

Want to begin sewing quilts with me? Join our free online quilting workshops, which you can take at your leisure, any time you want. Work at your own pace.