Beyond Basic Borders – Number 11 Block

Number 11 design, is called so as this is not a specific block!

Sometimes just playing with shapes can lead to amazing designs and ideas.

Beyond Basic Borders is a new series of how to elevate the quilting border to the next level. Whether you use the leftover fabric from your quilt top, or introduce some new colours, this is going to be fun!

To begin with, we will base the borders on using your GO! Qube Mix & Match sets although we will transition into other dies. Experimenting with colours and layouts, we will show you how simple design changes can alter the appearance of the block.

1. 4” Qube – 2” Finished Border
2. 6” Qube – 3” Finished Border
3. 8” Qube – 4” Finished Border
4. 9” Qube – 4 ½” Finished Border
5. 10” Qube – 5” Finished Border
6. 12” Qube – 6” Finished Border

The length will depend on your quilt top.

Materials:

1. AccuQuilt GO! Big or GO! Fabric Cutter
2. Shape 2 from any GO! Mix & Match Qube
3. Shape 5 from any GO! Mix & Match Qube

Cutting Instructions

1. Cut (1) Shape 2 –Square per unit.
2. Cut (6) Shape 5 – Half Square Triangles (HST) per unit

Pressing Insructions:

Pressing seams to one side or open is another discussion within itself, although the two general thoughts are:

Open Seams allow for a smoother flatter quilt top, which doesn’t allow fabric colour to appear through your quilt top.

Side Seam Pressing is faster, and the seam is usually pressed towards the darkest colour. It makes it easier when you want to ‘nest’ seams in place, giving a clean seam intersection.

My suggestion – try both and see what works for you! There are no Quilt Police here.

Sewing Instructions:

1. Sew two HST of different colours together to create a square. Press.
2. Repeat for remaining HST’s. Press
3. Sew two HST square units together in orientation shown. Press.
4. Sew one HST square to square as shown. Press
5. Sew these two rectangle units together, matching seams, to create a square. Press.

Finishing options:

Adding different colours, in different sequences can totally change the look and appearance of the design. Below is the original two-colour design, which is stylish, although you can see, adding more colours can change the appearance. Scrappy happy also works well, although, adding a base colour can add stability to the border.

Original

Rotating Blocks

Changing Colour Sequence

This is just a few ideas, on how to use this simple block.

Don’t forget to share your projects and follow us on our Facebook page, AccuQuilt Australia or Instagram, tagging @accuquilt_australia and using the hashtag #accuquiltaustralia

* Although dies refer to the GO! Qube’s, any individual Half Square Triangle and coordinating Square dies will produce the same result.

Congratulations on finishing your project!