Good morning! Today I am sharing a project I completed as part of a challenge sponsored by Aurifil and Olfa. Every two months, one Aurifil Artisan and one Olfa Creator will use the same tools to create a new project and share it. This month, I worked with Aurifloss and Olfa specialty blades in the deluxe rotary cutter. The Aurifloss was wonderful to work with for my first hand quilting project, and the pinking blade was a very helpful finishing tool. For more information about the tools I used, see the blog post on Auribuzz, the Aurifil thread blog.
The following is a full tutorial to create your own Stripe Dash quilt block and cushion cover.
Stripe Dash
By Isabelle Selak
Finished block: 18″x18″
Notes: Width of Fabric (WOF) is assumed to be 42″. All seams are 1/4″. This pattern can be constructed using strip piecing. However, I find that my piecing is less accurate when I use strip piecing. Because of this, the following instructions are for individual pieces rather strip piecing.
Fabric Requirements:
Fabric A (background fabric): 1 fat quarter
Fabric B (light aqua): 4″x7″ scrap
Fabric C (medium aqua): 8″x7″ scrap
Fabric D (dark aqua): 1 fat quarter
Batting: At least 20″x20″ piece
Backing fabric: 5/8ths of a yard (20″x20″ square piece)
Cutting Instructions:
Fabric A (background fabric):
Cut (2) 7″ squares.
Cut (4) 3.5″x7″ rectangles.
Cut (16) 3/4″x7″ rectangles.
Fabric B:
Cut (4) 1″x7″ rectangles
Fabric C:
Cut (8) 1″x7″ rectangles
Fabric D:
Cut (2) 7″ squares
Cut (1) 6.5″ square
Cut (4) 1″x7″ rectangles
Piecing Instructions
Create HSTs
1. Use the 7″ squares of Fabric A and Fabric D to create (4) 6.5″ HST blocks.
2. Take (1) 7″ square of Fabric A and (1) 7″ square of Fabric D. Place them right sides together. (RST)
3. Mark a line across the diagonal of one of the fabrics. Mark additional lines 1/4 away on either side of the center line. These are your stitch lines.
4. Stitch along both stitch lines. Cut down the center line to create two HST blocks. Press open, with seams open or to the side of the darker fabric, according to your preference. Repeat with the remaining pair of 7″ squares to create a total of 4 HST blocks.
5. Trim HSTs to 6.5″x6.5″. Set aside.
Create Stripe Blocks
Note: Use a scant 1/4″ seam to ensure that your block dimensions are correct when constructed.
1. Retrieve (4) 3.5″ Fabric A rectangles, (16) 3/4″x7″ Fabric A rectangles, and all 1″x7″ rectangles of Fabrics B, C, and D.
2. In piles of four, lay out your strips according to the following illustration:
3. Chain piece the strips, one colored strip on the left and one Fabric A strip on the right. Place the strips right sides together and sew together with a 1/4″ seam.
4. Sew the strip pairs together into sets of 4 strips.
5. Sew the sets of 4 strips together into one set of 8 strips.
6. Attach the 3.5″x7″ rectangle of Fabric A to the strip set to complete one Stripe Block. Trim the block so it measures 6.5″x6.5″. Repeat to create 4 Stripe Blocks.
Final Assembly
1. Use 4 HSTs, 4 Stripe Blocks, and (1) 6.5″ square of Fabric D for the final assembly.
2. Lay out your blocks according to the illustration:
3. Connect the blocks to create 3 rows of 3 blocks each.
4. Connect the rows to complete the quilt block.
5. Baste and quilt as desired.
Use your preferred method for constructing a cushion cover. Options are envelope closure, button closure, hidden zipper, or invisible zipper. You can also use binding on the edge for extra trim.
And just like that, you’re done with your Stripe Dash cushion cover! I hope you enjoyed the project as much as I did. I’d love to see your finished projects. Please share them on social media using #stripedash.
Southbay Bella Studio 