 |
| "Interlocked Squares" quilt block as used in the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild logo |
 |
| Completed "Interlocked Squares" block using method described in this post. |
I found a version of the "Interlocked Squares" quilt block -- similar to the block used in the Greater Ann Arbor Quilt Guild logo -- on the Field Guide to Quilts site. The AMC Quilts site also had an "Interlocking Squares" piecing guide. The AMC site used a piecing plan different from the Field Guide site. The AMC site featured a snowballing technique that I thought simplified the piecing process for this block considerably. I used the snowballing technique featured on the AMC site to lay out a sixteen-inch "Interlocked Squares" block that exactly replicates the block used in the GAAQG logo shown above. Here is a graphic of the block on 1/4-inch graph paper.
 |
| Graphic A: Layout for 16-inch "Interlocked Squares" quilt block as used in the GAAQG logo |
Cut pieces for one "Interlocked Squares" block
Background (white in this demo), 60-inches of 2.5-inch strips and one 9-inch square. Cut
- four 8.5-inch long strips
- four 6.5-inch long strips
- four 4.5-inch squares
Dark contrast (dark blue in this demo), 46-inches of 2.5-inch strips. Cut
- four 6.5-inch strips
- eight 2.5-inch squares
Light contrast (aqua/green in this demo), 48-inches 2.5-inch strips. Cut
- four 4.5-inch strips
- twelve 2.5-inch squares
 |
| Graphic B: Layout for 1/4-block 16-inch "Interlocked Squares" as used in GAAQG logo. Graph grid is 1/4-inch. Entire 1/4-block shown is 8 x 8 inches square. |
Make each quarter block
 |
| Pieces needed for one-quarter block of "Interlocked Squares" |
For each quarter block, divide each set of cut pieces into one-quarter block squares, as follows:
Background (white)
- one 8.5-inch strip
- one 6.5-inch strip
- one 4.5-inch square
- one 6.5-inch strip
- two 2.5-inch squares
- one 4.5-inch strip
- three 2.5-inch squares
 |
| Graphic C: Graph of 1/4-block of 16-inch "Interlocked Squares" showing piecing layout and joining process. Grid is 1/4". |
Individually stitch each one of five units -- numbered one through five in image above -- that make up one-quarter of the "Interlocked Squares" pieced block. Four of these identical, one-quarter square units, when rotated and stitched together, will make up the entire block as shown in the first diagram titled "Layout for 16-inch 'Interlocked Squares' . . . " pictured in Graphic A at the top of this article.
Unit #1
Sew two 2.5-inch dark contrast squares to one 4.5-inch light contrast strip as shown in Graphic C diagram above. Lay one square, right sides together, on each end of strip, and stitch a diagonal seam in the same direction across each of the two squares. Trim seams to 1/4-inch and press open with seam toward the dark fabric.
|
 |
| Pieces for Unit 1 of each quarter-block for "Interlocked Squares" block |
 |
| Stitch two squares diagonally across top and bottom. |
 |
| Unit 1 complete |
Unit #2
Lay one 2.5-inch light contrast square, right sides together, on top left corner of of a 4.5-inch background square. Stitch diagonally across corner of square, as shown in Graphic C diagram above. Trim seam to 1/4-inch, press open. (This is called "snowballing" the corner of the square.) | |
|
 |
| Snowball |
 |
| Trim seam |
 |
| Press seam. Unit 2 complete |
With right sides together, sew unit #1 to unit #2 as shown in Graphic C diagram above.
Unit #3
6.5-inch dark contrast strip
With right sides together, sew unit #3 to top of completed set as shown in Graphic C diagram above.
 | |
|
Unit #4
Snowball by laying one 2.5-inch light contrast square, right sides together, on top of right corner of 6.5-inch background strip. Stitch diagonally across corner of square, as shown in Graphic C diagram above. Trim seam to 1/4-inch, press open.
 | |
|
 |
| Snowball |
 |
| Trim seam |
 |
| Press seam. Unit 4 complete |
Snowball by laying one 2.5-inch light contrast square to bottom of 8.5-inch background strip. Stitch diagonally across corner of square, as shown in Graphic C diagram above. Trim seam to 1/4-inch, press open.
 | |
|
 |
| Snowball |
 |
| Trim seam |
 |
| Press seam. Unit 5 complete |
Your quarter-block is complete.
Complete the entire "Interlocked Squares" block
Make three more quarter blocks. Arrange as as shown in the first diagram titled "Layout for 16-inch 'Interlocked Squares' . . . " pictured at the top of this article.
 |
| Second quarter-block completed and rotated to create "Interlocked Squares" design |
 |
| Third quarter-block completed and rotated to create "Interlocked Squares" design |
 |
| Fourth quarter-block completed and rotated to create "Interlocked Squares" design |
Right sides together, sew bottom left and bottom right quarter together. Press seam and set aside.
Right sides together, sew top and bottom half of block together. Press seam and set aside.
Twelve of these 16-inch blocks laid in a 3 x 4 grid without sashing or borders
will make an approximately 46 x 62 inch quilt top.
Update January 17,2018
"interlocked Squares" Mini-toot Video created with Adobe Spark online now available below:
Update January 17,2018
"interlocked Squares" Mini-toot Video created with Adobe Spark online now available below:
http://fieldguidetoquilts.com/
"Interlocked Squares" block at a glance
"Interlocked Squares"quarter-block process -- make four of these quarter blocks to make a complete "interlocked Squares" block.
Five sections of each quarter-block of "interlocked Squares" block
Sew sections 1 and 2 together.
Sew section 3 to 1-2.
Sew section 4 to 1-2-3.
Sew section 5 to 1-2-3-4.
Make four. Rotate to create square. Sew together to create "Interlocked Squares" block.
Comments