Red and Black

I really like to see the foundations from Miniatures in Minutes earn their keep.  This quilt uses a variation on the Square-in-a-Square foundation.

First, I took the five by five grid and trimmed it so that a four by four grid remained.  Then, instead of working with the Square-in-a-Square template given in the book, I created a new one.

To create the template, line up the quarter-inch line on a ruler with one of the seam lines that forms the inner square. 

Draw a  line along the ruler edge.  There’s your template shape.

Tip: when I create my templates, I use heavy duty template plastic since that gives me a stronger edge.  I also write the name on the template and cover it with SelfSeal laminate so that it doesn’t rub off.

As always, I place all of the center patches at once.

 

Sewing this particular foundation is even easier than the full on Square-in-a-Square directions in the book.  The line up on the triangles makes for a particularly easy foundation sew line.

As you sew the foundation, simply pivot in a square.

Here’s the resulting block.  It finishes at 6" square.

For the red and cream version, I simply sewed four blocks together. 

This is obviously a very easy block (with a lot of great design potential – I’ll have more patterns forthcoming) and one might ask why use the Fold and Sew method to make it.  For me, the answer is the same as always: Fold and Sew is fast, it’s easy, and it’s precise.  Everything lines up perfectly, and I don’t have to work to make that happen.