Quilt enthusiasts don't mind working on quilts that take months to complete, but sometimes, necessity dictates finishing a quilt quickly. You may discover you need to make a gift quickly, or you simply are running out of time to create the perfect runner or wall hanging. When that happens, the five-minute block technique may become your lifesaver.
Suzanne McNeill is an author of over 10 quilt books that are available through Design Originals. Her books contain detailed patterns and pictures to help even beginner quilters create beautiful quilts. Her step-by-step video below walks viewers through how to create five-minute blocks.
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To begin with, you need three pieces of fabric laid out side by side. Fold the center piece of fabric in half, right side out, and place it on top of one of the other pieces of fabric. Place the third piece, right sides together with the other piece, on top of the first piece and the folded piece. Stitch a seam along the left-hand side.
Open the fabric and press. Then open the half-piece of fabric. It will form a triangle. If you choose not to stitch down the sides of the triangle, you can use the "pockets" for holding items. You can also create a curved look along the sides of the triangles by folding the edges back and topstitching them. Combine four blocks to make your repeating pattern within your quilt. McNeill's quilt book shows four different patterns you can create simply by changing how you put the blocks together.
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The finished product will give the appearance of having spent months being made, yet you will have been able to put it together quickly because of the five-minute block. Beauty doesn't have to take an eternity to make, just creativity.