Tribal Piecing Tutorial!
September 13, 2018
Hello my creative friends!
Have you seen how influential the "tribal look" is right now? Well, today we will be learning a very easy piecing technique inspired on this trend.
I will show you the process step-by-step featuring two prints from the worldly, bold, and geometric Craftbound collection: Clover Compass (Fabric A) and Marked Sights (Fabric B).
Also, you can download the Tribalism pillow to get more ideas on how to apply more than two prints, using this technique in the same project.
In this example, I joined WOF (Width of Fabric) strips: three (3) WOF x 2 1/2" from fabric A, and two (2) WOF x 2 1/2" from fabric B, in the following order: A-B-A-B-A.
The only requirement is that all the strips measure the same. In the following diagram, you can see that I got four blocks from 2 1/2" strips. However, if you choose to cut smaller strips, you will get more blocks per strip set, and if you choose to cut bigger strips, you will get less blocks per strip set.
Once you have joined your strip sets, press them to start the trimming process:
- Fold your strip set in half, making sure the seams are aligned. Then press again to keep it in place.
- Starting from the folded edge up, draw a line using the 45 degree guide on your quilting ruler.
- Trim on the line. Draw an opposite line using the 45 degree guide from the quilting ruler, but now from the top down.
- Trim on the line.
- Open up your piece, you should get a diamond.
- Repeat the same steps to get as many blocks as possible from your strip set.
The best part about this technique is that once you have your blocks ready, you don't have to worry about matching seams.
Turn all the blocks 45 degrees, making sure all the pieces are placed in the same direction.
Start joining them by rows, so row one will have one block, row two will have three blocks, row three will have five blocks...until you reach your desired width, and then start reducing the amount of blocks row by row until you get to one.
Your project will be on point, so now you will have to turn it 45 degrees again and square it!
Now, how about those perfectly cut triangles that were not used in the Tribal Piecing technique? Well, those would be ideal for a geometric backing, the perfect complement and contrast to the quilt top.
Take four triangles and join them following the diagram to make squares, then join the squares until you reach your desired size.
What do you think about the Tribal Piecing technique? Do you already have projects in mind that would work for it? What strip size would you use?
Enjoy discovering!
Laucara