Sometimes being a little off-center can be a good thing. As in the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the blocks you can make with these super fun rulers by X-blocks. The unique angle of the cutting lines on this tilted template puts a new spin on quilting.
In this video tutorial, Doris and Joy of the X-blocks Ruler Template Company show you how to use the X-blocks BasiX Ruler Template with their Bloom Pattern. It’s easier than it looks, and in this tutorial Joy shares all the tips for cutting and piecing the flower blocks.
In the first step, Joy creates a block with three different fabrics from the Meraki collection by BasicGrey for Moda. She then places X-Blocks BasiX Template for 2.5″ Strips on the block, lining up the black lines on the ruler with the vertical and horizontal seams on the block. This ruler is made to work well with any 2.5″ strips or blocks, which makes it perfect for your precuts.
After cutting around the edges of the ruler, the resulting block has seams running at an angle. When you put together four of these blocks, they make a flower block.
Pro tip: Be sure to save your scraps, as they can be used elsewhere on the quilt.
How to Fussycut with X-Blocks Rulers
Did you know it’s possible to make a complex looking quilt with only 2 yards of fabric and the X-Blocks BasiX Ruler template? That’s right! No pattern required, and this technique is perfect for Fussy cutting!
For this project, you’ll want to choose a fabric with stripes or directional prints. Place the X-Blocks 6.5″ Ruler Template on the fabric with the black lines of the ruler lining up with the stripes on the fabric. Cut along the edges of the ruler, and you’ll have a block with stripes that run on the diagonal.
You can continue down the length of your fabric, cutting block after block.
Once you have a set of blocks that are going in one direction, you’ll need a complementary set of blocks that go in the opposite direction. The trick to getting a mirror image of your block is to flip the X-blocks 6.5″ Ruler Template face-down. You can give your ruler template extra grip and accuracy with TrueGrips adhesive rings.
Check out some of the beautiful quilts made with the x-blocks ruler on Instagram with the #xblocks hashtag.
Use this for borders, panels, or the next project you make. What will you use your X-blocks Ruler on?
