Block Size: 7-1/2"
Quilt Size: 58" x 58"I have come to regard the Drunkard's Path block as one of my favorites as I have discovered a quick and easy way to piece this. It is not formed in the traditional manner by which a concave piece is sewn to a convex piece, having to sew along curves. We will be cutting squares, appliqueing finished-edge circles to the center of the squares, and then cutting these units into four smaller, equal sized squares which are our Drunkard's Path units.
Materials:
Scraps at least 6" square, equal to at least 3/4 yard of both lights and darks.
Twenty-five 3" squares of marbled fabric (or your choice of pattern)
Several 1-1/4" strips of both dark and light scraps
Several 2-1/4" strips of both dark and light scraps
1/4 yard dark purple for first inner border
1/2 yard light purple for second inner border
1 yard floral for outer border
Clear nylon monofilament thread
Twenty-five USED fabric softener sheets or 5" squares of light interfacing.
Crib sized batting
2 yards backing fabricALL PIECING GRAPHICS ARE HERE.
1. Prewash and iron all fabric before cutting.
2. Transfer Template A (draw a 4" diameter circle) to template material and cut out.
3. From dark scraps cut out twelve 6" squares. From light scraps cut out thirteen 6" squares. Set aside.
4. From dark scraps cut out twelve 5" squares. From light scraps cut out thirteen 5" squares. Using Template A, trace the circle onto the wrong side of each 5" square.
5. Lay each 5" square on top of a fabric softener sheet (or light interfacing) right side down. Sew along the drawn line all the way around the circle. Trim to within 1/4" all around your sewn line. Clip into the dryer sheet/interfacing and turn your circle right side out. Smooth edges. Press.
Make all twenty-five circles in this manner.
6. Center the light circles on the dark squares and pin in place (Illustration 1). Using a small machine zig zag stitch with the nylon thread, stitch the circles to the squares. Trim the fabric away from behind the circle. Repeat for the dark circles and the light squares.
7. Cut each 6" circle/square unit into four 3" smaller squares (Illustration 2). You now should have forty-eight Drunkard's Path units made with dark squares and light circles. You should have fifty-two Drunkard's Path units made with light squares and dark circles.
8. Seam together the 1-1/4" dark strips with the 2-1/4" light strips. Reverse this process for the 1-1/4" light strips and the 2-1/4" dark strips.
Press. Cut each of these into 3" wedges as shown in Illustration 3.
9. Cut marbled fabric used in the center of each block into twenty-five 3" squares (Illustration 4).
10. Make twelve of Block A. Make thirteen of Block B.
11. Sew your quilt top together into five rows of five blocks each. Alternating Blocks A and B give the positive-negative appearance to this quilt. See the Piecing Diagram for block layout. Quilt should measure 38": x 38".
12. From dark purple border fabric cut four 1-3/4" strips. Attach to all four sides of your quilt. Trim.
13. From light purple border fabric cut four 2-1/2" strips. Attach to all four sides of your quilt. Trim.
14. For the outside border cut strips 6-1/2" wide. Measure quilt sides. Seam together as necessary to get the length you need and attach to all four sides. Trim.
15. Layer quilt top, batting and backing and baste securely in place. Quilt as desired.
16. Trim away excess batting and backing. Cut binding in 2" wide bias strips. Sew together in long strip. Fold in half lengthwise and press fold line. Pin raw edges of binding even with raw edge of quilt and stitch in place. Turn folded edge to back and secure with blind hem stitch.
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