Rachael from Imagine Gnats designed today’s project to feature the pretty, new Quilt Blocks fabric collection from Ellen Luckett Baker. This Tangram Book holds fabric shapes that can be arranged on felt inside the book for an activity that builds math skills and keeps kids (or adults!) entertained. It’s a really fun idea, and Rachael shows you how to create one of your own, step-by-step. Enjoy, and be sure to give Rachael a thanks in the comments for sharing this; visit Imagine Gnats and Rachael’s introduction for more!
- Quilt Blocks by Ellen Luckett Baker for Moda (11 fat quarters as shown below)
- One fat quarter coordinating solid
- 1/4 yard Pellon Wonder Under Fusible Web
- 1/2 yard Pellon Fusible Fleece
- 1 yard grosgrain ribbon
- 2 12×18″ sheets extra thick template plastic
- 1/4 yard white felt (44″ width) or 2 12×18″ sheets
Exterior fabrics: Cut pieces as shown.
Interior fabric: Cut one quilt blocks piece 12.5″ x 21″.
Pocket fabrics: Cut one solid piece 15″ x 8.5″; cut two quilt blocks pieces, one 3.5″ x8.5″ and one 12″ x 8.5″.
Felt: Cut one piece 8.5″ x 10.5″.
Fusible fleece: Cut two pieces each 12.5″ x 21″.
Binding: Cut quilt blocks piece into 2.5″ strips, enough to piece together length of approximately 67″.
Cut two pieces of template plastic, each measuring 10.5″ x 11.5″.
*All seam allowances are 1/4″ unless otherwise noted.
Piece + Quilt Exterior
Stitch together exterior pieces as shown, pressing all seams open before making next seam.
Fuse one piece of fleece to wrong side of exterior, following manufacturer’s instructions.
Quilt piece as desired. Examples shown.
Piece together quilt blocks pocket pieces, stitching along 8.5″ edge as shown.
Place pieced pocket side and 15×8.5″ solid right sides together and pin.
Fold at center, matching up 15″ sides and pin at top and side.
Measure and mark 2″ in from raw edge along top and 3″ in from raw edge along side. connect marks.
Cut along line through all thicknesses.
Unfold and stitch around *using 1/2″ seam allowance*. Leave opening in the center part of one side for turning.
Turn right side out and press.
Fuse remaining piece of fleece to wrong side of interior quilt blocks fabric, following manufacturer’s instructions.
Center and place cut felt on right half on interior quilt blocks fabric. Pin in place.
Center pocket (solid side up) on left side of interior fabric so that the top of flap is approximately 2″ below the raw edge of interior fabric.
Stitch pocket to interior fabric as shown, 1/2″ in from sides, 2″ from bottom edge of interior fabric, and 1″ to the inside of seam on exterior of pocket. Stitch around all sides of felt, 1/4″ from raw edge.
Fold up pocket so that printed fabric is on the exterior. Pin along sides and bottom. Stitch along these sides, 1/4″ from edge of pocket, taking care to backstitch at beginning and end to secure stitches.
Fold down flap.
Attach + Bind Book
Place interior and exterior wrong sides together and pin. With exterior facing up, stitch along the center seam. Note: This seam will show on the interior, so choose bobbin thread color accordingly.
Pin around edges and attach binding, taking care that machine stitching catches both the interior and exterior layers.
Note: Attach binding as you would for a quilt, with the following exceptions:
- Begin to attach binding on one of the short ends.
- Attach binding to two short sides and one long side, and then stop.
- Pin binding to remaining long side to match up ends and stitch together.
- Unpin binding from long side.
- Insert plastic template pieces, one into each side of booklet.
- Repin binding and finish attaching.
Before hand sewing the binding on the interior, fold back the binding at the center of each short side. Cut grosgrain ribbon in half and attach each piece to one side of booklet with zigzag stitch as sewn. Pull ribbons to interior of booklet and hand-sew the binding over them.
Make Tangram Pieces
Fuse scraps of quilt block fabrics to remaining felt with Wonder Under, per manufacturer’s instructions. After fusing, stitch just within the border of design elements (half-square triangles shown), taking care to backstitch at beginning and end.
Cut into strips with rotary cutter, and then cut into separate triangles.
In order to create squares that will match the scale of your HSTs, you can use painters tape to mark a square around two of the triangles.
Place the tape on another scrap you have fused to the felt, and stitch within the bounds of the square.
Continue to move the tape and stitch new areas, and cut apart with rotary cutter when complete.
Repeating these processes, create as many tangram shapes from the fabric scraps as you desire. Place tangram pieces in interior pocket or arrange on felt.