Folded Bowtie Tutorial

This was my entry for  my guild’s (Thumbstall Quilt Guild) challenge: 

I used a technique to make the squares on top three dimensional.

Here is how I did it. There are lots of pictures but the block takes about 5 minutes to make.

The basic technique is to make a four patch block with an extra square folded in.  You can make the block any size;  mine finishes at 6” so I cut :

two (2) background squares at 3 1/2”

three(3) bowtie squares at 3 1/2”

Take one of the bowtie squares and fold in half wrong sides together.

Layer your pieces:

Background-right side up; then the folded square.  Make sure that the fold is in the middle and the raw edges are at the top.

Then put a bowtie square on top, right side together.  The folded square will be sandwiched between.

Sew with a 1/4 “ seam.

And you get this:

 

Flip the sewn pieces to the left so that the folded square is to the right.

Layer again:  Background square on the bottom, folded square and bowtie square on top (right sides together)

Yes , this is the same picture as before but I wanted you to see that you are sewing just like you did before.

Open out your block and it should look like this.

The next step is easy to do but wordy to explain.  You are going to put the block together like a regular 4 patch. But first you need to open and spread the folded square out and flat. Use your fingers to pull the folded square evenly to both halves of the 4 patch. The fold you see where my finger is will be below your seam allowance.

 

This next picture shows that the part of the folded square that is part of the seam allowance will be flat  but under that the square is still folded.  Does that make sense?

 

This is how I pin: first I match the center seam (like a normal 4 patch; then I pin either side of the folded square.  Yes it looks wonky but as you sew, you fix the ends so they meet.

 

And this….

becomes this!

 

Press as you normally do

   

      Ta Da!

   

Honestly they are very easy to do.  To change the look, just change the size of the folded square.  For my challenge quilt, I used 2 1/2” squares for the 4 patch and then a 4 1/2” square for the center.

Let me know how you do.  Enjoy!