Choices in Quilting – Which Block Setting Should I Use?

There are several different ways to piece blocks together. Some of us may have extra blocks laying around because we make “practice” blocks before making a quilt to test colors and sewing skill. And some of us, like me, like to sit by our bins of scrap fabric and make several of our favorite blocks for fun. For me, it’s log cabin and churn dash blocks. Once you have a stack of blocks, it’s time to decide on the setting for those blocks to make a quilt out of them. Straight rows setting? Rows with sashing? On point setting? To help you choose, I describe each of the options in my post this week. Let’s go!

Straight Row Settings

This is the easiest setting for quilt blocks. You are simply joining the blocks into rows and then joining the rows into the quilt top. My quilt, Scrappy North Stars, is one of those quilts.

This works well when the blocks have color prints that set them each off from each other. However, if these blocks all have the same color print fabrics, it would still look good because of the outside portion of this block that gives it a “circle” look. Imagine if that was a black print fabric in each block, it would make a cool loop design through the quilt.

Here is another quilt, Star Wheels, that works works this way. Each block has the black print element and that part of the blocks touch when pieced into rows. It gives the quilt blocks an interesting connectivity through the quilt.

Straight Rows with Sashing

A variation on the straight row setting is adding in sashing. Sashing can play two roles. It can provide a negative space between pieced blocks so each of your individual blocks stand out. It can also be a vehicle to create secondary design, like I’ve discussed in previous posts.

Here is an example of the first role, creating negative space in my quilt, Stars Ablaze:

Notice how the blocks in the above quilt stand out because they are separated by the plain sashing in a similar color to the blocks’ background fabric. Now, if the sashing was a black print, like the borders, that would give the quilt a completely different look.

On to the second role of sashing. Here are two examples of quilts that use the sashing to add to or create part of the design. On the left is Open Windows and on the right is Posey Patch.

In Open Windows, I simply added a darker cornerstone square to the sashing so when it meets up with the angled corner of the block, a monkey wrench design is created. With the Posey Patch quilt on the right, I used the sashing to create stars to frame the inner sides of the blocks. Here’s a close-up of the sashing of Posey Patch.

Here in Homestead Trail is sashing on a quilt that creates a design between the blocks and then carries it into a border design.

On Point Setting

Do you want to change the way a block looks in a quilt? Try an on point setting for your blocks. Let’s use the block from my Stars Ablaze quilt above. Look at it straight set and then on point in the photo on the right:

The move changes the “diamond” look of the center of the block (on the left) to a square design. Interesting! I also like to use the on point setting to create interesting secondary design shown here in these two quilts below, Stepping Stones and Country Dance:

The quilt on the left, Stepping Stones, is made up of the same blocks on point and this creates a secondary pattern where those blocks touch. So no sashing is needed to create an interesting look. The quilt on the right, Country Dance, is made up of two blocks, a churn dash and a checkerboard, on point and alternating to create the grid pattern.

I also have fun with an on point setting to create an area where I can add appliqué, like in my quilt Wildflower Lane:

Here I’m using my favorite block to make, a log cabin block. By turning them in an on point setting, they are now “vases” for the appliquéd flowers.

So I hope I gave you some helpful examples of what you can do with different block settings. Does this inspire you to churn out some more blocks? Build a stack and have some fun!

Leave a comment or ask a questions below in the comments and you will be entered in a drawing for my quilt pattern shown above, Stars Ablaze. ***We have a winner! Congrats, Katherine!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne