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How to easily sew the tumbling block

By Denise Russell

As you may have already noticed, I like to learn from books. I can learn when it is convenient for me, at my own pace, and can refer back to the instructions later. I am particularly grateful to authors who invest their time (and money) to publish books with content which helps us achieve desired results but with simplified and clever methods.

With that in mind, did you know you could make a tumbling block quilt using strip-piecing instead of Y-seams?  Had I seen a couple of years ago the book that just landed on my desk, I would have already made a few more quilts with optical illusions.

“ABC 3-D, Tumbling Blocks… and More” by Marci Baker is the book I am referring to.  In this book Marci combines her strip-piecing technique with Sara Nephew’s designs and expertise with tumbling blocks. What a combination!

The introduction of the book covers optical illusions in detail, then moves on to how you can sew the tumbling block with the strip-piecing method. This section is very detailed, leaving nothing for you to guess at. You will learn how to choose fabrics that enhance the illusion effect, which tools are most effective, and how to cut and sew successfully. You will then be ready to work on the projects. The only difficulty you will encounter is the decision of which project to choose first…

Should you start with Your Radiant Beauty on page 92?
Or should you try Hollow Cube on page 44?

This book is definitely worth having in your library. One last thing: as you open the book, the title page features one of the most amazing examples of optical illusion in quilting I have ever seen. You won’t see it on this blog as I do not want to spoil your surprise…

Have fun quilting!

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  1. tubilinha tiacarminha says

    at

    Brincadeira…Sou viciada nisso,por isso que gosto de trabalhar com sucatas de confecção,vem pilhas e mais de tecido da mesma cor e o mesmo recorte,só compro o forro e o miolo.Vou achar este livro na loja do sul,lá tem quase todos.Você vai fazer a que não mostrou?…
    BeijoGRANDE

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Denise Russell

Hello, I’m Denise and I love to design and make quilts. You can also find me knitting, crocheting, and making other crafts. Join me!
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The links above and some of the links in my posts are affiliate links: if you click on the link and decide to purchase something, I may receive a commission. I often receive books from publishers so I can review them on my blog and, at times, I may receive products to use and write about my experience with them. Read my privacy policy.

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