Easy 4-Patches

Easy 4-Patches by Machine

HOW TO SEW 4 PATCHES WITH INKLINGO

These are the easiest, fastest, most accurate 4-patches you will ever sew!

 

Print

Print with your ordinary Inkjet printer.

If you print the lighter fabric, the lines are easy to see.

The second (darker) fabric is not printed at all!

 

Layer

(Trim the margins from the printed sheet before layering.)

 

Stitch

Stitch.

I have a walking foot on my machine, so I don’t even bother to pin.

 

Stitch

As usual, sew a scant 0.25 inch seam allowance by sewing beside the line, not on it.

 

Stitch

Get your motor humming!

Sewing along a line is fun but don’t get carried away, okay? Only sew one seam on each square. If you stitch both seams, you will create a tube.

 

Cut strips

Cut strips with scissors or a rotary cutter.

No measuring.

 

Press to the dark and layer

Press to the dark, then layer two strips, right sides together.

 

Rotary cut

Rotary cut two layers. No measuring. Cut on the line.

(Variation: One long-time Inklingoist is on the road and likes to leave the strips uncut until she has sewn the next seam, so she extends the cutting line on every other square (ruler and pencil) and sews on both sides of the line. Clever. Thank you, Judy.)

 

Chain piece

Chain piece to finish the 4-Patches.

The seams nest together, so it’s a perfect intersection every time!

Zoom. Zoom.

 

Press

Press.

Optional: If you release a stitch in the center, you can press the seam allowances to the side around the intersection to reduce the bulk and make the block look its best.

 

Press a 4-patch

You know it’s right when you see a tiny 4-patch on the back of the intersection!

 

54-40 or Fight 54-40 or Fight

NOTES

1. You can use this technique any time you need 4-patches. All you need to know is the finished size!

2. There are squares in many different Inklingo shape collections! See the Index of Shapes under the Support & Goodies tab on the website. (You are on the blog now.) All Inklingo shapes are named with the FINISHED size to make it easy!

2. There are squares in the FREE Diamond Triangle Square shape collection, so you can try this method right now!

3. This method works perfectly with scraps and jelly rolls! Print the largest piece you can, cut into rows and layer with unprinted scraps.

4. This is one of many simple, accurate techniques described in The Inklingo Handbook. 9 Year Anniversary Special on the handbook! Your receipt includes a $10 coupon to use on your next order.

Love the lines. Quilt more!

 

Chipmunk outside my window

FACEBOOK VS THE BLOG—ARE YOU SUBSCRIBED? 

I post a photo or two on Facebook every day. Sometimes it is a photo from around the house Inklingo Head Office, and sometimes it is about quilting. I love to share photos of your Inklingo blocks too!

You do NOT have to have a Facebook account to see what I post there if you go directly to
https://www.facebook.com/inklingo

However, Facebook only shows my photos to about 20% of the quilters who have “liked” the Inklingo Facebook Page, so the best way to stay up to date is to subscribe to the blog (top of right sidebar).

I hope you will have a look at the photos I have posted on FB in the last week or so.

If you are on Facebook, please post photos of your Inklingo blocks on my page and please “like” and “comment” and “share” my photos. It makes it more fun for everyone.

 

4 Patches with Inklingo

NINE YEARS ALREADY!

If you haven’t tried Inklingo yet, please start with the FREE Diamond Triangle Square shape collection.

Thank you for visiting!

Linda & Monkey

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New to Inklingo? Order and download free shapes and start sewing in the next few minutes. Quick Start (Always FREE.) There are triangles, diamonds, and squares in the free collection—great for dozens of different blocks.

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4 thoughts on “Easy 4-Patches”

  1. Thank you for mentioning me. I especially appreciated Inklingo 4 patches when making 4 patches using “on-point” squares – might have been impossible to make accurately to match the “on-point” square that was the size of the four patches. With Inklingo it was a cinch!

    Reply
  2. Another great blog, Linda. Such a great way to make four patches (which can be bit boring otherwise) and so quick and accurate!! Thank you. Glad to see that “Chippy” is back!! Betsy

    Reply

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