45-Degree Angle Strip Tube Quilt Block Tutorial

Sometimes it is fun and relaxing to create a fast and easy quilt block that can turn into a future quilt project, especially if you haven’t been doing much quilting lately like me.

Yesterday I pulled out some of the 5-inch strips I had received from Island Batik and decided to make a few 45-degree angle quilt blocks.

45-Degree Angle Strip Tube Quilt Block

Follow along with me!

Grab some fabrics from your stash and cut some 5-inch strips of fabric. This is a great way to use up some of those beautiful fabrics you’ve been holding on to.

Choose your fabrics

Pick two different fabrics that coordinate or just look good together. I used batiks but any quilt fabrics will do.

I lucked out and had three 5 inch strips of a beautiful multi-color batik and some yardage of the teal batik that I had used for my Churn Dash placemats which I cut into 2½” strips.

Strip Tube Quilt Blocks

I decided to make some easy strip tube blocks. Have you ever made them?

The first thing you want to do is cut your fabric into 2½ inch strips. You will need two 2½ inch strips of both colors to make a tube.

At first, I wasn’t sure what I was going to make so I just cut and sewed enough strips to make one tube.

For a project like this, I usually just use my O’Lipfa Ruler which has a lip edge. The lip edge fits along the edge of my cutting board and works like a T-square to help you make a straight cut. There are several different rulers, but I prefer the 5-inch wide by 24-inches long. I am on my third one (over about 10 years) as the measurement lines on the bottom eventually wear off. This time I put Omnigrid InvisiGrip on the back of the ruler to protect the lines and so far that has really made a difference.

If you have an AccuQuilt GO! cutter and the AccuQuilt 2½ inch strip cutter will make fast work of cutting strips for you.

Cutting

• Cut 2 – 2½” x WOF (width of fabric) strips of the batik multi-print
• Cut 2 – 2½” x WOF strips of the teal batik

Sew strips together

• Sew strips of both colors together lengthwise with a ¼” seam allowance
• Carefully press the strips toward the dark fabric
• Your strip set should be 4¼ inch wide

Make a tube

Now that you have two strips sets sewn, place them right sides together with opposite fabrics facing. Sew down one side of the tube and then turn around and sew the other side in the opposite direction to keep your tube from bowing. Both sides are sewn with a ¼ inch seam allowance to form the tube.

Strip Tube Blocks

First cut

Most long rulers have a 45-degree line on them, I laid that line on the seam allowance of my strip tube and then cut off the corner.

The rest of the cuts

Next, turn the ruler around so the writing is backward and line up the 45-degree line with the seam allowance again and cut the block. There will be a couple of stitches at the top of the block but they will pull out easily.

Note: I had to turn the ruler around because I was using a ruler that is only 5 inches wide. If you are using a larger square ruler just slide the ruler up to the top seam allowance, line it up to the point and then cut.

Simple but not perfect cuts

Many times I have said that I don’t get stressed about perfect blocks. I know some of you will cringe when you find out how I cut the rest of the blocks. I just laid the first one on the tube and cut another one. Then I kept repeating this.

Are the blocks exactly the same size? I didn’t measure them but they are close enough for a small quilt project.

Would I use this method with a large quilt? No

I was able to cut nine small blocks and I only need eight small blocks to make two four section large blocks.

The blocks have bias edges so be very, very careful pressing.

I almost forgot to show you the oops that I did. Take a look at the photo of the first cut that I made. I didn’t pay attention to the fact that the strips weren’t the same length.  I was lucky that I ended up with one extra block that I didn’t need.

It would be impossible to use this block. Don’t worry, I’ll use it for something else!

4 Blocks

Here you can see the way I am thinking of sewing my blocks together.

Here is the block arrangement I decided to go with. In my next post, I’ll show you what I decided to make with the blocks.

Update: I have finished the 45 degree strip piecing quilt project with these blocks, check it out!

Other quilt tutorials you might enjoy

• Petunia Strings Pillow
• Petunia Strings by the River
• Batik Strings Table Runner

Flooding update:

The Mississippi River is finally going down and restaurants along the river have been able to open. We have left our wall and sandbags up and will until the water is down a couple more feet.

Get access to the Free Quilt Block PDF tutorial!

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