How to Create the Sunday Best Quilt Block

This Sunday Best quilt block was designed by Judy Martin. With just squares and rectangles, it's an easy block to stitch together. Let's get started!

Fabric Requirements for a 10" Finished Sunday Best Quilt Block:

• Light/Blue Green: 1 - 2.5" square, and 8 - 1.5" x 2.5" rectangles
• Medium/Multi-Color: 4 - 2.5" squares, and 8 - 1.5" x 3.5" rectangles
• Dark/Purple: 8 - 2.5" squares
• Dark/Green: 8 - 1.5" squares (The picture is wrong! Guess I couldn't count today!)

Sewing Directions:

Corner Unit:

Step 1:

Lay out two Light 1.5" x 2.5" rectangles, one Dark/Green 1.5" square, and one Dark/Purple 2.5" square as shown in the picture below.

Step 2:

This is just like an uneven Four Patch unit. First sew the patches together in two rows and press the seam allowances toward the Light fabric as shown below.

Step 3:

And then sew the two rows together. Press the seam allowances. I've pressed using the twirl/tweak/furl method but you can press however you wish. Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for a total of four units.

Step 4:

Now we'll add to the Step 3 units. Lay out two Medium/Multi-Color 1.5" x 3.5" rectangles and one Dark/Green 1.5" square along with one Step 3 unit as shown below.

Step 5:

Once again, sew the patches into two rows and press the seam allowances as shown in the picture below.

Step 6:

Then sew the two rows together and press the seam allowances as shown below. Repeat Steps 4 through 6 for a total of four Corner units. (I think this unit would be fun to play around with on its own to see what designs could be made with it.)

Middle Unit:

Step 7:

Match up a Dark/Purple 2.5" square and a Medium/Multi-Color 2.5" square and sew together. Press seam allowance toward the Dark/Purple fabric as shown in the picture below. Repeat for a total of four Middle units.

Putting It All Together:

Step 8:

Lay out the Corner units, the Middle units, and the Light/Blue Green 2.5" square as shown in the picture below.

Step 9:

From here the block goes together like an uneven Nine Patch block. First, you sew the units into three rows.

Step 10:

Press the seam allowances away from the Corner units as shown below.

Step 11:

Now sew the three rows together, and...

Step 12:

Press the seam allowances toward the center of the block. All done!

Conclusion:

The Sunday Best block is easy to sew together. I must confess I had a heck of a time with it though. I think it was one of those days where I just couldn't sew an accurate 1/4" seam - and with all those seams, it made a difference.

As for coloring, I think I would like it better if I had put white in place of the Light/Blue Green fabric or if I had done it in solids. But I really wanted to try a block without white/beige in it. You really never know until you try!