October Bow Ties - Hive 1 Tutorial

October Bow Ties

As the year winds down, we all seem to get  busier and busier, so for my turn as Queen, I bring you a super easy block, the old fashioned Bow Tie. My plan is to use this setting that I found on the (old) Free Spirit website. I want to use up all my chunky scraps but will try to make the “rounds” each in the same color family. This pic is for setting only, ignore all those pale blues and pinks! My quilt is going to be a fiesta of medium to dark scraps.

This month please 4 blocks in the 8-1/2” unfinished size. From choosing fabric to admiring the finished blocks, it won’t take you more than 1 hour.

Do not sew them together, I will need to rearrange them to make the setting work.

The background fabric (B) should be the color of unbleached muslin. Below are the ones I have pulled, some are just edge trimmings from quilt backings of long ago.

For the bow tie fabric (A) you will need 4 pieces about 5 x 14 (corrected) or some equivalent pieces. Choose from your available chunky scraps. Use anything! Use ugly fabric you want to get rid of, or something special you want to share with me, or just the first chunk that comes to hand. It doesn’t matter, this is to be a very scrappy quilt. I am making all the other blocks from whatever is in the bin that is big enough but not too big.

(Avoid pastels, using only medium to dark fabrics for the bow tie parts. Nothing lighter than a bright yellow.)

Instructions for assembly can be found all over the internet but of course sizes vary. 

Here is how I am making mine.

For each block:

Cut 2 – 4-1/2” squares of the Focus fabric (A)

Cut 2 – 2-1/2” squares of the focus fabric (A)

Cut 2 – 4-1/2” squares of the background fabric (B)

Draw a horizontal line on the back of the 2-1/2” squares.

Sew the 2-1/2” squares to the background squares,

(Bonnie Hunter’s method)

Then iron and trim the excess from the back.

Lay them out for assembly and sew the top 2 parts together, then the bottom 2 parts.

Press the top seam toward the bow tie (A). Press the bottom seam toward the background fabric (B). After joining the top to the bottom, you will be able to spin the seams on the back just like Bonnie has taught us.

Here are four of my blocks, all done (and grouped together just for this picture). Below that are some more finished blocks. As you can see, anything goes. Bow Tie fabrics don’t even have to be the same, as long as they are kind of the same color.

Due to Free Spirit's recent demise, their old website can no longer be accessed. The free pattern I downloaded some time ago and/or a pdf of this article are available by email from me: 9lizards at gmail dot com