Seriously..I think it needs stitches.: Montana Quilt Block Tutorial

Happy Weekend!

The next block on my list for my National Days scrap quilt is this Montana quilt block for National Montana Day, which was on May 3rd. We have some really fun vacation memories in Montana so I for sure wanted to include it in my quilt. These state blocks are kind of hard to configure sometimes! This one looks simple but it went through many variations to get here. Here's my Montana block.

Although it wasn't easy to work out the shape, it is pretty simple to put together. Just three colors and a few corner flips. Here's how it goes together.

Fabric A (background):

(1) 1 1/4 x 2 1/4"

(1) 2 1/4 x 3 1/2"

(1) 2 1/2" sq.

(1) 2 1/2 x 8 1/2"

(1) 3 x 4 3/4"

Fabric B (state):

(1) 1" sq. (~)

(1) 1 x 2"

(1) 1 x 4 1/2"

(1) 1 x 4 3/4"

(3) 1 1/4" sq. (+)

(2) 1 1/4 x 2 1/2"

(1) 1 3/4 x 2"

(1) 1 3/4 x 2 1/4"

(1) 1 3/4 x 2 1/2"

(1) 1 1/2" sq. (*)

(1) 1 1/2 x 2 1/2" (**)

(1) 2 x 3"

Fabric C (MT):

(2) 1 x 2 1/2"

(2) 1 x 3"

(2) 1 1/4" sq. (+)

(1) 1 3/4 x 2"

Double Upper Corners

1. Place a square at the left end or left upper corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from right upper to left lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.
4. Place a square at the right end or right upper corner of a rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
5. Stitch from left upper corner to right lower corner.
6. Clip, flip & press.

*Using above method, (2) 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric C and 1 3/4 x 2" rect. of Fabric B-long edge at the top, make one unit.

*Using above method, (2) 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric B and 1 3/4 x 2" rect. of Fabric C-long edge at the top, make one unit.

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Right Upper Clip & Flip

1. Place square at upper end or right upper corner of rectangle or larger square, right sides together.
2. Stitch from left upper to right lower corner.
3. Clip, flip & press.

*Using above method, 1 1/4" sq. of Fabric B and 1 1/4 x 2 1/4" rect. of Fabric A-short edge at the top, make one unit.

*Using above method, 1 1/2" sq. of Fabric B and 2 1/4 x 3 1/2" rect. of Fabric A-short edge at the top, make one unit.

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Using scant quarter inch seams, assemble as shown below. And there you have it! An 8 1/2" (8" finished) Montana quilt block!

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Our fun family memories include a horseback ride up the side of a mountain, a visit to Pompey's Pillar (where William Lewis etched his name in 1806!), which our son had read about in a Lewis & Clark book, and visiting the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone, MT. It's one of our favorite family trips. There's so much to see in the U.S.!

So many other people had etched their names too, over the years, they had to cover Clark's to protect it. This was in 2017.

The airport in Billings.

Horseback riding 1800 ft up the side of a mountain.

At the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center learning from a Naturalist/Biologist.

Participating in the Keeper Kids program, hiding treats for the bears inside their habitat, so they can forage and hunt for treats when they come back out on the habitat. The Center takes in bears that have gotten in trouble in the wild, through human conflict, and would otherwise have to be put down. They try to make their lives and habitat as close to their natural habitat as they can.

Fun family memories.. We love Montana and that area of the country in general! A Montana block HAD to be in my quilt!

As always, if you make any of these blocks, or any blocks from the other sew alongs, or patterns, please tag me if you post pics so I can see. I love to see how different people's blocks and quilts turn out.

You can find me here:

@kellifanninquilts on IG, or *HERE* at my FB page, or in the sew along group on FB *HERE*, where you can see lots of blocks from this and the free Minecraft, Pokemon, and Harry Potter sew alongs. You can also click --> National Days quilt blocks to find links to all of the blocks I'm including in my quilt. That's where I'm keeping them all organized.

Meet me back here soon! I'm dicing up Trelawney for the next Harry Potter block tutorial, and the next National Days quilt block I'm working on is for Star Wars Day.