National Michigan Day, How to Make the Michigan State Quilt Block

Welcome to the 2nd block in our Any Way You Want It – A 50 State Quilt Block Journey. We are introducing the Michigan block! Our first block was the Florida Sunshine Block and if you are interested in seeing that block click here – Florida Sunshine Block.

In 1912 Hearth and Home solicited quilters to submit a quilt block that they thought represented their State, and they then published them and I am recreating these blocks for us to make!

National Michigan Day is Wednesday January 18, 2023! I am going to try to release the State blocks on their National day throughout 2023!

, National Michigan Day, How to Make the Michigan State Quilt Block

Below I will give you tips on building this block and also lay out the steps to build this block. Follow my tips and you will get a beautiful 12 1/2″ block.

Go grab the templates for this block below and let’s get started! The pattern includes cutting the templates and instructions on cutting the strips for your templates.

UPDATE – I have a video showing how to do this block WITHOUT Templates, and the downloadable cutting directions include templates, and cutting instructions without templates.

https://youtu.be/OW3MWHjiZJE

To Begin With

This 12 1/2″ block is make up of four smaller blocks that are exactly the same. I will show you how to make the smaller quarter block and the other three will be exactly the same.

Choose fabrics that contrast each other so that the pattern will stand out. I chose colors that represented the state, but you can choose colors of your choice.

Make sure that the two larger strips in the middle are in the same position for each block so that you have that circular motion in the middle when all 4 are put into one block.

Patience – take it slow, keep your pattern in front of you and enjoy the process.

Tips for this block before we start

Use a 1/4″ seam when constructing the smaller quarter block.
Cut your strips with the grain of the fabric. This will help prevent stretching the fabrics when sewing. We want the fabrics to keep their shape.
Use a smaller stitch like a 2.0 stitch. This will help keep your fabrics from moving after sewing them.
The notches on the side of the template need to be cut from the fabric. This will be very important to line up your pieces.
If you are not using templates, make sure you have 1/4″ tails when lining up the A, B, C, D, & E pieces.

Step 1 – Choose and Cut your Templates

The pattern will tell you how big to cut your strips for each of the pieces. Templates B – E will all be from the same size strip.

I suggest 3 fat quarters, but you can use scraps or full pieces. Just make sure you have enough to cut your strips out. Remember to cut your strips with the grain of the fabric.

Lay your templates on the fabrics you have chosen so that you know which template will be cut from the appropriate fabric.

Take your fabric and square it up with the grain and cut your strips to the width needed according the pattern. The number of strips will depend on the width of your fabric.

Next up will be to cut your templates out of the strips that you just cut. The pattern also tells you how many of each template you will need to make a 12 1/2 block. I have included instructions to cut the pieces without templates in the pattern.

Now that you have your pieces cut we will go onto Step 2.

Step 2 – Layout your Quarter Block Piece and Sew the Center Section

Layout out one of your quarter block sections according the pattern template that I provided. I left this layout to be pieced until the end so I could use it to build my other three sections.

We are going to start with with the F Pieces. I would suggest putting all four of these together right now so that you get them in the right order from the beginning. I didn’t do that and ended up with a large block that wasn’t correct. Choose which side you want your dark on and keep it on that side for all four sections. Sew the dark and light F pieces together on the long side with a SKANT 1/4″ seam. Iron the seam to the dark side.

Next we can add the H piece to the bottom of the section we just sewed together. Match the notches on the side of H with the edge of the fabric on the section we just sewed.

Sew H on with a SKANT 1/4″. Iron the Seam towards piece H.

Step 3 – Sew on the Strips, Trim your section

Now we will sew the strips on to the center section starting with Strip E. Line up strip E with the notches matching the edge of the section you just sewed. We will sew Strip E on one side with a SKANT 1/4″, iron the seam towards Strip E. Then sew the other Strip E to the other side with a SKANT 1/4″, iron the seam towards Strip E. You can see in the second picture below how the notches help line the fabric up after it is sewn and ironed.

The rest of the block will be put together just like Strip E except you will work down the alphabet alternating sides until you have your final A piece on.

Once you are done with your section, we will now trim the block to 6 1/2″. I use a square ruler that has a 45 degree line on it and I line that 45 degree angle up with seam in the middle and the two corners. Check that your block measures at least 6 1/2″ and if it is larger trim the two exposed sides. Turn your block 180 degrees and line up the 45 degree line with the center seam and the 6 1/2″ marks on the sides you just trimmed. Trim anything that is larger than 6 1/2″ on the other two exposed sides.

Repeat Step 2 and Step 3 to finish the other 3 sections!

Step 4 – Assemble the 12 1/2″ Block

Place all four of your sections together with the large triangle in the middle. We will now put two sections together by matching the edges and the seams on each block. Make sure you line up the seams so that your points will match when you sew it and turn it.

These sections will be sewn with a 1/4″ seam, not a SKANT 1/4″ seam. Iron your seam to the right. Repeat for the other two sections, but iron your seam to the left.

Now we can put together the two sections you just made. Start with nesting your center seams, then line up the outside edges. Next match all the seams in between and pin so that your points will match.

If found the best way to sew this was to sew with the seams, so start at the seam in the middle and sew 1/4″ seam on the side where the seams are iron towards you. Next flip your block over and start sewing where you started last time and start sewing the side and the seams will now be toward you. Keep your 1/4″ seam here too.

Iron your seam open, check your block is at least 12 1/2″ and if needed trim it down. Use the same method to trim here as you did for the section above, but put the 6 1/4″ mark on the 45 degree line at the center of your block.