Sewing the Rectangle Block

1. Trace the template on wrong side of fabric and cut out. Fold the fabric in half, right sides together, along line AB.

2. Stitch the short edges together, using a ¼” seam allowance.

3. Open out and fold from point C to point D, matching center seams. Start stitching from one of the corners for about 1”, and then leave 1” open before stitching the rest of the seam (you will have to pivot when you reach the matching center seams). You should now have a diamond shape.

4. Trim corners to reduce the bulk, and press seam allowances open with the tip of your iron. Try not to press the outer edges.

5. Turn the shape inside out. Press the shape. If your opening is close enough to the corner that it will not be noticed when folded down, you can leave it as is. Otherwise you will have to close it with a couple of tiny, invisible stitches. Bring each corner to the center in turn and press, keeping the outside corners as sharp as possible.

From here on you can decide to join your rectangle blocks to other rectangles, squares or triangles, following the method indicated for The Basic Square Block (that is, tacking corners down in the center and then whipstitching the blocks together) or using the A Modern Approach.