Local Color Studio

At Melfa's Uniques & Antiques 50% off all fabric and notions Vendor #10.

Opening around noon on 11/3/2025

Shop will be closed on 10/1 and 10/8. Will be available by appointment—waiting for the AC repair!

Shop will be closed on 9/10.
Melfa open Thursday-Sunday as usual.

This is an interesting way to do it!

Create a "Square-in-a-Square" Block with These Two Techniques! Ever wondered how to master the classic "square-in-a-square" quilt block? Simplyeilene is here to show you two fantastic techniques! Follow these tips to create your own beautiful blocks, perfect for pillows, pouches, bags, or coasters. Technique 1: Fold and Press Method This method is great for a precise, crisp finish. * Center Square: Start with your center square. Simplyeilene used a 2 1/2" acrylic square template to fussy cut a strawberry design for the middle. * Background Square: Cut your background fabric. To determine the size, add 3" to the size of your center square. For example, if your center square is 2 1/2", your background square should be 5 1/2". * Positioning: Lay your center square onto the background square, making sure the background square is on the diagonal. The center square should be perfectly in the middle. * Folding and Pressing: Use a piece of cardstock as a guide to fold over each side of the center square and press firmly. This creates your seam allowance. * Sewing: Stitch around all four sides with a 1/4" seam allowance. * Trimming: Once sewn, trim your finished block. Use the lines on your ruler to keep the square even, and trim 1/4" away from the corners for clean edges. Technique 2: Adding Outer Triangles This technique is perfect for expanding your block with contrasting fabrics. * Prepare Outer Fabric: For the outside square, cut two squares of fabric that are 1 1/2" larger than your finished block from Technique 1. If your finished block is 3 1/2", cut your outer squares at 5". * Create Triangles: Cut each of these two squares diagonally from corner to corner. This will give you four triangles. * Attach Triangles: Sew one triangle to each side of your square-in-a-square block from Technique 1. * Finish and Trim: Trim away any excess fabric and press your seams. Evenly trim your square, again ensuring you trim 1/4" away from the corners for a neat finish. And just like that, you've created a fun and versatile block ready for your next sewing project! #simplyeilene #sewingproject #sewinglove #sewingtutorial #tipsandtricks #zipperpouch #quilting #sewing