Drunkard’s Path tutorial

Here is an easier way to make a DP quilt with no curved piecing.

My quilt measures 64″ x 64″, and has 144 each of the individual Drunkard’s Path block, which measures 4″ square.

Cut 18 squares of black fabric and 18 squares of various colored fabrics.  Squares should measure 9″x 9″.

Cut 18 circles of black fabric and 18 circles of various colored fabrics.  Circles should measure 6 1/2″ across.

At first I had used a compass to make a circle template, but look what I discovered that measures EXACTLY 6 1/2 inches!

Excuse me a moment while I go turn on the oven…

Starch the squares and circles, then fold into quarters and press.  This will give you the exact centers of the cut pieces.

Insert a pin into the center of the circle, then into the center of the square.

Slide the circle down the pin onto the square, keeping the fold lines aligned, and press. At this point you may want to pin the circle to the square, but I’ve found that if I press them together they usually behave themselves.

(The white fabric underneath the block is just folded flannel, used to keep the pin stable and upright. Don’t sew your block to it!)

Cut strips of coordinating fabric 1 1/4 ” wide on the bias, meaning at a 45 degree angle.  The strips need to be AT LEAST 22 inches long.

Very carefully, press the bias strips in half lengthwise. Try not to stretch them!

Align the raw edge of the bias with the raw edge of the circle, starting at one of the fold lines you pressed into the circles & squares. The folded edge of the bias strip should be on the inside of the circle.

Notice that I have not done anything with the raw top edge of the bias strip. That’s because it will become part of the seam allowance of the block and no one will be able to see it.

Stitch a scant 1/4 inch from the raw edge of the circle. See how easy it is to curve the bias strip along the edge of the circle?

This is what it will look like when you’re done.

Press the bias strip outwards over the seam you just stitched. The bias will help it stretch. This is where you will be sorry if you forgot and cut the strips on the straight grain.

Here’s what it looks like when you’re done pressing the bias strip outward.

Stitch the outer edge of the bias strip to the square. I am using white thread to make it easier for you to see, but in my original quilt I used invisible thread, and I did a zig-zag stitch because I am impatient and it was faster than a blanket stitch.

zigging on the outer edge

or, blanket stitching on the outer edge

Here is the finished block. Don’t worry about that spot where the bias edges meet, it’s going to disappear in the next step.

Now cut the block into quarters. Use the lines you pressed into the fabrics as a guide, or you can use your ruler and cut at 4 1/2 inches.

Turn the block over and trim the excess fabric off.

Do this 17 more times, then assemble your blocks! I assembled mine so they made X’s.

Here is another setting idea:

Now on to the border!

Cut strips of your solid fabrics, 1 1/2 inches by WOF. You will need twice as many black strips as colored strips.

Sew 2 black strips on each side of one colored strip. Press the seam allowance to the black fabric. Cut cross strips 1 1/2 inches wide.

Align two strips with different colored squares as shown. If you pressed your seam allowances correctly, the seams will “nest” and you will get accurate points where the colored squares touch.

Here is what the strips look like when they’re sewn together.

Trim the excess off. Place your ruler so it is 1/4″ past the corners of the colored squares, which gives you a seam allowance.

The finished border. In reality, of course, it would be a lot longer!

I actually had 3 borders on this quilt:

Inner black border = 2 1/2″ wide

Center diamond border = 1 3/4″ wide

Outer black border = 2 1/4 wide

The black borders are great for making it easy to place the diamonds evenly around the corners.

Good luck, and please send me pictures if you make one, I’d love to see them!

What a great tute, Peggi. I just may have to break down and make one of these. I’ll add it to my quilt bucket list!