Rainbow Flower Quilt Block Tutorial
4", 6", 8", and 10" finished

Simple cutting and simple piecing are the hallmarks of the Rainbow Flower quilt block.

It's a variation on an old favorite, the Log Cabin block, that you'll sometimes see called a 'half log cabin'. That's because we're adding 2 rectangles or 'logs' to the block instead of the usual four for each round.

The piecing goes a bit faster than the traditional Log Cabin due to this simple design difference.

This tutorial includes a couple of abbreviations. They are:

• SA—seam allowance

• RST—right sides together

1/4" SA are used through this tutorial. 

Pressing instructions are highlighted in yellow throughout this tutorial to make them easy to spot.

When instructed to press, first press the patches in the closed position just as they came off your sewing machine. This sets the seam, melding the fibers of the threads into the fibers of the fabric.

Then press the SA to the dark and away from the first patch.

For the sample block, the Bac patch is a Moda Grunge.

Fabrics Light, Medium, and Dark are all cut from a single ombre fabric from Tula Pink's Daydreamer line, the Dragonfruit Little Fluffy Clouds fabric.

While it makes Swiss cheese out of the fabric, the colors shade perfectly for the effect that I want for my 'rainbow' flower.

Please label all your patches. We refer to their numbers throughout this tutorial.

To print a copy of the block design and cutting chart to use at your cutting table, click here.

			Cutting Chart for a Rainbow Flower Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
			4''	6''	8''	10''
1	Bac	1	1½'' x 1½''	2'' x 2''	2½'' x 2½''	3'' x 3''
2	Light	1	1½'' x 1½''	2'' x 2''	2½'' x 2½''	3'' x 3''
3	Light	1	1½'' x 2½''	2'' x 3½''	2½'' x 4½''	3'' x 5½''
4	Medium	1	1½'' x 2½''	2'' x 3½''	2½'' x 4½''	3'' x 5½''
5	Medium	1	1½'' x 3½''	2'' x 5''	2½'' x 6½''	3'' x 8''
6	Dark	1	1½'' x 3½''	2'' x 5''	2½'' x 6½''	3'' x 8''
7	Dark	1	1½'' x 4½''	2'' x 6½''	2½'' x 8½''	3'' x 10½''
Unfinished Block Size			4½''	6½''	8½''	10½''
Grid Size			1''	1½''	2''	2½''

Press, again away from #2 and to the darker #3 fabric.

With RST, layer #4 with #1/#2/#3, seamed patches on top. The sewn unit is on top; the rectangle is closest to the feed dogs.

Press as before.

Continue adding the remaining patches in this manner.

After adding #5...

Add #6 and #7, pressing in between for nice flat seams.

After one last final pressing (do check out my favorite SECRET technique to get the flattest piecing EVER—without having to buy any special tools), this is our finished Rainbow Flower quilt block.

A quick peek at the back shows how we pressed all the seams to the darker fabrics and away from #1.

With this simple design, whether you're using a handful of fabrics as in our samples, or maybe going scrappy, what is important is the movement from a light fabric choice to a medium to a dark. That's what gives the design its appeal. 

The darker #6 and #7 rectangles separate each Rainbow Flower and make them make sense. Without this separation, you'd have a hot mess for all your piecing time.

In this second pair of straight set layouts, a light sashing and dark cornerstone layout is first up. Then a dark sashing+cornerstone layout. Both are dramatic.

The light version does a good job separating each Rainbow Flower, while the dark version looks almost like an Attic Windows block—but without any Y-seams.

Here are diagonal block layouts of our Rainbow Flowers quilt blocks with the same sashing+cornerstone combinations. 

Hmm. So many choices. So little time.