How to make a quilt block pattern tiles set with paint or pens
If you’ve seen any of my recent posts on social media, I’ve been having so much fun playing with the quilt block pattern tiles that I made featuring the quilt blocks included in my book, Quilting Adventures, that I wanted to share how to make your own simplified set of quilting pattern tiles with just paint (or paint pens) and wooden tiles!
Because the nature of this painted approach can be a bit imprecise, I would suggest sticking with making simple half square triangles and solid square blocks. With these two simple quilting elements you can still have a lot of fun playing with different layouts and creating new block ideas!
If you’d like to make a set using a Cricut machine and vinyl like I did, you can follow my step-by-step approach here (and download my SVG files for FREE!):
Materials
Required Materials
Wood Blocks: pre-cut wood blocks of your desired size (I used these 1½″ x 1½″ wooden ones)
Painter’s Tape: to help creating clean edges for your triangles
Scrap Paper or Newsprint: to keep your work surface clean
Marking tool of choice:
If you’re going to paint, you’ll need:
Acrylic Paint: Choose your preferred color ( I would suggest working with one color to focus in on the patterns that emerge first and then add in color once you have a block layout you like and want to explore further!)
Paintbrushes: Pick one that will give you enough control on the edges, but isn’t so small that it takes forever to fill up the space, and not too big that you’re getting paint all over your fingers as you go! I used one that was about ⅜ʺ wide and it worked well!
If you’re using Paint Markers: I like these large Posca pens (the smaller ones work too, it just takes longer to fill in the shape)
If you’re using Permanent Markers: you can also use a good old sharpie, but it’s hard to make the color even or completely solid. A thicker point definitely makes it easier to fill in the shape and I wish I had had a chisel point as the smell started to annoy me after making just two tiles!
To see how the tiles look with different marking tools, you can watch me create them using paint, paint pens, and Sharpies on my Instagram.
Optional Materials
Since I’m just using these tiles to play around with, I didn’t take the time to sand down the tiles pre-painting or to seal them at the end. I also just eyeballed the triangle’s diagonal edge using the corners to line up the painter’s tape. If you would like to be a bit more precise and careful than me, then you might also need:
Sandpaper: to smooth the wood surface to prep for the paint.
Ruler and Pencil: to help mark in placing the painter’s tape.
Sealant: to protect the painted design and seal in the color.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 0: Decide How Many Tiles to Make
Think about the quilt block “grid” you’ll be working with. Many classic quilt blocks exist on a grid, from 2 x 2 up to 12 x 12 (and beyond!). Common grids are 4 x 4, 6 x 6, and 8 x 8. So before starting, think about what kind of grid you want to play with or that you naturally gravitate towards.
Decide how many tiles to make and whether you’re making just HSTs, Squares, or a combination of the two. Once you’ve decided what kind of grid (or grids!) you want to work with, determine how many blocks you’ll need to have on hand to play with. Do you want to be able to have enough HSTs for each square of the grid? Do you want to just have a couple? I personally like to have a rough ratio of two-thirds HSTs to one-third Squares to play with, but that’s just me. So, if I was working with a set of 50 tiles, I’d probably paint around 36 HSTs and 18 Squares to start.
Step 1: Prep your Materials and workspace
Since these blocks are just for me to play around with, I didn’t spend the time to sand them down, prime the wood, or seal it at the end. I just dove right in and everything worked out well enough for me to play with them. But if you’d like to properly prep them, go for it!
Regardless of whether you’re sanding the blocks down before you start, make sure you’ve protected your workspace with some scrap paper or newspaper as things can get a little messy here!
Step 2: Tape the Triangle’s diagonal
Apply painter’s tape from one corner to the opposite to outline the triangle to mark the diagonal. Press the tape firmly to ensure it adheres well and to help prevent paint from bleeding underneath.
If you would like to be more precise, use a ruler and a pencil to first mark the edge then align the painter’s tape along the penciled line and press to affix.
Step 3: Paint Inside the Tape
Use your paintbrush, paint marker, or permanent marker to fill in the un-taped side’s triangle with your paint. Apply in thin, even layers and strokes/lines. If needed, apply a second coat to achieve full coverage.
Step 4: Repeat to Make Your Set
Repeat Steps 2-3 to make all your HSTs.
If you’d like to make some squares as well, you can either leave some tiles blank and/or fill some in completely with paint.
Step 5: Remove the Tape
While the paint is still slightly wet, carefully remove the painter’s tape. Removing before it the paint has fully dried helps ensure clean edges as it makes it helps avoid peeling off any dried paint along with the tape.
Step 6: Touch Up (OPTIONAL)
If any paint has bled under the tape or if there are any imperfections, touch up those areas as needed (or wanted — I definitely skipped this step!).
Step 7: Let the Paint Dry
Make sure to let the paint dry completely before you start to play with these!
Step 8: Seal the Tiles (optional)
If you’re going to seal the tiles, once the paint is completely dry follow the instructions on the packaging to apply a coat of sealant to protect the tiles. Let the sealant dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Next Steps
Now that you’ve made a set of HSTs and Squares, start playing with different block layouts! As a warm-up, try recreating some of your favorite classic quilt block layouts. Then try changing one block at a time by rotating them or swapping a triangle for a square. And don’t forget that the blank side of the tile can be used too in your design!