3D Bow Tie Quilt Block

Skill Level: Beginner

Grid: 2x2, 4-patch

This 3D Bow Tie quilt block is seriously ADORKABLE!

Is it hard?

I'm a frayed knot! -- (Sorry...couldn't resist!)

Five equal-sized squares and a simple twist is all it takes. A perfect block for the beginning quilter who wants to add little whimsy to her blocks.

There's 'knotting' to it.

Let's get started!

Step 2: Assembling the 3D Bow Tie quilt block

For the knot, lightly fingerpress one Bow Tie square in half, wrong sides together. You may want to use pins to hold the edges even.

NOTE: If you press a hard crease here, it will run diagonally through the center of the finished knot...a pain to have to press out at the end.

Align the cut edges with those of a background square. Pin to hold them even.

With RST, add a bowtie square to the top. Pin to hold things together. The black arrow points to where the folded edge is.

Stitch the side that has the folded edge in the middle of it.

Fingerpress the SA toward the darker fabric.

This is what the three patches sewn together look like. A bit unruly, but we'll get there.

I re-pinned to hold the knot fabric together. The first two patches are folded back out of the way.

Layer the remaining short side of the knot between the second pair of squares. Remember that each pair of like-colored squares is diagonal to each other in the finished block.

It's helpful to fold back the first pair of squares as shown in the picture below.

Layer the final patch, RST, and pin.

Stitch the side with the folded edge, again fingerpressing the SA towards the darker fabric.

Here is our block so far.

Pretty weird looking, right?!

Now comes the twist.

Pin the end of the two pairs of patches together, red to white. The pins act like an extra set of hands. The knot-square forms a little pouch in the center.

Distribute the pouch as evenly as possible on both sides of the seam allowances. Line up the all the cut edges as neatly as possible. Pin, nesting the SAs of the pairs of patches.

It'll be lumpy. That's OK.

Stitch.

Finally, you can press the SAs of your 3D Bow Tie with your iron. I prefer to just steam my knot instead of pressing it. Then use my fingers to 'press the fabrics in the center under the knot (blue circle below).

The pressing with an iron would 'smash' and crease the 3-D knot. I'd prefer not to do that. But that choice is yours!

I also like to twirl my four-patch seam allowances to distribute the bulk like this.

This is your finished 3D Bow Tie quilt block. Easy Peasey!

If you enjoyed this 3D block...

...you may want to try our 3D, one seam Flying Geese quilt block. Click here to go there now.