Bento Box Block

An easy block to sew constructed from 2.5 inch strips, so it's perfect if you have a jelly roll available to use! Makes a 12.5 inch block (12 inch finished size).

Supplies

To make our 12 inch finished block you will need:

 Light Fabric (grey)

Two 2.5 x 5.25 inch strips

Four 2.5 x 4.5 inch strips

Two 2.5 x 6.5 inch strips

Cool Fabric (blue)

One 2.5 x 5.25 inch strip

Two 2.5 x 4.5 inch strips

Two 2.5 x 6.5 inch strips

Warm Fabric (red)

One 2.5 x 5.25 inch strip

Two 2.5 x 4.5 inch strips

I have used fabrics designed by Fiona and printed by Prinfab on their cotton poplin fabric. Prinfab is a British fabric printing company which offers 18 different types of fabric for you to print your designs on.

Use a quarter inch seam allowance throughout.

Step 1

Take a light 2.5 x 5.25 inch strip and sew it to one of the warm strips of the same size along the long side. Press seam allowance to the warm fabric and then cut into two 2.5 inch units. 

Step 2
 

Attach a warm 2.5 x 4.5 inch strip along the top edge of the first unit, making sure that the warm square is on the left side of the pair. Press seam allowance to the larger warm strip. 

Step 3

Take a 2.5 x 4.5 inch light strip and add it to the unit on the left hand side, then press to the warm colour again. 

Step 4

To complete the quarter corner unit, take the longest light strip and stitch it to the top of the unit above. The completed unit should measure 6.5 x 6.5 inches. Repeat to make another corner unit using the same combination of fabrics.

Step 5

Repeat the process in steps 1-4 using the light and cool strips to make the unit shown above. Make sure you attach the strips to the correct side to achieve the unit shown. Make two units as before. 

Step 6

 Join the units as shown. 

 You should be able to nest your seams if you have pressed the fabrics as suggested. The seams should 'butt up' against each other as shown above. 

This is the finished block.

For other quilt block tutorials please visit our quilt block directory.