Summer Sampler 10: Arkansas Traveler - a free block pattern
Welcome back to our celebration of the 10th anniversary of the Summer Sampler Series! We’re celebrating by re-releasing all of the original Summer Sampler block patterns, entirely for free. This week we’re on block number 6, Arkansas Traveler.
Arkansas Traveler was, in my opinion, one of the most difficult blocks in the 2011 quilt-along. It combined diamond piecing, paper-piecing, and an intense number of seams that all converged in the center. Yep, all this in just one 12” square block. 😂I chose this block for the original sew-along because of it’s interesting and unusual design, before thinking through the actual construction. Classic beginner mistake.
My 2011 Arkansas Traveler block
So today I’m unveiling a new and improved 2021 version of Arkansas Traveler! Now with fewer seams! 😂 And you guys will thank me for it, I promise. This one is sooooo much easier than my 2011 original. (Of course, if you want a higher degree of difficulty, you still can make the original—click here for the 2011 post/instructions.)
And while these instructions are completely free here on this website, if you prefer to have the pattern in a more printable format, you can purchase a PDF of all 12 of the block patterns in this series for just $9.99. Click here to purchase!
And before we start, I want to point you to my video instructions for this block! Just follow along with the video above and I’ll show you exactly how to make this thing, from start to finish. Or, read on for complete instructions in that format.
(If you prefer your block instructions in a printable, PDF format, click here to purchase a PDF pattern of all 12 blocks in this series.)
To make this block, you will need:
Print out (4) copies of the foundation paper-piecing template (click here to download). Don’t forget to print your template at 100% size or actual size (download the PDF template to your device and open it in Adobe Acrobat, then select the “no scaling” or “actual size” option in your printer dialogue box).
Fabric cutting
Template section 1 (white):
(4) pieces 3-1/2" x 7-1/2”
Template sections 2 and 3 (dark peach):
(8) pieces 3" x 7-1/2”
Template section 4 and 5 (light peach):
(8) pieces 6” x 2"
Template section 6 (light peach):
(4) pieces 4-1/4" x 7-1/2”
(My fabric, in case you’re curious, are Kona Solids in Creamsicle, Bellini, and White.)
Piece the templates:
1. With paper-piecing, we always piece in number order, so we’ll start by placing one of our white fabric pieces (3-1/2” x 7-1/2”). Place the white piece on the back (unprinted) side of the template, right side of the fabric facing out (wrong side of the fabric touching the paper). I’m using solids, so I don’t have a right side/wrong side to my fabric, but if you’re using a print, be sure to place it with the print side (right side) facing out. Once you have the piece in the correct spot, pin it into place.
2. With the printed side of the template facing up, fold the template along the line between sections 1 and 2. Once the template is folded, place your ruler over the template and the fabric, with the ruler’s 1/4” mark lined up with where the template is folded. Then use your rotary cutter to trim off the excess fabric. (If this is confusing, check out my video to make sense of this step!) Trimming off the excess fabric along the fold line will give you a great visual for where to place the next piece!
3. Unfold the paper template and flatten it out. Grab one of your pieces for Template Section 2 - a dark peach 3” x 7-1/2” piece. Place the dark peach piece on top of the white fabric piece, right sides facing, with one long edge of the peach piece lined up with the edge of the white piece you just trimmed. Make sure you place the peach piece far enough up that you catch the entirety of section 2! (See photos above and my video for more information.)
4. Turn the whole thing over and stitch along the line between template sections 1 and 2, on the printed side of the template. Yep, you’re stitching through the paper and the fabric underneath the paper.
5. Press the Section 2 dark peach fabric piece into place. It should now look like this.
6. Now we’re going to go through the same process again for Template Section 3. Fold the paper template along the line between Sections 2 and 3, and use your ruler to trim the excess fabric, 1/4” out from the fold. When you’re done trimming, unfold the paper template so that it’s flat again, and it should look like the photo on the right.
7. Place another dark peach 3” x 7-1/2” fabric piece along the edge you just trimmed, as shown above. Flip the whole thing over, sew along the line between template sections 2 and 3, and then press the piece into place. It should now look like the photo on the right.
8. Fold the template and trim the excess, just as you did in the previous steps, but for Template Section 4. Then place one of your light peach 2” x 6” pieces along the edge you just trimmed.
9. And repeat the process (fold and trim) again for Template Section 5, and place another light peach 2” x 6” piece.
10. Your template should now look like this. Just one more section to add!
11. Fold the template back between sections 5 and 6, and trim the excess. Then place your final piece, a 4-1/4” x 7-1/2” light peach piece, along the edge you just trimmed.
12. Your template should now look like this. Congratulations, you pieced the entire template!
13. Trim around your template by lining up the 1/4” mark on your ruler with the inside line around the edge of the template. This will allow you to cut directly on the outer line around the edge of the template, and will give you an exact 1/4” seam allowance around the perimeter of the unit.
14. Ta-da! One lovely Arkansas Traveler quarter-block done. Piece the other three printed templates in the same way that you pieced the first.
Assemble the block
1. Once you have all four templates pieced, it’s time to put the block together. This part can be difficult to wrap your head around, since the pieces aren’t square.
But the units are actually pieced in exactly the same way as square quarter-block units would be. It’s just that the seams are on an angle, instead of being perpendicular to the edge of the block. You just need to rotate the units so that template sections 4 and 5 (the small light peach sections) are always toward the outer edge of the block. Section 5 is marked in the photo above to help you orient each of your units correctly. And if you still have trouble, check out my video!
9. Put two of your units together, right sides facing, with the paper still on, as shown above. Line up the units at the 90-degree corner (there should be a slight dog ear at the opposite corner) and sew together.
Here’s what the first two units should look like once they’re sewn together. Repeat this process with the other two units. Then sew the two block halves together to complete the block!
I hope you’ve enjoyed the new-and-improved, 2021 version of Arkansas Traveler! If you make this block, post a photo of it on Instagram with the hashtag #summersamplerturns10 and #arkansastravelerblock. And with that, we are now halfway through our #summersamplerturns10 blocks! But before we move on to block 7, let’s stop and enjoy this photo of my first six blocks from 2011, all together. 😳I mean, it’s colorful, I’ll say that. Nobody can take that away from it. Lol.
If you enjoyed this block, there are 11 more free block patterns where this one came from—click here for the full schedule and links to all of the block patterns.