I have found myself with an abundance of quilt blocks. From testing block patterns for multiple years of the Quiltmas Spectacular, the upcoming What is Love modern quilt block event, and designing multiple quilt patterns, I have built up quite the collection of spare blocks. I don’t love the look of them all together in one quilt top, but I love them enough to want to show them off and use them regularly. So I decided to do something about it.

I figured out how to turn them into a packing cube! Now I can take my favorite quilt blocks with me whenever I travel, without the hassle of packing a full quilt top!

The Spare Block Packing Cube finishes at 12" x 12" and has plenty of room for packing your essentials. For an overnight trip, I can comfortably fit a pair of shoes, jeans and a couple tops. For longer trips, I can fit a couple pairs of lightweight pants, some tees, one sweater, and a flat pair of sandals. If you need more room, just make more packing cubes!

If you find yourself in the same position as me, with many spare blocks laying around, and need a quick project to use them all up, keep reading to learn how to turn those blocks and some scrap fabric into the Spare Block Packing Cube!

Materials Needed

Sewing Supplies

Clover Wonder Clips or similar tools
Zipper foot
Fabric pen

Top and Bottom Piece Fabrics

1: 12.5" x 12.5" quilt block (unfinished measurement)
1: 14" x 14" square, exterior fabric (this could be replaced with another 12.5" x 12.5" quilt block, to make a packing cube with a block on top and bottom)
2: 14" x 14" squares, interior fabric
2: 14" x 14" squares, batting

Back Piece Fabrics

1: 8.5" x 5" rectangle, exterior fabric
1: 8.5" x 5" rectangle, interior fabric
1: 8" x 4.5" rectangle, batting

Zipper Gusset Fabrics and Materials

40.5" zipper, sold by the yard, assumed to be 1" wide
2: 2.5" x 40.5" rectangles, exterior fabric
2: 2.5" x 40.5" rectangles, interior fabric
2: 2" x 40" rectangles, batting

The Spare Block Packing Cube pattern is designed for 12.5" x 12.5" quilt blocks. Traditionally, bag patterns like this use a 1/2" seam allowance. This pattern, however, uses a 1/4" seam allowance. This is to preserve any points on a traditionally pieced quilt block. Plus, this project is designed with quilters in mind and we’re just plain comfortable with a 1/4" seam allowance.

Not pictured, the two 2" x 40" rectangles of batting. The strip/checker pattern is the exterior fabric. The lavender doll fabric is the interior fabric. Fabrics used in the #StarCrossedLovers quilt block are from my stash.

Top and Bottom Assembly

1) Quilt the 12.5" x 12.5" block, 14" x 14" batting, and 14" x 14" interior fabric. Baste and quilt with an open design to prevent shrinkage. The quilt block side will be the exterior top of the packing cube.

2) Quilt the 14" x 14" exterior fabric (or a second quilt block), 14" x 14" batting, and 14" x 14" interior fabric. This will be the bottom of the packing cube.

3) Trim both squares to 12.5" x 12.5".

Back Assembly

Center the 4.5" x 8" batting rectangle between the interior and exterior 5" x 8.5" rectangles. Baste and quilt with an open design to prevent shrinkage.

The quilted and trimmed top, bottom and back pieces.

Zipper Gusset Assembly

1) Layer one 2.5" x 40.5" rectangle of interior fabric right side up, zipper right side up, and one 2.5" x 40.5" rectangle of exterior fabric wrong side up. Using a zipper foot, sew the three layers together along the dashed line indicated below.

2) Open the fabrics and press away from the zipper.

3) Center one batting 2" x 40" rectangle between the interior and exterior fabrics. Top stitch along the zipper and quilt with an open design to prevent shrinkage.

4) Layer the remaining interior fabric 2.5" x 40.5" rectangle right side up, zipper right side up, and exterior fabric 2.5" x 40.5" rectangle wrong side up. Sew along the unsewn side. Repeat quilting and top stitching.

Attach the Back and Zipper Gusset

1) Match both short ends of the back piece (the quilted 5" x 8 .5" rectangle) to both short ends of the zipper gusset, exterior sides together, to create a loop. (If the back piece is wider than the zipper gusset, trim the 5" dimension to match the zipper gusset width dimension. This will not impact the assembly. Do not trim from the 8.5" dimension.)

2) Sew along the short ends using a 1/4" seam allowance. Once sewn, the loop should measure 48".

3) Secure the ends of the seam allowance with a zig zag stitch, and press to the side.

Assemble the Packing Cube

1) Make a small notch at the center of all sides of both 12.5" x 12.5" quilted blocks. Make sure the notch stays within a 1/4" seam allowance.

2) Make a small notch on the top and bottom raw edges of the zipper gusset at the center front, center back and center sides (8 notches total).

3) On the interior sides of both 12.5" x 12.5" blocks, mark 1/4" in from all corners.

4) Match the notches of the top 12.5" x 12.5" block with the notches on the zipper loop, exterior sides together. Secure with clips. Sew with the 12.5" x 12.5" block on top, using a 1/4" seam allowance. When you reach a corner dot, backstitch to secure, then carefully turn the corner to continue sewing down the next side.

5) Secure the raw edges of the seam allowance with a zig zag stitch.

6) Open the zipper.

7) Match the notches of the bottom 12.5" x 12.5" block with the notches of the zipper gusset on the unsewn side, exterior sides together. Secure with clips and sew with a 1/4" seam allowance. Secure the raw edge of the seam allowance with a zig zag stitch.

8) Turn the Spare Block Packing Cube right side out and book your next vacation! Share your progress and your final project using #spareblockpackingcube.

Spare Block Packing Cube Tutorial