Bento Box Quilt Block Tutorial
The Bento Box quilt block is a quick and easy two fabric block. It can be used on its own to make great quilts and it also plays nicely with other blocks.
See it All
Below you will find:
- fabric requirements
- video tutorial
- step-by-step written tutorial with pictures
- instructions for different sizes
- inspiration for using the block in a quilt
Fabric Requirements
These sizes make a 12″ block. For other size options, scroll down or get the Bento Box Inspiration Workbook.
You need two different fabrics for this block. Look for a good light/dark contrast.
From both fabrics, you will need:
- four 2-1/2″ squares
- four 2-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ rectangles
- two 2-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ rectangles
(Each fabric will use one WOF 2-1/2″ strip, so this is a good block for jelly rolls)
Video
Subscribe to Epida Studio on YouTube
Tutorial
See each step in the process, with images to help guide you.
Make one quadrant of the block first. Then when you are familiar with the process, you can chain piece the other three if you prefer.
Join Squares
Join a square of fabric 1 with a square of fabric 2 using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Press the seam towards the darker fabric.
After they are joined, the piece should be 4-1/2″ long.
If the piece is too long or too short, adjust your seam allowance. This will help the block go together more easily and more accurately.
Finish Row Two
Join a 4-1/2″ piece of fabric 2.
Continue to press all seams towards the dark fabric for the entire block.
Add Row Three
Join a 4-1/2″ piece of fabric 1.
This piece will be added to the side of the square that has the seam between the two fabric 2 pieces.
Add a 6-1/2″ piece of fabric one to complete the corner.
This piece should be 6-1/2″ square.
Double check that the fabric orientation is correct.
Make more quadrants
You will need to make one more identical piece to this and two pieces with the fabrics reversed.
So you will have four pieces total, two of each fabric layout.
Final block assembly
Join the quadrants into pairs, lining up the squares of opposite fabrics.
Since you pressed all seams to the dark fabric, the seams should nest together when you are joining the pieces.
Join the two halves together to make the finished block.
It should be 12-1/2″ square.
Fabric Options
This is traditionally a two-fabric quilt block, but you can be creative and design your own fabric combinations.
It also looks great as a scrappy block.
Make the block any size
With a little bit of arithmetic, you can make this block in any size.
To keep it easy, choose a finished block size that is divisible by 3. (6″, 9″, 12″, 15″, etc.)
Calculations
- Decide what size you want the finished block to be.
- Divide that by 6. That will be the width of all the pieces
- The small rectangle will be width x double the width.
- The large rectangle will be width x triple the width.
- Remember this is the finished size, so add 1/2″ for seam allowances before you cut!
Example
If you want a 9″ block, the finished width will be 1-1/2″. So the size of the pieces you cut will be:
- 2″ square
- 2″ x 3-1/2″
- 2″ x 5″
Bento Box block in Quilts
The bento box block is not as versatile as some other quilt blocks, but there are still lots of options available.
The blocks can be laid out in identical orientations.
Or they can be laid out in alternating orientations.
Colour Options
Of course, if you play with colour, there are a lot more possibilities.
Check out this post for bento box quilt variations.
Quilt Gallery
I used the bento box block in two different colour ways to make the quilt Peaches and Cream.
Quilt Patterns
Bento Box is part of the Dreams Come True quilt pattern.
Have fun with the Bento Box quilt block!
Be sure to #epidastudio when you share your projects on social media!