Quick Tumblers Block

Edited to add details regarding concerns about the origin of the small quilt shown in the photos below. 
Since this post is about the use of a ruler to make tumbler block assemly easier, identifying the small quilt's pattern did not occur to me.  This pattern was designed by Shuna Talbot for Tiny Treasures.  Her idea used the traditional method of cutting the tumbler blocks using a template.  Some time after I received her pattern, my Mom pointed out another idea in a quilt shop in Ontario that showed the use of a dresden plate shape to make the same block.  Since I am not one to use templates, the appeal of Darlene Zimmerman's Dresden Plate ruler for this project was fabulous.  Neither Ms. Talbot nor her pattern are in any way connected to Ms. Zimmerman, the use of the Dresden Plate ruler, or any of the ideas below.  I simply adapted the tumbler from Shuna's pattern for use with the ruler so I could complete the project more effeciently.  The post below is not about the quilt, it's about the ruler.
Regards,
Heather

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There are two kinds of similarly named blocks in the quilting world.  The Tumbling Blocks pattern is usually done using English Paper Piecing or hand pieced with set-in seams.  It gives a 3D effect to what look like blocks all stacked on top of each other.  The other block is the one shaped like a drinking glass of the same name - a Tumbler.  The Tumbler Block is the one I am going to show below; also shaped like a giant traditional thimble.

The best method I have seen for this type of block is using Darlene Zimmerman's Easy Dresden Plate Ruler.  The ruler is put out by Wrights notions company through EZQuilting.  Many quilting shops carry this ruler and I'm sure it's also available online.

Using a strip of fabric cut to the height you want your tumbler to be, lay the ruler on top of the strip.  Line up the top and bottom of the strip with your choice of lines on the ruler.  Choose the pair of lines that gives you the angle you want for your tumbler block.  The picture above has a 2" strip and the ruler is lined up with the 5" line and the 3" line.  The finished tumbler with be 1.5" tall calculating for the 1/4" seam allowance.  Now, cut on either side of the ruler to create your first Tumbler Block.  Then, rotate the ruler 180°, line up the top and bottom edges of the strip again as well as the angled cut edge and then make another cut on the other side of the ruler to create your second Tumbler Block.  Keep rotating the ruler in this manner down the strip lining up the 3 sides and cutting the 4th.

The quilt I made here uses no two fabrics alike.  To make this version I used small chunks from my 1930's stash cut at 2.5" (same as a Jelly Roll).  I stacked several on top of each other and used the ruler lines 3" and 5.5" to get the angle I wanted.  After I was finished cutting, I laid out the pieces to make the design I wanted making sure that in each row, the tumbler was facing the opposite direction from the tumbler above.  I then sewed each row (one tumbler to the next), and then sewed each row together to make the quilt.

A Jelly Roll is the perfect size of pre-cut strips for this type of quilt.  Once the strips are cut into the tumbler pieces, the sewing is a cinch!

Plus, with such a simple, yet varied line to follow, the quilting can be done easily as well.  This small project was quilted 1/8" on either side of the ditch on every every seam.  Very sweet!  The perfect quick project or doll quilt for over a weekend!

Have fun!