Quilt block · Baskets · Intermediate
Birthday Cake quilt block
Four large half-square triangles make the cake, with a row of small half-square triangles along the top and down the left side like candles, and a plain square in the corner.
What to cut for one block
A 6″ finished block measures 6½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
1 corner square, 10 small triangles and 3 large triangles
- C2 squares 3⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- B5 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A1 square 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
10 small triangles and 2 large triangles
- C1 square 3⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- B5 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
3 large triangles
- C2 squares 3⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 9″ finished block measures 9½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
1 corner square, 10 small triangles and 3 large triangles
- C2 squares 4⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- B5 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A1 square 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
10 small triangles and 2 large triangles
- C1 square 4⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- B5 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
3 large triangles
- C2 squares 4⅝″cut once on the diagonal
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
A 12″ finished block measures 12½″ before it’s sewn into a quilt. Each fabric’s yardage is the least that cuts its strips across the width of fabric, with a strip to spare for straightening.
Background · Snow in the picture
1 corner square, 10 small triangles and 3 large triangles
- C2 squares 5⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B5 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A1 square 2½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
10 small triangles and 2 large triangles
- C1 square 5⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B5 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
3 large triangles
- C2 squares 5⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Worked out by @quarterinch/cutting · ¼″ seams included · strips cut across 42″ of usable width · the letters are the pieces the sewing steps name
How it’s sewn
For the 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 10 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit: Medium and Dark
Sew a Medium C triangle to a Dark C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 3″ (2½″ finished).
- Make 2 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 3″ (2½″ finished).
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit: Dark and Background
Sew a Dark C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 3″ (2½″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 5½″ × 1½″
Sew 5 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ × 1½″ (5″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″ × 3″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ × 3″ (5″ × 2½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″ × 3″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ × 3″ (5″ × 2½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ (5″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 2 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 10 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit: Medium and Dark
Sew a Medium C triangle to a Dark C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 4¼″ (3¾″ finished).
- Make 2 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 4¼″ (3¾″ finished).
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit: Dark and Background
Sew a Dark C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 4¼″ (3¾″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 8″ × 2″
Sew 5 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ × 2″ (7½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″ × 4¼″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ × 4¼″ (7½″ × 3¾″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″ × 4¼″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ × 4¼″ (7½″ × 3¾″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ (7½″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 2 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 10 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit: Medium and Dark
Sew a Medium C triangle to a Dark C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 5½″ (5″ finished).
- Make 2 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 5½″ (5″ finished).
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit: Dark and Background
Sew a Dark C triangle to a Background C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 5½″ (5″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 10½″ × 2½″
Sew 5 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ × 2½″ (10″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″ × 5½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ × 5½″ (10″ × 5″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″ × 5½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ × 5½″ (10″ × 5″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ (10″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 2 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 2 rows. Press the seams in row 1 to the left, row 2 to the right, and so on, so they nest when the rows are joined.
- Join the rows
Join the 2 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
More like this: Basket quilt blocks · Nine-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 12 × 12 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 15″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 4 sections (A, B, C and D), each sewn on its own paper in order and then joined with straight seams. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 29 pieces in 3 different shapes and 11 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.