Quilt block · Seven-patch · Advanced
California Oak Leaf quilt block
Four corner units, each a light square framed by strip-pieced light and dark rectangles with dark corner squares, sit around a sashing cross with a dark strip at each end of a light center square.
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
5 squares, 16 strips and 4 sashing strips
- C4 rectangles 2¾″ × 1⅜″then cut with template C
- A5 squares 1⅜″then cut with template A
- B16 rectangles 1⅜″ × 1″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
16 squares, 16 strips and 4 short strips
- A16 squares 1⅜″then cut with template A
- B20 rectangles 1⅜″ × 1″then cut with template B
Between the lines. California Oak Leaf cuts cleanly at 3½″ or 7″. At 6″ its rectangles are ³⁄₇″ wide, so they need templates.
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
5 squares, 16 strips and 4 sashing strips
- C4 rectangles 3¾″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
- A5 squares 1⅞″then cut with template A
- B16 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
16 squares, 16 strips and 4 short strips
- A16 squares 1⅞″then cut with template A
- B20 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
Between the lines. California Oak Leaf cuts cleanly at 7″ or 10½″. At 9″ its rectangles are ⁹⁄₁₄″ wide, so they need templates.
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
5 squares, 16 strips and 4 sashing strips
- C4 rectangles 4⅞″ × 2¼″then cut with template C
- A5 squares 2¼″then cut with template A
- B16 rectangles 2¼″ × 1⅜″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
16 squares, 16 strips and 4 short strips
- A16 squares 2¼″then cut with template A
- B20 rectangles 2¼″ × 1⅜″then cut with template B
Between the lines. California Oak Leaf cuts cleanly at 10½″ or 14″. At 12″ its rectangles are ⁶⁄₇″ wide, so they need templates.
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 16 rail units
Sew the Background B and Dark B rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background C piece and a Dark B piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 8 sections
Sew 2 Dark A pieces and a rail unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 rail units and a Background A piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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 3 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 16 rail units
Sew the Background B and Dark B rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background C piece and a Dark B piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 8 sections
Sew 2 Dark A pieces and a rail unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 rail units and a Background A piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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 3 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 16 rail units
Sew the Background B and Dark B rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background C piece and a Dark B piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 8 sections
Sew 2 Dark A pieces and a rail unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 rail units and a Background A piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 3 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 3 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: Seven-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
On its 14 × 14 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10½″ or 14″.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 15 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N and O), 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 advanced block: 61 pieces in 3 different shapes. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.