Quilt block · Four-patch · Advanced
Cross in a Cross quilt block
An eight-by-eight of squares and half-square triangle units: a light cross in the middle, crossed by dark diagonals, with a medium square in each arm.
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
24 squares and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- A24 squares 1¼″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 squares and 16 triangles
- B8 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 squares 1¼″
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 squares and 8 triangles
- C4 squares 2″
- B4 squares 1⅝″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
24 squares and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- A24 squares 1⅝″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 squares and 16 triangles
- B8 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 squares 1⅝″
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 squares and 8 triangles
- C4 squares 2¾″
- B4 squares 2″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
24 squares and 8 triangles
- B4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A24 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 squares and 16 triangles
- B8 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A8 squares 2″
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 squares and 8 triangles
- C4 squares 3½″
- B4 squares 2⅜″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 8 sections, 2″ × 1¼″
Sew a Background A square and a Dark A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 1¼″ (1½″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units: Dark and Medium
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Medium B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1¼″ (¾″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units: Dark and Background
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1¼″ (¾″ finished).
- Make 1 four-patch unit
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2″ × 1¼″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 1¼″ (1½″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 2″ × 1¼″
Sew a Background A square and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2″ × 1¼″ (1½″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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 5 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 8 sections, 2¾″ × 1⅝″
Sew a Background A square and a Dark A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2¾″ × 1⅝″ (2¼″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units: Dark and Medium
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Medium B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1⅝″ (1⅛″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units: Dark and Background
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1⅝″ (1⅛″ finished).
- Make 1 four-patch unit
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2¾″ × 1⅝″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2¾″ × 1⅝″ (2¼″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 2¾″ × 1⅝″
Sew a Background A square and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2¾″ × 1⅝″ (2¼″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2¾″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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 5 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 8 sections, 3½″ × 2″
Sew a Background A square and a Dark A square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units: Dark and Medium
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Medium B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units: Dark and Background
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 four-patch unit
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″ × 2″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 3½″ × 2″
Sew a Background A square and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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 5 rows, matching and nesting the seams where they meet. Press the long seams open or to one side. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 8 × 8 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 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ 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 14 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M and N), 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: 68 pieces in 3 different shapes and 12 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.