Quilt block · Pinwheels · Intermediate
Crossed Square quilt block
Rectangles make a cross round a plain center square, and in each corner a square within a frame within a frame is cut corner to corner, the striped halves turning round the block.
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 center square, 4 frame pieces and 4 triangles
- E1 square 1¾″then cut with template E
- A4 rectangles 3″ × 1½″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 1½″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 frame pieces and 4 triangles
- A4 rectangles 3″ × 1½″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 1½″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 frame pieces
- B8 rectangles 2⅛″ × 1⅛″then cut with template B
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 rectangles
- D4 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Crossed Square cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ⁹⁄₁₀″, 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
1 center square, 4 frame pieces and 4 triangles
- E1 square 2⅜″then cut with template E
- C4 squares 2″then cut with template C
- A4 rectangles 4¼″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 frame pieces and 4 triangles
- C4 squares 2″then cut with template C
- A4 rectangles 4¼″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 frame pieces
- B8 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1½″then cut with template B
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 rectangles
- D4 rectangles 4⅛″ × 2⅜″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Crossed Square cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1⁷⁄₂₀″, 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
1 center square, 4 frame pieces and 4 triangles
- E1 square 3″then cut with template E
- A4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 2⅜″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 frame pieces and 4 triangles
- A4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 2⅜″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 frame pieces
- B8 rectangles 3⅝″ × 1¾″then cut with template B
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 rectangles
- D4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 3″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Crossed Square cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1⁴⁄₅″, 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 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece, a Medium B piece and a Dark C piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark A piece, a Medium B piece and a Background C piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece, a Medium B piece and a Dark C piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark A piece, a Medium B piece and a Background C piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece, a Medium B piece and a Dark C piece together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark A piece, a Medium B piece and a Background C piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam 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).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
On its 20 × 20 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 9 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I), 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 5 different shapes and 12 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.