Quilt block · Nine-patch · Intermediate
Double Square quilt block
A dark square on point in the center, framed by three rounds of strips, dark, light and dark, with a small half-square triangle unit or square at each corner of each round.
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
4 corner squares, 4 strips and 12 triangles
- G2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 1⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 4½″ × 1″
- B4 squares 1″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 strips, 8 triangles and 1 center square
- F1 square 3¾″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 1⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 5½″ × 1″
- E4 rectangles 3½″ × 1″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Double Square’s templates at true size with Quilter.
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
4 corner squares, 4 strips and 12 triangles
- G2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 6½″ × 1¼″
- B4 squares 1¼″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 strips, 8 triangles and 1 center square
- F1 square 5¼″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 8″ × 1¼″
- E4 rectangles 5″ × 1¼″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Double Square’s templates at true size with Quilter.
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
4 corner squares, 4 strips and 12 triangles
- G2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 rectangles 8½″ × 1½″
- B4 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 strips, 8 triangles and 1 center square
- F1 square 6¾″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C4 rectangles 10½″ × 1½″
- E4 rectangles 6½″ × 1½″
Templates. Pieces marked “cut with template” aren’t a shape a straight ruler cuts: cut the size given, then trim it to the template’s shape. Quarter Inch prints Double Square’s templates at true size with Quilter.
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 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background A triangle to a Dark A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1″ (½″ finished).
- Make 1 square-in-a-square unit
Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 5½″ × 1″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 5½″ × 1″ (5″ × ½″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 4½″ × 1″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Dark E rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 4½″ × 1″ (4″ × ½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 4½″ × 3½″
Sew 2 Dark E rectangles and a square-in-a-square unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 4½″ × 3½″ (4″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 4½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″ × 4½″
Sew 2 Background D rectangles and a section together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 5½″ × 4½″ (5″ × 4″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 5½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 5½″ (5″ finished).
- 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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background A triangle to a Dark A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1¼″ (¾″ finished).
- Make 1 square-in-a-square unit
Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 8″ × 1¼″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 8″ × 1¼″ (7½″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 6½″ × 1¼″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Dark E rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 1¼″ (6″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 6½″ × 5″
Sew 2 Dark E rectangles and a square-in-a-square unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 5″ (6″ × 4½″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 6½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″ × 6½″
Sew 2 Background D rectangles and a section together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 8″ × 6½″ (7½″ × 6″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8″ (7½″ finished).
- 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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background A triangle to a Dark A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 1 square-in-a-square unit
Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 10½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Background D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 10½″ × 1½″ (10″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 8½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units and a Dark E rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 8½″ × 1½″ (8″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8½″ × 6½″
Sew 2 Dark E rectangles and a square-in-a-square unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 8½″ × 6½″ (8″ × 6″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 8½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 8½″ (8″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″ × 8½″
Sew 2 Background D rectangles and a section together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 10½″ × 8½″ (10″ × 8″ finished).
- Make 1 section, 10½″
Sew 3 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 10½″ (10″ finished).
- 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?
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 7 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F and G), 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: 37 pieces in 7 different shapes and 20 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.