Quilt block · Five-patch · Intermediate
Duck and Ducklings quilt block
Four corner units, each a big dark triangle with small ducklings beside it, set with strips between and a dark 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
4 squares, 4 strips and 16 triangles
- E4 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template E
- C8 squares 1¾″then cut with template C
- B8 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
The center square, 4 squares, 4 large triangles and 8 small ones
- D4 squares 3″then cut with template D
- F1 square 1¾″then cut with template F
- B8 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Duck and Ducklings cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ³⁄₅″, 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
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 squares, 4 strips and 16 triangles
- E4 rectangles 4⅛″ × 2⅜″then cut with template E
- C8 squares 2⅜″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1½″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
The center square, 4 squares, 4 large triangles and 8 small ones
- D4 squares 4¼″then cut with template D
- F1 square 2⅜″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1½″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Duck and Ducklings cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ 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 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 squares, 4 strips and 16 triangles
- E4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 3″then cut with template E
- C8 squares 3″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
The center square, 4 squares, 4 large triangles and 8 small ones
- D4 squares 5⅜″then cut with template D
- F1 square 3″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Duck and Ducklings cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1¹⁄₅″, 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark B piece, a section and a Background C piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark B piece, a section and a Background C piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Dark B piece, a section and a Background C piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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).
Blocks like it
Goose TracksFive-patch
Leap FrogFive-patch
Grandmother’s ChoiceFive-patch
The White Square QuiltFive-patch
More like this: Five-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 10 × 10 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: 41 pieces in 6 different shapes and 8 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.