Quilt block · Five-patch · Advanced
Dutch Mill quilt block
Eight dark blades fan out from a small light center like the sails of a windmill, with a light square in each corner.
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, 8 triangles and 1 center square
- E4 rectangles 3⅝″ × 3″then cut with template E
- F1 square 2″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 1⅝″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
12 blades
- D4 squares 2½″then cut with template D
- B8 rectangles 1¾″ × 1⅝″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Dutch Mill cuts cleanly at 5″ or 10″. At 6″ its squares 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
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, 8 triangles and 1 center square
- E4 rectangles 5⅛″ × 4⅛″then cut with template E
- F1 square 2⅝″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 2⅛″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
12 blades
- D4 squares 3⅜″then cut with template D
- B8 rectangles 2⅜″ × 2⅛″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Dutch Mill cuts cleanly at 5″ or 10″. At 9″ its squares 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
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, 8 triangles and 1 center square
- E4 rectangles 6⅝″ × 5⅜″then cut with template E
- F1 square 3⅛″then cut with template F
- A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
- C4 squares 2¾″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
12 blades
- D4 squares 4¼″then cut with template D
- B8 rectangles 3″ × 2¾″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Dutch Mill cuts cleanly at 10″ or 15″. At 12″ its squares are 2²⁄₅″, 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.
- Sew the set-in seams
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the set-in seams
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the set-in seams
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
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 40 × 40 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10″ or 15″.
Can I paper piece it?
Not as drawn: it has set-in (Y) seams, where three seams meet and none runs straight through. Piece it with a rotary cutter and templates instead, as the cutting list above does.
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an advanced block: 25 pieces in 6 different shapes, set-in (Y) seams 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.