Quilt block · Four-patch · First quilt
Economy quilt block
A center square framed twice: four triangles turn it on point, and four more square it up again.
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 triangles
- C2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 triangles round the center
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The center square
- A1 square 3½″
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 triangles
- C2 squares 5⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 triangles round the center
- B1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The center square
- A1 square 5″
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 triangles
- C2 squares 6⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 triangles round the center
- B1 square 7¼″cut twice on the diagonals
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The center square
- A1 square 6½″
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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
More like this: Four-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 4 × 4 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 sews on one paper, its pieces added in order. In Quarter Inch, the Foundations tab prints its papers at true size (with Quilter).
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s a first-quilt block: 9 pieces in 3 different shapes and 4 points to match. Nothing in it curves or has to be set in. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.