Quilt block · Nine-patch · Intermediate
Folded Star quilt block
A square in a square in the center, a big quarter-square triangle unit on each side, and corners of half-square triangle units that fold round like little pinwheels.
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 side triangles and 12 corner triangles
- C2 squares 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B6 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 center square and 8 corner triangles
- D1 square 2¾″then cut with template D
- B4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 side triangles, 4 center corners and 4 corner triangles
- C2 squares 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B4 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
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 Folded Star’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, 8 side triangles and 12 corner triangles
- C2 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B6 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 center square and 8 corner triangles
- D1 square 3¾″then cut with template D
- B4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 side triangles, 4 center corners and 4 corner triangles
- C2 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
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 Folded Star’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, 8 side triangles and 12 corner triangles
- C2 squares 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B6 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 2½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 center square and 8 corner triangles
- D1 square 4¾″then cut with template D
- B4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 side triangles, 4 center corners and 4 corner triangles
- C2 squares 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- B4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
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 Folded Star’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 B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Background C and Medium C triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 2½″ (2″ 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 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″ × 1½″
Sew a Background A square and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Sew the units into 3 rows
Lay out the units 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 B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Background C and Medium C triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 3½″ (3″ 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 4 sections, 3½″ × 2″
Sew a Background A square and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″ × 2″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units into 3 rows
Lay out the units 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 B triangle to a Dark B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 half-square triangle units
Sew a Medium B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Background C and Medium C triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Each measures 4½″ (4″ 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 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″ × 2½″
Sew a Background A square and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 half-square triangle units together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Sew the units into 3 rows
Lay out the units 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
More like this: Nine-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 6 × 6 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 11 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K), 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: 49 pieces in 4 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.