Quilt block · Five-patch · Advanced
Fort Sumter quilt block
A ten-by-ten: a dark ground with a light square on point, and medium and dark squares inside it like a fort.
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
24 squares and 20 triangles
- B20 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- A24 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
44 squares and 12 triangles
- B12 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- A44 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 squares and 8 triangles
- B8 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
- A12 squares 1⅛″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Fort Sumter cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its squares 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
24 squares and 20 triangles
- A24 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- B20 squares 1½″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
44 squares and 12 triangles
- A44 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- B12 squares 1½″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 squares and 8 triangles
- A12 squares 1½″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1½″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Fort Sumter cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its squares 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
24 squares and 20 triangles
- A24 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B20 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
44 squares and 12 triangles
- A44 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B12 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 squares and 8 triangles
- A12 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Fort Sumter cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ 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
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 Medium B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 12 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. 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 10 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 10 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 10 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 Medium B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 12 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. 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 10 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 10 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 10 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 Medium B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 12 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. 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 10 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 10 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 10 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: 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 10 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J), 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 advanced block: 120 pieces in 2 different shapes and 16 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.