Quilt block · Five-patch · Advanced
Four Squares quilt block
A square on point in the center with four parallelograms round it, and triangles filling out the corners.
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
8 triangles
- C4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template C
- B4 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 square and 8 parallelograms
- D1 square 4⅜″then cut with template D
- A8 rectangles 3⅝″ × 1¾″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Four Squares cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its parallelograms are 1¹⁄₅″ wide, 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
8 triangles
- C4 squares 3¼″then cut with template C
- B4 rectangles 4¼″ × 2½″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 square and 8 parallelograms
- D1 square 6⅛″then cut with template D
- A8 rectangles 5⅛″ × 2⅜″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Four Squares cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its parallelograms are 1⁴⁄₅″ wide, 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
8 triangles
- C4 squares 4¼″then cut with template C
- B4 rectangles 5½″ × 3⅛″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 square and 8 parallelograms
- D1 square 8″then cut with template D
- A8 rectangles 6⅝″ × 3″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Four Squares cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its parallelograms are 2²⁄₅″ wide, 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, 4 times
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 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Join the halves
Sew the two halves together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam open. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the set-in seams, 4 times
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 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Join the halves
Sew the two halves together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam open. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the set-in seams, 4 times
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).
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Join the halves
Sew the two halves together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam open. 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?
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: 17 pieces in 4 different shapes, set-in (Y) seams and 8 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.