Quilt block · Nine-patch · Advanced
Grandmother’s Dream quilt block
Five squares on point sit in the corners and center, and between them four rectangles each run between two rows of small half-square triangles.
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
20 triangles and 32 small triangles
- A10 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C16 squares 1⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
32 small triangles
- C16 squares 1⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
5 squares on point and 4 rectangles
- B5 squares 2¾″then cut with template B
- D4 rectangles 2½″ × 1½″
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 Grandmother’s Dream’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
20 triangles and 32 small triangles
- A10 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C16 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
32 small triangles
- C16 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
5 squares on point and 4 rectangles
- B5 squares 3¾″then cut with template B
- D4 rectangles 3½″ × 2″
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 Grandmother’s Dream’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
20 triangles and 32 small triangles
- A10 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- C16 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
32 small triangles
- C16 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Medium · Denim in the picture
5 squares on point and 4 rectangles
- B5 squares 4¾″then cut with template B
- D4 rectangles 4½″ × 2½″
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 Grandmother’s Dream’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 5 square-in-a-square units
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 32 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background C triangle to a Dark C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1″ (½″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 1″ × 2½″
Sew 4 half-square triangle units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1″ × 2½″ (½″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew 2 sections and a Medium D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. 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 5 square-in-a-square units
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 32 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background C triangle to a Dark C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1¼″ (¾″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 1¼″ × 3½″
Sew 4 half-square triangle units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1¼″ × 3½″ (¾″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 sections and a Medium D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. 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 5 square-in-a-square units
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 32 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background C triangle to a Dark C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 8 sections, 1½″ × 4½″
Sew 4 half-square triangle units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1½″ × 4½″ (1″ × 4″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew 2 sections and a Medium D rectangle together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. 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 12 × 12 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 13 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L and M), 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: 93 pieces in 4 different shapes and 60 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.