Quilt block · Four-patch · Intermediate
Indian Design quilt block
Trapezoids and half-square triangles in bands across the diagonal, stepping like a woven design.
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
16 triangles
- E2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A6 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 rectangle, 2 triangles and 4 trapezoids
- D1 square 6¾″then cut with template D
- C2 squares 4″then cut with template C
- B2 squares 2⅞″then cut with template B
- A1 square 2″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 Indian Design’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
16 triangles
- E2 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A12 squares 2¼″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 rectangle, 2 triangles and 4 trapezoids
- D1 square 9¾″then cut with template D
- C2 squares 5⅝″then cut with template C
- B2 squares 4″then cut with template B
- A2 squares 2¼″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Indian Design cuts cleanly at 8″ or 10″. At 9″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1¹¹⁄₁₆″, 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
16 triangles
- E2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A6 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 rectangle, 2 triangles and 4 trapezoids
- D1 square 12¾″then cut with template D
- C2 squares 7⅜″then cut with template C
- B2 squares 5⅛″then cut with template B
- A1 square 3⅛″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 Indian Design’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.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark A triangle to a Background A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1⅝″ (1⅛″ finished).
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 A triangle across each corner in turn, 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 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, 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 E triangle across each corner in turn, 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 a corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 a corner triangle
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark A triangle to a Background A 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.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 A triangle across each corner in turn, 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 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, 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 E triangle across each corner in turn, 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 a corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 a corner triangle
Sew the Dark A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark A triangle to a Background A triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 A triangle across each corner in turn, 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 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, 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 E triangle across each corner in turn, 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 a corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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?
At 6″ and 12″ every piece measures with a ruler. On its 16 × 16 grid, 9″ puts some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 8″ or 10″.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 2 sections (A and B), 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: 23 pieces in 5 different shapes and 10 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.