Quilt block · Eight-point · Intermediate
Kaleidoscope quilt block
Eight 45° wedges meet in the middle, dark and light by turns, and a triangle in each corner squares it up. Set side by side, the corners make circles.
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.
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 wedges
- A4 45° wedges 3½″a 45° kaleidoscope ruler, turned each cut: 27 a strip
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 wedges
- A4 45° wedges 3½″as for Dark
Accent · Apricot in the picture
4 corner triangles
- B2 squares 3¼″cut once on the diagonal: the corners, a little large
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.
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 wedges
- A4 45° wedges 5″a 45° kaleidoscope ruler, turned each cut: 19 a strip
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 wedges
- A4 45° wedges 5″as for Dark
Accent · Apricot in the picture
4 corner triangles
- B2 squares 4⅛″cut once on the diagonal: the corners, a little large
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.
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 wedges
- A4 45° wedges 6½″a 45° kaleidoscope ruler, turned each cut: 14 a strip
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 wedges
- A4 45° wedges 6½″as for Dark
Accent · Apricot in the picture
4 corner triangles
- B2 squares 5″cut once on the diagonal: the corners, a little large
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 wedges in pairs, then the pairs in halves, then the halves together
Match the points at the center, and press the seams round it in one direction.
- Add the corners, then trim the block to 6½″
Sew a corner to each side across a corner. They’re cut large: trim ¼″ beyond the wedges’ points, 6½″ from raw edge to raw edge.
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the wedges in pairs, then the pairs in halves, then the halves together
Match the points at the center, and press the seams round it in one direction.
- Add the corners, then trim the block to 9½″
Sew a corner to each side across a corner. They’re cut large: trim ¼″ beyond the wedges’ points, 9½″ from raw edge to raw edge.
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew the wedges in pairs, then the pairs in halves, then the halves together
Match the points at the center, and press the seams round it in one direction.
- Add the corners, then trim the block to 12½″
Sew a corner to each side across a corner. They’re cut large: trim ¼″ beyond the wedges’ points, 12½″ from raw edge to raw edge.
Blocks like it
More like this: Eight-point quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its wedges and strips cut from strips with a 45° ruler on the ⅛″ marks at 4″, 6″, 7″, 8″, 9″, 10″, 12″, 14″, 15″, 16″ and 18″. At other sizes they’re cut from templates.
Can I paper piece it?
Kaleidoscope’s wedges each sew in a straight line of seams, so quilters often piece them on papers, one wedge to a paper, then sew the wedges in pairs and halves.
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 12 pieces in 2 different shapes, pieces cut on the bias off the square grid and 1 point to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.