Quilt block · Stars · Advanced

King David’s Crown quilt block

A framed center square, with hourglass units and half-square triangle points round it like a crown.

FamilyFive-patch
Grid10 × 10
Units8 half-square triangles, 4 hourglass, 4 rails
Pieces61

What to cut for one block

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 squares, 4 rectangles and 20 triangles

  • A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
  • B12 squares 3″then cut with template B
  • C8 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
  • E4 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template E
  • F4 squares 1¾″then cut with template F
⅜ yd

Dark · Navy in the picture

1 square and 8 triangles

  • A1 square 3″then cut with template A
  • B8 squares 3″then cut with template B
¼ yd

Medium · Denim in the picture

4 rectangles and 16 triangles

  • C8 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
  • E4 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template E
  • D8 squares 1¾″then cut with template D
¼ yd

Between the lines. King David’s Crown cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides 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 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.

  1. Make 8 half-square triangle units

    Sew a Background B triangle to a Dark 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.

  2. Make 4 quarter-square triangle units

    Sew the Background C and Medium C triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.

  3. Add 4 corner triangles

    Sew the Medium D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.

  4. Make 4 rail units

    Sew the Medium E and Background E rectangles together 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.

  5. Add 4 corner triangles

    Sew the Medium D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.

  6. Add 4 corner triangles

    Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.

  7. Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows

    Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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.

  8. Join the rows

    Join the 5 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: Star quilt blocks · 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 12 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L), 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: 61 pieces in 6 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.

Design with King David’s Crown, free

Open it in Quarter Inch at any size, in a layout of your own and in your own colors.

Start designing free