Quilt block · Stars · Beginner

King’s Crown quilt block

A four-patch star: a flying-geese unit on each side, a dark square in each corner, and an accent square on point in the center.

FamilyFour-patch
Grid4 × 4
Units4 flying geese, 1 square-in-a-square, 4 squares
Pieces21

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 small triangles

  • A4 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
¼ yd

Dark · Navy in the picture

4 corners

  • B4 squares 3½″
¼ yd

Medium · Denim in the picture

4 geese and 4 triangles round the center

  • A1 square 7¼″cut twice on the diagonals
  • D2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
⅝ yd

Accent · Apricot in the picture

The center square

  • C1 square 6¾″then cut with template C
⅜ yd

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 King’s Crown’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 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.

  1. Make 4 flying geese units

    Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 6½″ × 3½″ (6″ × 3″ finished).

  2. Make 1 square-in-a-square unit

    Sew triangles to two opposite sides of the center square and press out; then to the other two sides, and press out. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).

  3. Sew the units and pieces into 3 rows

    Lay out the units and pieces 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.

  4. 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: Star quilt blocks · 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?

Its 4 × 4 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 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ 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 3 sections (A, B and C), 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 a good block for a beginner: 21 pieces in 4 different shapes and 8 points to match. Nothing in it curves or has to be set in. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.

Design with King’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