Quilt block · Stars · Intermediate
Ladies’ Delight quilt block
A cross of squares with a dark center, and in each corner a square on point holding a dark triangle between two bright ones.
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
12 triangles
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B8 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 triangles and 1 center square
- D4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template D
- E1 square 1¾″then cut with template E
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 triangles and 4 squares
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- E4 squares 1¾″then cut with template E
- B8 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 squares
- E4 squares 1¾″then cut with template E
Accent · Apricot in the picture
8 triangles
- C8 rectangles 2½″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
Between the lines. Ladies’ Delight cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its quarter-square triangles' long 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
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
12 triangles
- A4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- B8 rectangles 2½″ × 1⅝″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 triangles and 1 center square
- D4 squares 3⅜″then cut with template D
- E1 square 2⅜″then cut with template E
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 triangles and 4 squares
- A4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- E4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template E
- B8 rectangles 2½″ × 1⅝″then cut with template B
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 squares
- E4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template E
Accent · Apricot in the picture
8 triangles
- C8 rectangles 3⅜″ × 2½″then cut with template C
Between the lines. Ladies’ Delight cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its quarter-square triangles' long sides are 1⁴⁄₅″, 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
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
12 triangles
- A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
- B8 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 triangles and 1 center square
- D4 squares 4¼″then cut with template D
- E1 square 3″then cut with template E
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 triangles and 4 squares
- A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
- E4 squares 3″then cut with template E
- B8 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template B
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
4 squares
- E4 squares 3″then cut with template E
Accent · Apricot in the picture
8 triangles
- C8 rectangles 4¼″ × 3⅛″then cut with template C
Between the lines. Ladies’ Delight cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its quarter-square triangles' long sides are 2²⁄₅″, 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 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Medium E piece and a Light E piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Accent C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium A 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Medium E piece and a Light E piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Accent C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium A 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Medium B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Medium E piece and a Light E piece together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Accent C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Medium A 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.
- 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.
- 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).
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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 11 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K), 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: 45 pieces in 5 different shapes and 20 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.