Quilt block · Nine-patch · Beginner
London Roads quilt block
Four arrows run round a plain center square, each a triangle head on a strip, all going the same way.
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
8 triangles, 8 strips and 1 center square
- B1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A2 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D1 square 2½″
- C8 rectangles 2½″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 2½″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 2½″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 2½″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
Accent · Apricot in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 2½″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
Between the lines. London Roads cuts cleanly at 4½″ or 9″. At 6″ its rectangles are ⅔″ wide, 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
8 triangles, 8 strips and 1 center square
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D1 square 3½″
- C8 rectangles 3½″ × 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 3½″ × 1½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 3½″ × 1½″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 3½″ × 1½″
Accent · Apricot in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 3½″ × 1½″
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
8 triangles, 8 strips and 1 center square
- B1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A2 squares 4⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D1 square 4½″
- C8 rectangles 4½″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 4½″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 4½″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 4½″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
Accent · Apricot in the picture
1 arrowhead and 1 shaft
- B1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 rectangle 4½″ × 1⅞″then cut with template C
Between the lines. London Roads cuts cleanly at 9″ or 13½″. At 12″ its rectangles are 1⅓″ wide, 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.
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Dark
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Dark
Sew the Background C and Dark C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Medium
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Accent
Sew the Background C and Accent C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Accent. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Medium
Sew the Background C and Medium C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Accent
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Light
Sew the Background C and Light C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Light. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Light
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- 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.
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Dark
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Dark
Sew the Background C and Dark C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Medium
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Accent
Sew the Background C and Accent C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Accent. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Medium
Sew the Background C and Medium C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Accent
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Light
Sew the Background C and Light C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Light. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Light
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- 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.
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Dark
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Dark
Sew the Background C and Dark C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Medium
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Accent
Sew the Background C and Accent C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Accent. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Medium
Sew the Background C and Medium C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Accent
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 rail unit: Background and Light
Sew the Background C and Light C rectangles together along their long edges. Press toward the Light. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 three-triangle unit: Background and Light
Sew the two small triangles together along a short edge, then sew them to the large triangle, matching the point to the middle of its long edge. Press toward the large triangle. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- 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?
At 9″ every piece measures with a ruler. On its 36 × 36 grid, 6″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 9″ or 13½″.
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: 25 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.