Quilt block · Five-patch · Intermediate
Mare’s Nest quilt block
Four large dark triangles point to a center square between strips of folded-corner squares, with print squares and half-square triangles in the corners.
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
26 triangles
- B10 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
- D16 squares 1¼″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 large triangles
- C4 squares 3″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 squares with folded corners
- E8 squares 1¾″then cut with template E
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
2 corner squares and 2 triangles
- A2 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B2 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The center square
- A1 square 1¾″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Mare’s Nest cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ³⁄₅″, 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
26 triangles
- B10 squares 2⅜″then cut with template B
- D16 squares 1½″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 large triangles
- C4 squares 4¼″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 squares with folded corners
- E8 squares 2⅜″then cut with template E
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
2 corner squares and 2 triangles
- A2 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- B2 squares 2⅜″then cut with template B
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The center square
- A1 square 2⅜″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Mare’s Nest cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its half-square triangles' short sides are ⁹⁄₁₀″, 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
26 triangles
- B10 squares 3″then cut with template B
- D16 squares 1¾″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 large triangles
- C4 squares 5⅜″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
8 squares with folded corners
- E8 squares 3″then cut with template E
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
2 corner squares and 2 triangles
- A2 squares 3″then cut with template A
- B2 squares 3″then cut with template B
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The center square
- A1 square 3″then cut with template A
Between the lines. Mare’s Nest 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 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 half-square triangle units
Sew a Light B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Light. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D 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.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections 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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C 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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 half-square triangle units
Sew a Light B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Light. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D 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.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections 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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C 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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 2 half-square triangle units
Sew a Light B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Light. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D 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.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections 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 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark C 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).
Blocks like it
More like this: 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 intermediate block: 43 pieces in 5 different shapes and 28 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.