Quilt block · Stars · Intermediate
Mariner’s Compass quilt block
Sixteen points, four long, four middle and eight short, each split down its middle, pieced into a circle with the background between them and appliquéd to a square, with a circle over the middle. Also called Compass, Compass Rose and Sunburst.
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
The square and 4 pieces between the points
- 1 square 6½″the compasses are appliquéd to these
- A4 squares 3¼″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 halves of the long points
- B4 rectangles 3⅜″ × 1″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 halves of the middle points
- E4 squares 2¼″then cut with template E
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
16 halves, one of each point
- E4 squares 2¼″then cut with template E
- D4 rectangles 2¼″ × 1¼″then cut with template D
- B4 rectangles 3⅜″ × 1″then cut with template B
- C4 rectangles 1″ × ⅞″then cut with template C
Accent · Apricot in the picture
8 halves of the short points and the circle
- D4 rectangles 2¼″ × 1¼″then cut with template D
- C4 rectangles 1″ × ⅞″then cut with template C
- F1 circle, about 2½″appliqué: from the template, with your turn-under
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 Mariner’s Compass’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
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
The square and 4 pieces between the points
- 1 square 9½″the compasses are appliquéd to these
- A4 squares 4⅝″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 halves of the long points
- B4 rectangles 4⅝″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 halves of the middle points
- E4 squares 3″then cut with template E
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
16 halves, one of each point
- E4 squares 3″then cut with template E
- D4 rectangles 3″ × 1⅝″then cut with template D
- B4 rectangles 4⅝″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
- C4 rectangles 1¼″ × ⅞″then cut with template C
Accent · Apricot in the picture
8 halves of the short points and the circle
- D4 rectangles 3″ × 1⅝″then cut with template D
- C4 rectangles 1¼″ × ⅞″then cut with template C
- F1 circle, about 3¾″appliqué: from the template, with your turn-under
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 Mariner’s Compass’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
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
The square and 4 pieces between the points
- 1 square 12½″the compasses are appliquéd to these
- A4 squares 6″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 halves of the long points
- B4 rectangles 6″ × 1½″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 halves of the middle points
- E4 squares 3¾″then cut with template E
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
16 halves, one of each point
- E4 squares 3¾″then cut with template E
- D4 rectangles 3¾″ × 1⅞″then cut with template D
- B4 rectangles 6″ × 1½″then cut with template B
- C4 rectangles 1⅜″ × 1″then cut with template C
Accent · Apricot in the picture
8 halves of the short points and the circle
- D4 rectangles 3¾″ × 1⅞″then cut with template D
- C4 rectangles 1⅜″ × 1″then cut with template C
- F1 circle, about 5″appliqué: from the template, with your turn-under
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 Mariner’s Compass’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 6″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew each point’s two halves together
Match the points’ tips and sew from the tip to the centre. Press the seams toward the darker half.
- Sew the points and the background into the circle
Set the short points between the middle ones, then the long ones over both, sewing each seam from the centre out. Then add the background pieces between the long points.
- Appliqué the circle to the square
Fold the square in quarters and crease it to find its middle. Turn under the circle’s edge, centre it, pin and stitch it down.
- Appliqué the circle over the middle
Trace its template on the wrong side, cut it with your turn-under round it, turn the edge under on the line, and stitch it down over the raw ends.
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew each point’s two halves together
Match the points’ tips and sew from the tip to the centre. Press the seams toward the darker half.
- Sew the points and the background into the circle
Set the short points between the middle ones, then the long ones over both, sewing each seam from the centre out. Then add the background pieces between the long points.
- Appliqué the circle to the square
Fold the square in quarters and crease it to find its middle. Turn under the circle’s edge, centre it, pin and stitch it down.
- Appliqué the circle over the middle
Trace its template on the wrong side, cut it with your turn-under round it, turn the edge under on the line, and stitch it down over the raw ends.
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Sew each point’s two halves together
Match the points’ tips and sew from the tip to the centre. Press the seams toward the darker half.
- Sew the points and the background into the circle
Set the short points between the middle ones, then the long ones over both, sewing each seam from the centre out. Then add the background pieces between the long points.
- Appliqué the circle to the square
Fold the square in quarters and crease it to find its middle. Turn under the circle’s edge, centre it, pin and stitch it down.
- Appliqué the circle over the middle
Trace its template on the wrong side, cut it with your turn-under round it, turn the edge under on the line, and stitch it down over the raw ends.
Blocks like it
More like this: Star quilt blocks · Plate, fan and compass quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
Is Mariner’s Compass the same block as Compass?
Usually, yes. Block names vary by region and by book, and the same block is often sold under several. Our library lists Compass, Compass Rose and Sunburst as other names for this one, so a search for any of them finds it.
What size should I make it?
Its pieces are cut from templates at any size, so make it the size your quilt needs. Plates, fans and compasses look their best as big blocks.
Can I paper piece it?
Its blades sew side by side into a ring, and the circle in the middle is appliquéd over their ends, so it’s pieced and appliquéd rather than sewn on a paper.
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an intermediate block: 38 pieces in 6 different shapes, curved seams and 51 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.