Quilt block · Five-patch · Intermediate
Minnesota quilt block
Four hourglass corners frame long diamonds on each side that point to a small dark center diamond.
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
28 triangles
- A8 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A
- C16 rectangles 1¾″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
- E4 squares 1¼″then cut with template E
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 triangles and 1 center diamond
- D1 square 2″then cut with template D
- A8 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 long diamonds
- B4 rectangles 3″ × 1⅞″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Minnesota cuts cleanly at 5″ or 7½″. At 6″ 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
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
28 triangles
- A8 rectangles 4¼″ × 2½″then cut with template A
- C16 rectangles 2⅜″ × 1½″then cut with template C
- E4 squares 1½″then cut with template E
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 triangles and 1 center diamond
- D1 square 2⅝″then cut with template D
- A8 rectangles 4¼″ × 2½″then cut with template A
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 long diamonds
- B4 rectangles 4⅛″ × 2⅜″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Minnesota cuts cleanly at 7½″ or 10″. At 9″ its quarter-square triangles' long sides are 3³⁄₅″, 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
28 triangles
- A8 rectangles 5½″ × 3⅛″then cut with template A
- C16 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template C
- E4 squares 1¾″then cut with template E
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 triangles and 1 center diamond
- A8 rectangles 5½″ × 3⅛″then cut with template A
- D1 square 3⅛″then cut with template D
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 long diamonds
- B4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 3″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Minnesota cuts cleanly at 10″ or 12½″. At 12″ its quarter-square triangles' long sides are 4⁴⁄₅″, 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.
- Make 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Dark A and Background A triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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. 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 Background C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background 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 into 3 rows
Lay out the units 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 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Dark A and Background A triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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. 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 Background C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background 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 into 3 rows
Lay out the units 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 4 quarter-square triangle units
Sew the Dark A and Background A triangles together in pairs along a short edge, then join the pairs, matching the seams at the center. Press the last seam open. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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. 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 Background C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background 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 into 3 rows
Lay out the units 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 9 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H and I), 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: 41 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.