Quilt block · Five-patch · Intermediate
Mother’s Own quilt block
Four corner units of two squares and a rectangle, four background bars with pointed ends and a centre square whose corners make a cross.
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 center square, 4 squares and 4 bars
- E1 square 2″then cut with template E
- C4 rectangles 3⅛″ × 1¾″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares, 4 rectangles and 12 triangles
- B4 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- D12 squares 1¼″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Mother’s Own 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
The center square, 4 squares and 4 bars
- E1 square 2⅝″then cut with template E
- C4 rectangles 4¼″ × 2⅜″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares, 4 rectangles and 12 triangles
- B4 rectangles 4⅛″ × 2⅜″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- D12 squares 1½″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Mother’s Own 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
The center square, 4 squares and 4 bars
- E1 square 3⅛″then cut with template E
- C4 rectangles 5½″ × 3″then cut with template C
- A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares, 4 rectangles and 12 triangles
- B4 rectangles 5⅜″ × 3″then cut with template B
- A4 squares 3″then cut with template A
- D12 squares 1¾″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Mother’s Own 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background A piece and a Dark A 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section and a Dark B piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. 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 Dark 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.
- 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 sections
Sew a Background A piece and a Dark A 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section and a Dark B piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. 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 Dark 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.
- 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 sections
Sew a Background A piece and a Dark A 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section and a Dark B piece together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. 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 Dark 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.
- 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: 29 pieces in 5 different shapes and 12 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.