Quilt block · Stars · Intermediate
New York Beauty Unit quilt block
Eight sharp spikes open from one corner over a curved band, a quarter-circle hub over their feet: the arc a New York Beauty is made of four of.
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
- 1 square 6½″the fans are appliquéd to these
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 spikes
- W8 rectangles 1″ × ⅞″then cut with template W
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
The band behind the spikes
- A1 square 5″then cut with template A
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The hub
- B1 quarter circle, 2¼″ radiusappliqué: 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 New York Beauty Unit’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
- 1 square 9½″the fans are appliquéd to these
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 spikes
- W8 rectangles 1¼″ × 1″then cut with template W
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
The band behind the spikes
- A1 square 7¼″then cut with template A
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The hub
- B1 quarter circle, 3⅜″ radiusappliqué: 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 New York Beauty Unit’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
- 1 square 12½″the fans are appliquéd to these
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 spikes
- W8 rectangles 1½″ × 1⅛″then cut with template W
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
The band behind the spikes
- A1 square 9½″then cut with template A
Accent · Apricot in the picture
The hub
- B1 quarter circle, 4½″ radiusappliqué: 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 New York Beauty Unit’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 the blades together
Sew them side by side in the order the block shows, from the wide end to the narrow. Press the seams one way.
- Appliqué the fan to the square
Turn under the fan’s top edge, lay it in the square’s corner with its sides on the square’s edges, and stitch the top edge down by hand or with a small machine blind hem.
- Appliqué the hub over the blades’ narrow ends
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 the blades together
Sew them side by side in the order the block shows, from the wide end to the narrow. Press the seams one way.
- Appliqué the fan to the square
Turn under the fan’s top edge, lay it in the square’s corner with its sides on the square’s edges, and stitch the top edge down by hand or with a small machine blind hem.
- Appliqué the hub over the blades’ narrow ends
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 the blades together
Sew them side by side in the order the block shows, from the wide end to the narrow. Press the seams one way.
- Appliqué the fan to the square
Turn under the fan’s top edge, lay it in the square’s corner with its sides on the square’s edges, and stitch the top edge down by hand or with a small machine blind hem.
- Appliqué the hub over the blades’ narrow ends
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
What size should I make it?
Plates, fans and compasses are big blocks. Its blades cut with a wedge ruler on the ⅛″ marks at 10″, 15″ and 20″. The circle in the middle is appliquéd, from a template at any size.
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: 11 pieces in 3 different shapes and curved seams. Take it slowly and check each piece against the list. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.