Quilt block · Nine-patch · Intermediate
Old Snowflake quilt block
A plain center square with hourglass units at the sides and a diagonal strip across each corner.
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
16 triangles
- A2 squares 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- D4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 center square, 4 strips and 8 triangles
- A2 squares 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 2½″
- B4 squares 2½″then cut with template B
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 Old Snowflake’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
16 triangles
- A2 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- D4 squares 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 center square, 4 strips and 8 triangles
- A2 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 3½″
- B4 squares 3½″then cut with template B
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 Old Snowflake’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
16 triangles
- A2 squares 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- D4 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
1 center square, 4 strips and 8 triangles
- A2 squares 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 4½″
- B4 squares 4½″then cut with template B
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 Old Snowflake’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.
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- 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 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- 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. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Add 4 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- 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: Nine-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 12 × 12 grid lands on the ⅛″ marks at 6″, 9″ and 12″, so every piece measures with a ruler at all three. It also cuts cleanly at 15″ and 18″. In Quarter Inch you can make it any size, and it says when a cut falls between the lines.
Can I paper piece it?
Yes. It splits into 5 sections (A, B, C, D and E), 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 4 different shapes and 16 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.