Quilt block · Nine-patch · Intermediate
Pieced Tulips quilt block
Four tulips, each a square with two half-square triangle leaves and a small dark square, turn out from a sashing cross with a dark centre square.
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
4 corner rectangles, 4 squares, 8 triangles and 4 sashing strips
- C8 squares 2″then cut with template C
- E4 rectangles 3¼″ × 1¼″then cut with template E
- A4 rectangles 1⅞″ × 1¼″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
5 small squares
- B5 squares 1¼″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 squares and 8 triangles
- C8 squares 2″then cut with template C
- D4 squares 1⅞″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Pieced Tulips cuts cleanly at 4½″ or 9″. At 6″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 1⅓″, 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
4 corner rectangles, 4 squares, 8 triangles and 4 sashing strips
- C4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- E4 rectangles 4½″ × 1½″
- A4 rectangles 2½″ × 1½″
- B4 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
5 small squares
- B5 squares 1½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 squares and 8 triangles
- C4 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D4 squares 2½″
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
4 corner rectangles, 4 squares, 8 triangles and 4 sashing strips
- C8 squares 3¼″then cut with template C
- E4 rectangles 5⅞″ × 1⅞″then cut with template E
- A4 rectangles 3¼″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A
- B4 squares 1⅞″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
5 small squares
- B5 squares 1⅞″then cut with template B
Medium · Denim in the picture
4 squares and 8 triangles
- C8 squares 3¼″then cut with template C
- D4 squares 3¼″then cut with template D
Between the lines. Pieced Tulips cuts cleanly at 9″ or 13½″. At 12″ its half-square triangles' short sides are 2⅔″, 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 B piece and a Dark B piece together in a row. 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.
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background C triangle to a Medium C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. 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 Background A piece and a section together in a column. 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Medium D 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections 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.
- 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.
- Make 4 sections, 2½″ × 1½″
Sew a Background B square and a Dark B square together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2½″ × 1½″ (2″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background C triangle to a Medium C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2½″
Sew a Background A rectangle and a section together in a column. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″ × 2½″
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Medium D square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″ × 2½″
Sew a section and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 4½″ × 2½″ (4″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 4½″
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side. 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 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a Background B piece and a Dark B piece together in a row. 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.
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Background C triangle to a Medium C triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Medium. 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 Background A piece and a section together in a column. 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a half-square triangle unit and a Medium D 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew a section and a half-square triangle unit together in a row. 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.
- Make 4 sections
Sew 2 sections 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.
- 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).
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
At 9″ every piece measures with a ruler. On its 9 × 9 grid, 6″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 9″ or 13½″.
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: 37 pieces in 5 different shapes and 8 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.