Quilt block · Checks and chains · Intermediate
Rocky Mountain Chain quilt block
Squares and squares on point linked in a chain, with half-square triangle units in the corners.
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
8 rectangles and 24 triangles
- B8 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
- D16 squares 1¼″then cut with template D
- C8 rectangles 1¾″ × 1⅛″then cut with template C
Dark · Navy in the picture
13 squares and 8 triangles
- E4 squares 2″then cut with template E
- A9 squares 1¾″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 1¾″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Rocky Mountain Chain 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
8 rectangles and 24 triangles
- B8 squares 2⅜″then cut with template B
- C8 rectangles 2⅜″ × 1½″then cut with template C
- D16 squares 1½″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
13 squares and 8 triangles
- E4 squares 2⅝″then cut with template E
- A9 squares 2⅜″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 2⅜″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Rocky Mountain Chain 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
8 rectangles and 24 triangles
- B8 squares 3″then cut with template B
- C8 rectangles 3″ × 1¾″then cut with template C
- D16 squares 1¾″then cut with template D
Dark · Navy in the picture
13 squares and 8 triangles
- E4 squares 3⅛″then cut with template E
- A9 squares 3″then cut with template A
- B8 squares 3″then cut with template B
Between the lines. Rocky Mountain Chain 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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 square-in-a-square units
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 8 sections
Sew a Dark A piece and a half-square triangle unit 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 2 Background C pieces and a square-in-a-square unit 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 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 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 square-in-a-square units
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 8 sections
Sew a Dark A piece and a half-square triangle unit 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 2 Background C pieces and a square-in-a-square unit 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 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 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 8 half-square triangle units
Sew a Dark B triangle to a Background B triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Its size isn’t on the ⅛″ ruler at this block size, so sew it as cut and don’t trim it.
- Make 4 square-in-a-square units
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 8 sections
Sew a Dark A piece and a half-square triangle unit 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 2 Background C pieces and a square-in-a-square unit 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 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).
Blocks like it
Single Chain and KnotFive-patch · Checks and chains
Ozark TrailFive-patch · Checks and chains
Federal ChainFive-patch · Checks and chains
Johnny Round the CornerFive-patch · Checks and chains
More like this: Checks and chains quilt blocks · 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 12 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L), 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: 53 pieces in 5 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.