Quilt block · Four-patch · Advanced
Shady Pine quilt block
Rows of flying geese and squares meet in a center band of triangles round a diamond, mirrored top to bottom.
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 squares and 8 triangles
- D4 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- B8 squares 1¼″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 trapezoids and 28 triangles
- A12 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- D2 squares 1⅝″cut once on the diagonal
- C8 rectangles 2⅛″ × 1¼″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 squares, 12 triangles and 1 center diamond
- A3 squares 2¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 2¼″then cut with template E
- B12 squares 1¼″
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 Shady Pine’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
8 squares and 8 triangles
- D4 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- B8 squares 1⅝″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 trapezoids and 28 triangles
- A12 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- D2 squares 2″cut once on the diagonal
- C8 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1⅝″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 squares, 12 triangles and 1 center diamond
- A3 squares 3½″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 3″then cut with template E
- B12 squares 1⅝″
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 Shady Pine’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
8 squares and 8 triangles
- D4 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- B8 squares 2″
Dark · Navy in the picture
8 trapezoids and 28 triangles
- A12 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- D2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- C8 rectangles 3⅝″ × 2″then cut with template C
Medium · Denim in the picture
12 squares, 12 triangles and 1 center diamond
- A3 squares 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 3¾″then cut with template E
- B12 squares 2″
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 Shady Pine’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 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2″ × 1¼″ (1½″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 12 flying geese units
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 2″ × 1¼″ (1½″ × ¾″ finished).
- Make 4 four-patch units
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- 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. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2″
Sew 2 flying geese units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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 5 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 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2¾″ × 1⅝″ (2¼″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 12 flying geese units
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 2¾″ × 1⅝″ (2¼″ × 1⅛″ finished).
- Make 4 four-patch units
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- 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. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 2¾″
Sew 2 flying geese units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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 5 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 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 12 flying geese units
Sew a sky triangle to one short side of the goose triangle and press toward the sky; then the other. The goose’s point sits ¼″ below the top edge. Each measures 3½″ × 2″ (3″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 4 four-patch units
Sew the squares in pairs and press each pair’s seam toward the darker square. Join the pairs, turning one so the seams nest, and press the long seam open. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- 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. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew 2 flying geese units together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 5 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 5 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 5 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
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Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 8 × 8 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 4″, 7″, 8″, 10″, 14″, 15″, 16″ 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 11 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J and K), 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 advanced block: 77 pieces in 5 different shapes and 36 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.