Quilt block · Four-patch · Intermediate
Snail’s Trail quilt block
A four-patch in the center, then four rounds of triangles, each round turned and bigger than the last, so dark and light spiral out like a snail’s shell. Also called Virginia Reel.
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.
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 squares and 8 triangles
- D1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B1 square 2¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A2 squares 1¼″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
2 squares and 8 triangles
- D1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B1 square 2¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A2 squares 1¼″
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.
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 squares and 8 triangles
- D1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 5⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- B1 square 3½″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A2 squares 1⅝″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
2 squares and 8 triangles
- D1 square 5¾″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 5⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- B1 square 3½″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 3⅛″cut once on the diagonal
- A2 squares 1⅝″
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.
Dark · Navy in the picture
2 squares and 8 triangles
- D1 square 7¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 6⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A2 squares 2″
Light · Powder Blue in the picture
2 squares and 8 triangles
- D1 square 7¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- E1 square 6⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- B1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- C1 square 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A2 squares 2″
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 2 sections, 1¼″ × 2″
Sew a Dark A square and a Light A square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1¼″ × 2″ (¾″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew a Dark B triangle and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Dark E triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
For the 9″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 2 sections, 1⅝″ × 2¾″
Sew a Dark A square and a Light A square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1⅝″ × 2¾″ (1⅛″ × 2¼″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew a Dark B triangle and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Dark E triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 9½″ (9″ finished).
For the 12″ block. Choose another size above and these steps follow it.
- Make 2 sections, 2″ × 3½″
Sew a Dark A square and a Light A square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 2″ × 3½″ (1½″ × 3″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew a Dark B triangle and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Light E triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Dark E triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
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Salt Lake CityFour-patch
Cotton ReelsFour-patch
More like this: Four-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
Is Snail’s Trail the same block as Virginia Reel?
Usually, yes. Block names vary by region and by book, and the same block is often sold under several. Our library lists Virginia Reel as other name for this one, so a search for any of them finds it.
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 16 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O and P), 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: 20 pieces in 5 different shapes and 12 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.