Quilt block · Four-patch · Advanced
The Margaret Quilt quilt block
Four square-in-a-square units, each framed by mitered pairs of parallelograms with triangles set in between.
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
32 triangles
- C16 squares 1½″then cut with template C
- B16 rectangles 2″ × 1¼″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares on point and 32 parallelograms
- D4 squares 2½″then cut with template D
- A32 rectangles 2⅛″ × 1¼″then cut with template A
Between the lines. The Margaret Quilt cuts cleanly at 3½″ or 7″. At 6″ its parallelograms are ⁹⁄₁₄″ wide, 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
32 triangles
- C16 squares 1⅞″then cut with template C
- B16 rectangles 2⅝″ × 1⅝″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares on point and 32 parallelograms
- D4 squares 3⅜″then cut with template D
- A32 rectangles 2⅞″ × 1½″then cut with template A
Between the lines. The Margaret Quilt cuts cleanly at 7″ or 10½″. At 9″ its parallelograms are ²⁷⁄₂₈″ wide, 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
32 triangles
- C16 squares 2⅜″then cut with template C
- B16 rectangles 3¼″ × 2″then cut with template B
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares on point and 32 parallelograms
- D4 squares 4¼″then cut with template D
- A32 rectangles 3⅝″ × 1⅞″then cut with template A
Between the lines. The Margaret Quilt cuts cleanly at 10½″ or 14″. At 12″ its parallelograms are 1²⁄₇″ wide, 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.
- Sew the set-in seams, 16 times
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 4 sections, 3½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 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 2 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.
- Sew the set-in seams, 16 times
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 2¾″ (2¼″ finished).
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 4 sections, 5″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 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 2 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.
- Sew the set-in seams, 16 times
These pieces meet where a straight seam can’t run right across, so they’re joined with set-in (Y) seams. Mark the ¼″ seam points at each piece’s corners. Sew each seam only from mark to mark, backstitching at both ends, so the seam allowances stay free; sew the two seams into the corner, then pivot and sew the last one. Press the allowances so they swirl round the point. The part measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 8 corner triangles
Sew the Background B triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 4 sections
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 4 sections, 6½″
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Sew the units into 2 rows
Lay out the units as in the picture and sew them into 2 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 2 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: Four-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 28 × 28 grid, 6″, 9″ and 12″ put some pieces between the ⅛″ marks, so they need templates. It cuts cleanly at 10½″ or 14″.
Can I paper piece it?
Not as drawn: it has set-in (Y) seams, where three seams meet and none runs straight through. Piece it with a rotary cutter and templates instead, as the cutting list above does.
Is it a good block for a beginner?
It’s an advanced block: 68 pieces in 4 different shapes, set-in (Y) seams and 41 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.