Quilt block · Nine-patch · Advanced
Tree of Temptation quilt block
Four-patches scattered among plain squares make the leaves, and dark squares and triangles step up the diagonal from a slanting trunk in the lower corner.
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
36 squares and 3 triangles
- C1 square 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D1 square 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A14 squares 1½″
- B22 squares 1″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares and 5 triangles
- D3 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 1½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
22 small squares
- B22 squares 1″
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
36 squares and 3 triangles
- C1 square 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D1 square 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A14 squares 2″
- B22 squares 1¼″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares and 5 triangles
- D3 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 2″
Medium · Denim in the picture
22 small squares
- B22 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 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
36 squares and 3 triangles
- C1 square 4⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- D1 square 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A14 squares 2½″
- B22 squares 1½″
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 squares and 5 triangles
- D3 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- A4 squares 2½″
Medium · Denim in the picture
22 small squares
- B22 squares 1½″
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 16 sections, 1″ × 1½″
Sew a Medium B square and a Background B square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1″ × 1½″ (½″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 3 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 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark D triangle to a Background D triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 1½″ (1″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 3½″ × 1½″
Sew 2 Background A squares and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 1½″ (3″ × 1″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 3½″ × 1½″
Sew 4 sections and a Background A square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 3½″ × 1½″ (3″ × 1″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 4 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 4 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 4 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 16 sections, 1¼″ × 2″
Sew a Medium B square and a Background B square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1¼″ × 2″ (¾″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 3 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).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark D triangle to a Background D triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2″ (1½″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 5″ × 2″
Sew 2 Background A squares and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 5″ × 2″
Sew 4 sections and a Background A square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 5″ × 2″ (4½″ × 1½″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 3½″ (3″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 5″ (4½″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 4 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 4 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 4 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 16 sections, 1½″ × 2½″
Sew a Medium B square and a Background B square together in a column. Press the seams to one side. Each measures 1½″ × 2½″ (1″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 3 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 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 half-square triangle unit
Sew a Dark D triangle to a Background D triangle along their long edges. Press toward the Dark. Each measures 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Make 4 sections, 6½″ × 2½″
Sew 2 Background A squares and 2 sections together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 2½″ (6″ × 2″ finished).
- Make 2 sections, 6½″ × 2½″
Sew 4 sections and a Background A square together in a row. Press toward the plain pieces. Each measures 6½″ × 2½″ (6″ × 2″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Dark D triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a row. Press the seams to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew 2 sections together in a column. Press the seams to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. Each measures 6½″ (6″ finished).
- Sew the units and pieces into 4 rows
Lay out the units and pieces as in the picture and sew them into 4 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 4 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: Nine-patch quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 12 × 12 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 15″ 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 25 sections (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X and Y), 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: 70 pieces in 4 different shapes and 4 points to match. Practise the hard seams on scraps first. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.