Quilt block · Logs and strips · Intermediate
Tunnels quilt block
Log-cabin rounds set on point: a square-in-a-square center, a ring of dark trapezoids with medium triangles inside it, then a band of medium strips, with background triangles between them and 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
4 corner triangles, 4 triangles and 4 small triangles
- C1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A2 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- E2 squares 1⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 trapezoids
- D4 squares 2⅝″then cut with template D
Medium · Denim in the picture
The center square, 4 triangles and 4 strips
- B4 squares 3⅝″then cut with template B
- C1 square 3¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- F1 square 2¾″then cut with template F
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 Tunnels’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
4 corner triangles, 4 triangles and 4 small triangles
- C1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A2 squares 3⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- E2 squares 2⅜″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 trapezoids
- D4 squares 3⅝″then cut with template D
Medium · Denim in the picture
The center square, 4 triangles and 4 strips
- B4 squares 5⅛″then cut with template B
- C1 square 4¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- F1 square 3¾″then cut with template F
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 Tunnels’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
4 corner triangles, 4 triangles and 4 small triangles
- C1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- A2 squares 4⅞″cut once on the diagonal
- E2 squares 2⅞″cut once on the diagonal
Dark · Navy in the picture
4 trapezoids
- D4 squares 4⅝″then cut with template D
Medium · Denim in the picture
The center square, 4 triangles and 4 strips
- B4 squares 6⅝″then cut with template B
- C1 square 5¼″cut twice on the diagonals
- F1 square 4¾″then cut with template F
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 Tunnels’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.
- 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 2½″ (2″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 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).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background A 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 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 4½″ (4″ finished).
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Medium C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Medium C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 2 corner triangles
Sew the Background C triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add a corner triangle
Sew the Background C triangle across the corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Make 1 section
Sew the two parts together along the diagonal seam. Press the seam to one side.
- Add 3 corner triangles
Sew the Background A triangle across each corner in turn, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle.
- Add the last corner triangle
Sew the Background A triangle across the last corner, along its long edge, and press toward the triangle. The block measures 12½″ (12″ finished).
Blocks like it
More like this: Log Cabin and strip quilt blocks · all quilt blocks
Questions
Short answers.
Something else? A real person replies.
hello@quarterinch.app
What size should I make it?
Its 6 × 6 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 sews on one paper, its pieces added in order. 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: 25 pieces in 6 different shapes and 20 points to match. Take it slowly and pin the points. We work the level out from the block’s own geometry, never by eye.