Ultimate Quilt Block Collection: Step-by-Step Instructions for 60+ Unique Blocks to Create Hundreds of Quilts

Daydream Designs

Go bold with colorful Kate Spain prints and a fresh white background—a match made in heaven!

Rainbow Brights

Floor Tiles

Keep it simple by combining prints with white.

Layout diagram: Floor Tiles block

YOU WILL NEED

Fabric A: twelve 2½ x 4½-inch (6½ x 11½-cm) rectangles, four 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares, and four 3-inch (7½-cm) squares

Fabric B: eight 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares

Fabric C: eight 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares and two 3-inch (7½-cm) squares

Fabric D: one 4½-inch (11½-cm) square

FINISHED SIZE

12½ inches (30¾ cm) square (12 inches [30½ cm] square once pieced into the quilt).

NOTES

Use a ¼-inch (5-mm) seam allowance throughout.

HST = half-square triangle.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

MAKING FLYING GEESE UNITS

1 You will need four 2 x 4-inch (5 x 10-cm) (finished) Fabric A/B flying geese units and four 2 x 4-inch (5 x 10-cm) (finished) Fabric A/C flying geese units. These will measure 2½ x 4½ inches (6½ x 11½ cm) when made, thus 2 x 4 inches (5 x 10 cm) when finished (pieced into the block).

2 For each flying geese unit, you will need one 2½ x 4½-inch (6½ x 11½-cm) rectangle in Fabric A and two 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares in Fabric B or C.

3 Mark diagonal lines on the wrong side of both squares.

4 Place one of the squares right sides together with the rectangle and sew along the drawn line (Fig. 1).

5 Trim off the excess, leaving a ¼-inch (5-mm) seam allowance (Fig. 2).

6 Press the seams open and trim off the corners (Fig. 3).

7 Repeat with the remaining square on the opposite side.

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

MAKING HST UNITS

8 You will need four completed Fabric A/C HST units. Each completed unit will measure 2½ inches (6½ cm) square when made, and 2 inches (5 cm) square when pieced into the block.

9 For each unit, you will need one 3-inch (7½-cm) square in Fabric A and one 3-inch (7½-cm) square in Fabric C.

10 Draw a line along the diagonal of the wrong side of one of the fabric squares. Place the two fabric squares right sides together, with the marked side uppermost. Sew seams ¼ inch (5 mm) away from the line on both sides (Fig. 4).

11 Cut in half along the drawn diagonal line (Fig. 5).

Fig. 8

12 Press the seams open or toward the darker fabric, as preferred (Fig. 6).

13 Trim to 2½ inches (6½ cm) square, making sure that the diagonal seam line aligns with the corners of the trimmed square (Fig. 7).

ASSEMBLING THE BLOCK

14 Sew the rectangles, squares, flying geese units, and HST units into five rows, using the diagram as a guide. Press the seams in the directions indicated by the arrows (Fig. 8).

15 Sew the five rows together, using the diagram as a guide. Press the seams open or to one side, as preferred, to finish the block (Fig. 9).

Fig. 9

Take time to trim your HST units. You'll find that it really helps when you come to piece the block together and ensures nice, precise points!

Top Tip

You may find fabrics easier to work with if you press them with a generous spritz of spray starch before cutting and piecing the elements for the block.

Floor Tiles Remix

Mix it up with extra detailing at the edges.

Layout diagram: Floor Tiles Remix block

YOU WILL NEED

Fabric A: eight 2½ x 4½-inch (6½ x 11½-cm) rectangles, eight 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares, two 3-inch (7½-cm) squares, and one 4½-inch (11½-cm) square

Fabric B: eight 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares

Fabric C: eight 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares and two 3-inch (7½-cm) squares

Fabric D: four 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares

FINISHED SIZE

12½ inches (31¾ cm) square (12 inches [30½ cm] square once pieced into the quilt).

NOTES

Press all fabrics before cutting.

Use a ¼-inch (5-mm) seam allowance throughout.

ASSEMBLING THE BLOCK

1 The block is made in the same way as the original Floor Tiles block on pages 7–9, but we change the colors of some of the units to create a square on point in the center of the block.

2 Make the block as for the original block but with the following changes. Refer also to the layout diagram.

Replace the 4½-inch (11½-cm) Fabric D square in the center of the block with the 4½-inch (11½-cm) Fabric A square.

Replace the four 2½ x 4½-inch (6½ x 11½-cm) Fabric A rectangles in the corners of the block with Fabric A and D 2½-inch (6½-cm) squares sewn together.

Origami Box

Mix warm and cool colors for maximum impact.

Layout diagram: Origami Box block

YOU WILL NEED

Fabric A: one fat eighth

Fabric B: one fat eighth

Fabric C: one fat eighth

Fabric D: one fat eighth

Four copies of Template A (page 18)

Four copies of Template B (page 19)

FINISHED SIZE

12½ inches (31¾ cm) square (12 inches [30½ cm] square once pieced into the quilt).

NOTES

A fat eighth is approximately 9 x 21 inches (23 x 53¼ cm).

Since fabrics are not usually precut for foundation paper piecing, you will cut out the pieces as you need them.

Press all fabrics well before cutting.

Seam allowances are ¼ inch (5 mm) unless otherwise noted.

Shorten your stitch length for foundation paper piecing.

FOUNDATION PAPER PIECING

1 Two templates have been provided at actual size for the block (pages 18 and 19). Template A has four parts (1, 2, 3, and 4) and Template B has two parts (1 and 2). Trace or photocopy Template A and Template B four times onto regular printer paper.

2 Referring to the block layout diagram, lay the four A and B templates out on a table and mark each section to indicate which fabric will go where, so you don’t lose track when you’re piecing. The fabric is pieced on the back of the template, so remember that you are looking at a mirror image of the final block.

3 To start piecing Template A, flip it so that you are looking at the back of the template and, holding it up to a window or other light source, pin a piece of Fabric D to the back of the template with the right side facing you and the wrong side facing the template (Fig. 1). Make sure that it covers all of section 1 and overlaps it on all sides by at least ¼ inch (5 mm).

4 Now find a piece of Fabric A big enough to cover section 2 of the template and overlap it on all sides by at least ¼ inch (5 mm) (Fig. 2). Pin this second piece of fabric in place, this time with the wrong side facing you and the right side facing the first piece of fabric and the paper template.

5 Flip the template so that the printed side is face up. Shorten your machine stitch length to about 1.5 and sew along the seam line between sections 1 and 2. Continue the seam ¼ inch (5 mm) beyond each end of the line.

6 Fold the paper template and fabric back away from the seam line you just sewed to trim the fabric seam allowances to a neat ¼ inch (5 mm). Press the Fabric A piece over to cover section 2 and roughly trim it to size with scissors (Fig 3). Make sure you don’t trim it to less than ¼ inch (5 mm) beyond all three sides of the triangle made by section 2.