Block of the Month: Block 2

Designer: Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

Get fabric requirements for the entire Block of the Month quilt here.

Get pattern for Block 1 here.

• 10×13" light print
• 8×10" dark print
• 4×8" medium print No. 1
• 4×8" medium print No. 2

Finished block: 9" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated

Cut pieces in the following order.

From light print, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 A triangles total
• 8--2-3⁄4" squares

From dark print, cut:

• 1--5" square
• 2--3-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 B triangles total

From medium print No. 1, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 C triangles total

From medium print No. 2, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 D triangles total

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of four light print 2-3⁄4" squares.

2. Align marked light print squares with opposite corners of dark print 5" square (Diagram 1; note direction of marked lines). Sew on drawn lines; trim excess, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowances. Press open attached triangles.

3. Align remaining marked light print squares with remaining corners of dark print square (Diagram 2; again note direction of marked lines). Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a Square-in-a-Square unit. The unit should be 5" square including seam allowances.

4. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out one each of the following in pairs: light print A triangle, dark print B triangle, medium print No. 1 C triangle, and medium print No. 2 D triangle. Sew together pieces in each pair; press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Left-Hand Hourglass Unit. Press seam in one direction. The hourglass unit should be 2-3⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make a total of four Left-Hand Hourglass Units.

5. Referring to Diagram 4 for a different arrangement of the same triangles, repeat Step 4 to make a Right-Hand Hourglass Unit. Repeat to make a total of four Right-Hand Hourglass Units.

6. Referring to Diagram 5, join left-hand and right-hand hourglass units to make a star point unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 5×2-3⁄4" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four star point units total.

7. Referring to Diagram 6, lay out Square-in-a-Square unit, star point units, and remaining light print 2-3⁄4" squares in three rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from star point units. Join rows to make a block; press seams away from center row. The block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.