Block of the Month: Block 4

Designer: Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

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

Get patterns for Block 1 here, Block 2 here, and Block 3 here.

• 9×22" piece (fat eighth) each of light print, dark print, and medium print No. 1
• Scrap of medium print No. 2

Finished block: 9" square

Quantities are for 100% cotton fabrics.

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 triangles total
• 4--2" squares
• 8--1-5⁄8 ×2-3⁄4" rectangles
• 16--1-5⁄8" squares

From dark print, cut:

• 4--1-5⁄8 ×2-3⁄4" rectangles
• 4--2" squares
• 8--1-5⁄8" squares

From medium print No. 1, cut:

• 2--3-1⁄2" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X for 8 triangles total
• 4--1-5⁄8" squares

From medium print No. 2, cut:

• 1--2-3⁄4" square

1.    Use a pencil or a white dressmaker's pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each light print 2" square and each dark print 1-5⁄8" square.

2.    Layer a marked light print square atop a dark print 2" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1⁄4" on each side of drawn line (Diagram 1). Cut apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam toward dark print, to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 1-5⁄8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight triangle-squares total.

3.    Align a marked dark print 1-5⁄8" square with one end of a light print 1-5⁄8 ×2-3⁄4" rectangle (Diagram 2; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward dark print to make a rectangle unit. The unit should still be 1-5⁄8 ×2-3⁄4" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four rectangle units total.

4.    Repeat Step 3 with marked line of dark print square running in opposite direction to make a reversed rectangle unit (Diagram 3). Repeat to make four reversed rectangle units total.

5.    Referring to Diagram 4, sew together two light print 1-5⁄8" squares and two triangle-squares in pairs. Press seams toward squares. Join pairs to make a square unit. The unit should be 2-3⁄4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four square units total.

6.    Referring to Diagram 5, sew together the following pieces in pairs: square unit and rectangle unit and reversed rectangle unit and medium print 15⁄8" square. Press seams open. Join pairs to make a corner unit. The unit should be 3-7⁄8" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

1.    Referring to Diagram 6, join two light print triangles and two medium print triangles in pairs. Press seams toward medium print. Join pairs to make an hourglass unit; press seam in one direction. The hourglass unit should be 2-3⁄4" square including seam allowances.

2.    Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong sides of remaining light print 1-5⁄8" squares.

3.    Align a marked light print square with one end of a dark print 1-5⁄8 ×2-3⁄4" rectangle (Diagram 7; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim excess fabric, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowance. Press open attached triangle, pressing seam toward dark print. In same manner, add a second marked light print square to other end of rectangle to make a Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 2-3⁄4 ×1-5⁄8" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Flying Geese units total.

1.    Referring to Diagram 8, sew a Flying Geese unit to a light print edge of an hourglass unit to make a star point unit. Press seam open. Repeat to make four star point units total.

2.    Referring to Block Assembly Diagram, lay out corner units, star point units, and medium print 2-3⁄4" square in three rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from corner units. Join rows to make a block. Press seams in one direction. The block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.