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How to Sew an Easter Lily Quilt Block
The Easter Lily quilt block is a beautiful and classic design that adds a touch of elegance to any quilt project. Traditionally made with white or cream for the lily and a darker color for the background, it's a stunning block for spring quilts.
Materials Needed
- Fabric in two contrasting colors (lily fabric and background fabric)
- Rotary cutter and cutting mat
- Quilting ruler
- Sewing machine and thread
- Iron and ironing board
- Seam ripper (optional)
Cutting Guide
- Lily fabric: two 4½″ × 4½″ squares
- Background fabric: two 2½″ × 4½″ rectangles
Step 1: Choose Your Fabrics
Select two contrasting fabrics. Traditionally, the lily is white or cream and the background is a darker color such as navy blue — but any combination you love will work beautifully.
Step 2: Sew the Lily Pieces Together
Place the two lily fabric squares right sides together. Sew around the edges with a ¼" seam allowance, leaving a small opening on one side to turn the fabric right side out. Trim the corners, turn right side out, and press with an iron, centering the seam.
Step 3: Attach the Background Pieces
Take one lily piece and one background rectangle. Place the rectangle right side down on top of the lily, aligning the long sides. Sew along the edge with a ¼" seam allowance. Repeat with the second lily piece and background rectangle.
Step 4: Join the Lily Pieces
Place the two lily pieces right sides together, aligning the long sides. Sew along the edge with a ¼" seam allowance. Press the seam open with an iron.
Step 5: Trim and Square Up
Trim the block to 6½″ × 6½″ using your rotary cutter, cutting mat, and quilting ruler. Make sure the lily is centered and all edges are straight and even.
Congratulations — your Easter Lily quilt block is complete! Repeat these steps to create as many blocks as needed. Use it as a focal point, a border, or in a sampler quilt. Experiment with different colors for a truly unique design.
How to Resize Quilt Blocks
The first step in modifying any quilt block is to decide on your finished block size. You can base this on doubling a pattern, cutting it in half, or working with your available fabric.
Note: When working from a pattern's cutting instructions, remove the seam allowance before scaling. For example, if your pattern calls for 3½″ squares, subtract the seam allowance (½″), double the finished size (3″ → 6″), then add the seam allowance back (½″) — giving you a 6½″ cut piece.
Resizing Square Blocks
Add ½″ to your finished block measurement. For a 4″ finished square, cut a 4½″ square of fabric.
Resizing Rectangular Blocks
Add ½″ to both the length and width. To double a 3″ × 4″ block, cut a 6½″ × 8½″ rectangle.
Resizing Half-Square Triangle Blocks
Add 7/8″ to the desired finished block size. For a 4″ finished HST block, cut 4⅞″ squares.
Resizing Quarter Square Triangle Blocks
Add 1¼″ to the desired finished block size. For a 4″ finished block, cut 5¼″ squares.
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