Sarahs Favourite Quilt Block Pattern

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To sew a Sarah's Favorite quilt block, you'll need to follow these steps:

Materials:

• Fabric in at least two contrasting colors
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler
• Iron and ironing board

Instructions:

1. Cut your fabric into the following pieces:

• Four 2.5-inch squares in Color A
• Four 2.5-inch squares in Color B
• Two 2.5-inch squares in Color A
• Two 2.5-inch squares in Color B
• Two 4.5-inch squares in Color A
• Two 4.5-inch squares in Color B

2. Take two of the 2.5-inch squares in Color A and two of the 2.5-inch squares in Color B. Sew them together in pairs, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press the seams to one side.

3. Sew the pairs together to form a four-patch block. Press the seams to one side.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 with the remaining four 2.5-inch squares in Colors A and B.

5. Take one of the 4.5-inch squares in Color A and one of the 4.5-inch squares in Color B. Sew them together along one side, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press the seam to one side.

6. Sew the remaining 4.5-inch squares in Colors A and B together in the same way.

7. Cut the strip of fabric from step 5 into two 2.5-inch sections.

8. Lay out the pieces in the following pattern:

• Four-patch block
• 2.5-inch section of Color A/Color B strip
• 2.5-inch square in Color A
• 2.5-inch square in Color B
• 2.5-inch square in Color A
• 2.5-inch square in Color B
• 2.5-inch section of Color A/Color B strip
• Four-patch block

9. Sew the pieces together in rows, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press the seams to one side.

10. Sew the rows together, matching the seams carefully. Press the seams to one side.

11. Your Sarah's Favorite quilt block is now complete! Repeat these steps to make as many blocks as you need for your quilt.

The secret to the perfect four patch is all about ironing seams so that they butt together when the seams are joined. You may make the four patch by cutting individual squares if you want to make a scrappy quilt or only a few blocks to make with pre-joined strips. I'll take you through both methods.

 

Cut two A squares and two B squares in your required size. Chain piecing, join A square to a B square, right sides together, with a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance. Press towards the dark fabric.

This is your result:

 

This is also the result of cutting across pre-joined strips to create two units.

To make a standard four patch, the width of the unit cut from pre-joined strips is the same as the width of the original strips. 

Press all the seams towards the dark fabric so that the seame butt-up.

Take the two A/B and place them right sides together, butting seams. Pin if required. Join with a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance, then press.

 

 

Wider Application:

You can apply this technique to all kinds of four patch blocks. As long as a block has a 4x4 grid, no matter how many pieces, the basic principles apply. It is repeated over and over again each four patch laying adjacent to the next. As long as you keep pressing seams in pairs of opposite directions, piecing will become easy.

All of the following blocks have 4x4 grids and can be pieaced as a four patch.

How to Resize Quilt Blocks:

The first step in modifying any quilt block is to decide on the size of your finished quilt block. You can come to a decision based on a number of factors: doubling a pattern, cutting your pattern in half, or choosing the size based on your available fabric.

NOTE: When working from a pattern’s cutting instructions, make sure you remove the seam allowance before doubling or tripling the size. For instance, if your pattern calls for 3-1/2″ squares, first you’ll subtract the sum of the seam allowances (1/2″), double the finished block size (from 3″ to 6″), and add the seam allowance back in (1/2″). So, when all is said and done, you will cut a 6-1/2″ piece of fabric.

Resizing Square Blocks:

Square blocks are the easiest to resize. Simply add to your finished block measurement. For example, if you’d like your finished block to be a 4″ square, you’ll need to cut a 4-1/2″ square of fabric.

Resizing Rectangular Blocks:

Similarly to the square, for rectangle blocks, you’ll add to the length and width measurements of your finished block. If you’re doubling block that measures 3″ x 4″ in your quilt, you’ll cut a 6-1/2″ x 8-1/2″ rectangle of fabric.

Resizing Half-Square Triangle Blocks:

When you want to change the size of a Half-Square Triangle block, add 7/8″ to the desired finished block size. To make a 4″ finished block, you’d cut 4-7/8″ squares.

Resizing Quarter Square Triangle:

Since there are two cut lines and two seam lines in a Quarter-Square Triangle block you’ll need to add 1-1/4″ to the desired finished block size. For a finished block that’s 4″, you’d cut your squares 5-1/4″.