- Background (muslin)
- Light (faded chambray)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 56 · four-patch
Anvil Quilt Block
Part of: Four Patch Quilt BlocksHalf Square Triangle Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks For Beginners
Anvil combines two Birds in the Air corners with two contrasting square-and-triangle corners. The four-grid layout creates a broad central diamond and two small dark corner squares.
- Level
- Confident Beginner
- Grid
- 4 × 4
- Pieces
- 18
Chart
Cutting for a 12" block
4 × 4 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 12 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Half-square triangle | 5 | 3 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 10 |
| Light | Half-square triangle | 1 | 6 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 2 |
| Dark | Square | 2 | 3 1/2" square | Use as cut | 2 |
| Dark | Half-square triangle | 1 | 6 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 2 |
| Dark | Half-square triangle | 1 | 3 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 2 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Make two Birds in the Air units: a small HST with background triangles on two adjacent sides, joined to a large dark triangle. Trim each to 6 1/2".
Step 2: For each other corner, sew two small background triangles to adjacent edges of a dark square. Join this pieced half to a large light triangle and trim to 6 1/2".
Step 3: Arrange the four units with the small dark squares in the upper-right and lower-left outer corners. Rotate the other units so the large triangles form the central shape.
Step 4: Join the units in two rows, then sew the rows together.
Step 5: Join the sections with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, matching the marked intersections. Press and check the unfinished block measures 12 1/2" square.