- Background (muslin)
- Accent (madder red)
Block No. 59 · nine-patch
Maple Leaf Quilt Block
Part of: Nine Patch Quilt BlocksHalf Square Triangle Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks For BeginnersTwo Color Quilt Blocks
Maple Leaf sets three plain leaf patches and four triangle units around a slim diagonal stem. The stem is made by sewing two background corner squares onto opposite corners of a leaf square, so the narrow strip stays on the straight grain and never needs a template.
Version note: Stem built with stitch-and-flip corners rather than an appliqued or inset strip.
- Level
- Confident Beginner
- Grid
- 3 × 3
- Pieces
- 14
Chart
Cutting for a 12" block
3 × 3 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 12 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Square | 1 | 4 1/2" square | Use as cut | 1 |
| Background | Corner square | 2 | 3 1/2" square | Stitch and flip; trim seam allowance to 1/4 inch | 2 |
| Background | Half-square triangle | 2 | 4 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 4 |
| Accent | Square | 2 | 4 1/2" square | Use as cut | 2 |
| Accent | Rectangle | 1 | 4 1/2" × 8 1/2" | Use as cut | 1 |
| Accent | Half-square triangle | 2 | 4 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 4 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Cut the HST parent squares once diagonally. Sew each contrasting pair along the long edge, press toward the darker fabric and square the unit to 4 1/2", keeping the diagonal running corner to corner.
Step 2: For the stem, draw a diagonal on the wrong side of each background corner square. Place them on the upper-right and lower-left corners of the 4 1/2" leaf square, sew on the lines, trim 1/4 inch beyond and press out. A narrow leaf-colored strip should run from the upper-left to lower-right corner.
Step 3: Row 1: background square, then two HSTs with the leaf fabric in the lower-left. Row 2: an HST with leaf fabric in the upper-right, then the leaf rectangle.
Step 4: Row 3: an HST with leaf fabric in the upper-right, a leaf square and the stem unit. Check the stem points away from the leaf toward the lower-right corner.
Step 5: Join the rows with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, matching each seam intersection. Press and check the unfinished block measures 12 1/2" square.