- Background (muslin)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 68 · five-patch
New England Quilt Block
Part of: Five Patch Quilt BlocksHalf Square Triangle Quilt BlocksState Quilt BlocksTwo Color Quilt Blocks
New England places four dark arrowheads in the corners, separated by a plain background cross. Each arrowhead is a dark square with two triangle points, so the block is simple to piece but strongly graphic.
Version note: Background cross cut as one long strip and two short bars for the fewest pieces.
- Level
- Intermediate
- Grid
- 5 × 5
- Pieces
- 27
Chart
Cutting for a 10" block
5 × 5 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 10 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Square | 4 | 2 1/2" square | Use as cut | 4 |
| Background | Rectangle | 1 | 2 1/2" × 10 1/2" | Use as cut | 1 |
| Background | Rectangle | 2 | 2 1/2" × 4 1/2" | Use as cut | 2 |
| Background | Half-square triangle | 4 | 2 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 8 |
| Dark | Square | 4 | 2 1/2" square | Use as cut | 4 |
| Dark | Half-square triangle | 4 | 2 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 8 |
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 2 1/2", keeping the diagonal running corner to corner.
Step 2: Make four corner units from one background square, one dark square and two HSTs. Point the dark triangles toward the block corner; each unit measures 4 1/2".
Step 3: Sew a corner unit to each end of the short background rectangles to form the top and bottom sections, keeping the dark squares toward the center.
Step 4: Sew the left half, the long background center strip and the right half together.
Step 5: Join the rows with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, matching each seam intersection. Press and check the unfinished block measures 10 1/2" square.