- Background (muslin)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 16 · four-patch
Square in a Square Quilt Block
Also known as Diamond in a Square
Part of: Four Patch Quilt BlocksEasy Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks For Beginners
Square in a Square is also known as Diamond in a Square. This quilt block pattern uses folded corners to frame a central diamond without cutting a bias-edged center square.
- Level
- Beginner
- Grid
- 2 × 2
- Pieces
- 5
Chart
Cutting for a 12" block
2 × 2 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 12 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Corner square | 4 | 6 1/2" square | Stitch and flip; trim seam allowance to 1/4 inch | 4 |
| Dark | Square | 1 | 12 1/2" square | Use as cut | 1 |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Cut the large dark square and four background corner squares from the chart.
Step 2: Draw a diagonal on the back of each corner square. Place one on a corner of the dark square, right sides together, with the line crossing the corner.
Step 3: Sew on the line, check that the folded corner covers the base, then trim both underlying layers to a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press outward.
Step 4: Repeat on the opposite corner, then on the two remaining corners. Keep 1/4 inch beyond each diamond point.
Step 5: Join the sections with a consistent 1/4-inch seam, pressing between seams. Check that the unfinished block measures 12 1/2" square.