Hello, hello!
The block I’m teaching you today is interesting, because there is so many ways to do it.
We will be covering two ways within the next several weeks.
We will be look at a a square in a square method, or sometimes called diamond in a square. Today is the flip-and-stitch method.
Square Within a Square: Flip-and-Stitch
Cutlist
- 1- 4 1/2” pattern fabric (center)
- 4- 2 1/2” background fabric (corners)
Start by taking the 4-2 1/2″ background fabric squares and draw a line diagonally from corner to corner.
Place one 2 1/2″ square so it lines up with square corner of your 4 1/2″ square. The drawn line should be going edge to edge, not going toward the corner. Pin into place.
Place a second 2 1/2″ on the opposite corner of the 4 1/2″ square, oriented the same way. Pin into place. See picture below for clarification.
Sew along the drawn lines on each of the 2 1/2″ square.
Fold back the background square so that it lines up perfectly with the corner of the square and right along that sewn line, press.
Then fold it back, and trim the bottom two layers 1/4″ away from the sewn line.(Essentially you’re cutting off the corner of the square.)
Fold the background pieces back so it looks like you have a square with two opposite corners white.
Next, place one 2 1/2″ background square along the corner of the 4 1/2″ square on one of the corners that doesn’t have a background square on it. The drawn line should go edge to edge. Pin into place.
Place the last 2 1/2″ background square on the opposite corner, oriented the same way. Pin into place.
Sew along the drawn lines on each of the 2 1/2″ square.
Fold back the background square so that it lines up perfectly with the corner of the square and right along that sewn line, press.
Then fold it back, and trim the bottom two layers 1/4″ away from the sewn line. (Essentially you’re cutting off the corner of the square.)
Fold the background pieces back so it looks like you have a colored square in the middle and white corners. A square within a square.
Measure and Trim
If lined up properly when folding the background pieces back to iron, you should still have a perfect 4 1/2″ square and no trimming is needed. However, things don’t always work that way.
Grab yourself a square that is at least 4 1/2″. If you placed your finished piece so it looks like a diamond in the middle, place your ruler so that the top and bottom point of your diamond goes through the 2 1/4″ vertical line on your ruler. Preferably, the two side points of your diamond should go through the horizontal 2 1/4″ line.
Once you line up both of these lines, you can trim right side and top.
Flip the block around 180 degrees and line up the bottom and left sides along the 4 1/2″ line on your square. Trim the right and top side of the ruler.
Questions
If you have any questions, please go watch the YouTube video. I go into much more detail in the video, and you can watch it and follow along.
If you have questions after that, drop them in my comment section below, or on the comment section of the video and I will come and answer them.
How to Make Any Size Square-within-a-Square Block
What if you want a different size of your block? It’s time to do some math. Not much, but you do have to do some.
Figure out what you want your unfinished size of your square-within-a-square to be. This is the starting size of the center of your block. So if you want it to be 6 1/2″, you will cut a 6 1/2″ piece of fabric.
For the four corners block, take the unfinished size, and divide it by half. Then add 1/4″. Back to our example, if you want it to be 6 1/2″, divide it in half: 3 1/4″ + 1/4″ = 3 1/5″
That’s it, super easy!
Beginner Skill Builder Sampler Quilt
If you are sewing along with me and making Beginner Skill Builder Sampler Quilt you will need one of these for the center of a block.
Next week we’re going to learn how to make 2-color Quarter-Square Triangles to make up the points of the star.
During tip week, you will learn how to trip Quarter-Square Triangles.
And then of course, we’ll put together Block 4.
Tag me!
I would love to see your progress. Just tag me at #theashleytomlinson or #ashley_sunnymade and I’ll be able to see you on social media.
I want to see how they turn out!
Happy sewing!
