Cube Pattern
Make a cube pattern, also called tumbling blocks: equal 60° rhombi (diamond shapes with 60° and 120° corners), three to each hexagon, shaded light, middle and dark so they read as stacked cubes. Set the side length in inches or centimetres, pick the three shades or lines only, and download a seamless SVG tile, a 300 DPI PNG or a PDF at full size. For a quilt, tick Plan a quilt: you get a cutting template with your seam allowance, the strip width for rotary cutting, the number of pieces in each shade and a layout drawing. Every side is the same length, every corner is 60° or 120°, three pieces fill each hexagon exactly and the tile repeats edge to edge (all tested). Nothing is uploaded.
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Page 1 is the pattern at full size with a 1 in test square. Tick Plan a quilt for a cutting template with seam allowance, the number of pieces in each shade and a layout drawing.
Cubes
Quilt
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How to make a cube pattern
- Choose a preset or type the side length of each piece.
- Pick the three shades (top, left and right), or lines only for colouring.
- Download the SVG tile for fabric, tiles or the web, or the PDF to print at full size.
- For a quilt, tick Plan a quilt, choose the seam allowance and type the finished quilt size.
- Print the template at 100%, check the test square, cut strips at the stated width and cut the pieces at 60°.
What you can use it for
- Tumbling blocks quilts and cushions
- Floor and wall tile layouts
- Fabric, gift wrap and scrapbook paper
- Colouring sheets (lines only)
- Website and slide backgrounds (SVG tile)
- Maths lessons on tilings and shading
The 14 presets
| # | Preset | Side | Look | Seamless tile | Quilt plan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Classic grey shades | 1 in | Three shades | 1.73 × 3 in | – |
| 2 | Navy, blue and sky | 1 in | Three shades | 1.73 × 3 in | – |
| 3 | Wood tones (parquet look) | 3 cm | Three shades | 5.2 × 9 cm | – |
| 4 | Black, white and grey | 2 cm | Three shades | 3.46 × 6 cm | – |
| 5 | Shades with white outlines | 1.5 in | Three shades with outlines | 2.6 × 4.5 in | – |
| 6 | Pastel | 2.5 cm | Three shades | 4.33 × 7.5 cm | – |
| 7 | Berry red and pink | 0.75 in | Three shades | 1.3 × 2.25 in | – |
| 8 | Forest greens | 1 in | Three shades | 1.73 × 3 in | – |
| 9 | Dark tops (shading turned round) | 1 in | Three shades | 1.73 × 3 in | – |
| 10 | Lines only, for colouring | 1 in | Lines only | 1.73 × 3 in | – |
| 11 | Gold lines on charcoal | 1.25 in | Three shades with outlines | 2.17 × 3.75 in | – |
| 12 | Quilt: 2 in pieces, 50 × 60 in throw | 2 in | Three shades with outlines | 3.46 × 6 in | 909 pieces |
| 13 | Quilt: 3 in pieces, 36 × 44 in baby quilt | 3 in | Three shades with outlines | 5.2 × 9 in | 229 pieces |
| 14 | Quilt: 6 cm pieces, 100 × 120 cm | 6 cm | Three shades with outlines | 10.39 × 18 cm | 416 pieces |
Each preset only fills in the fields; change any size or colour afterwards.
Rhombus and tile sizes
| Side | Long diagonal (tip to tip) | Short diagonal | Seamless tile | Area of one rhombus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 in | 0.87 in | 0.5 in | 0.87 × 1.5 in | 0.22 sq in |
| 1 in | 1.73 in | 1 in | 1.73 × 3 in | 0.87 sq in |
| 2 in | 3.46 in | 2 in | 3.46 × 6 in | 3.46 sq in |
| 3 in | 5.2 in | 3 in | 5.2 × 9 in | 7.79 sq in |
| 2 cm | 3.46 cm | 2 cm | 3.46 × 6 cm | 3.46 sq cm |
| 5 cm | 8.66 cm | 5 cm | 8.66 × 15 cm | 21.65 sq cm |
The long diagonal is √3 × the side; each tile holds six rhombi, two of each shade.
Cutting sizes with seam allowance
| Finished side | Seam allowance | Cut strip width | Cut side | Cut tip to tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 in | 1/4 in | 1.8 in | 2.08 in | 3.6 in |
| 2 in | 1/4 in | 2.23 in | 2.58 in | 4.46 in |
| 3 in | 1/4 in | 3.1 in | 3.58 in | 6.2 in |
| 3.5 in | 1/4 in | 3.53 in | 4.08 in | 7.06 in |
| 4 cm | 7.5 mm | 4.96 cm | 5.73 cm | 9.93 cm |
| 6 cm | 7.5 mm | 6.7 cm | 7.73 cm | 13.39 cm |
| 8 cm | 6 mm | 8.13 cm | 9.39 cm | 16.26 cm |
Strip width = finished height between opposite sides (side × √3 ÷ 2) + 2 seam allowances. Cut across the strip at 60°, every strip width.
Pieces for common quilt sizes (1/4 in seams)
| Finished quilt | Side | Top | Left | Right | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 × 44 in | 3 in | 75 (21 cut) | 77 (18 cut) | 77 (19 cut) | 229 |
| 50 × 60 in | 2 in | 300 (30 cut) | 304 (38 cut) | 305 (39 cut) | 909 |
| 60 × 72 in | 3 in | 200 (24 cut) | 204 (31 cut) | 204 (32 cut) | 608 |
| 80 × 90 in | 3.5 in | 238 (25 cut) | 243 (35 cut) | 243 (35 cut) | 724 |
| 40 × 40 in | 1.5 in | 288 (41 cut) | 294 (39 cut) | 295 (40 cut) | 877 |
Counts include the pieces cut at the edges. For hexagon and other shapes for hand piecing, use the English Paper Piecing Templates. For other quilt blocks, try the Quilt Pattern Maker.
Which tool to use
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| Shaded cube (tumbling blocks) repeats, quilt template and counts | Cube Pattern (this page) |
| Your own cube drawings on a grid | Isometric Drawing Tool |
| Swirling optical patterns | Op Art Generator |
| Hexagon cells | Honeycomb Pattern Generator |
| Straight stripes at any angle | Stripe Pattern |
Also handy: the Isometric Drawing Tool, the Op Art Generator and Isometric Graph Paper.
More free tools
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Frequently asked questions
What is a cube pattern?
A tiling of equal rhombi with 60° and 120° corners. Three of them meet at their 120° corners to fill a hexagon, and with three shades each hexagon looks like a cube. The same tiling is known as tumbling blocks, reversible cubes or the dice lattice.
Why do the cubes seem to flip?
The same rhombi can be read as cubes seen from above or from below, so the eye can switch between the two. The Dark tops preset swaps the shading to show the other reading.
Will the tile repeat without a seam?
Yes. One tile is √3 × side across and 3 × side down and holds six rhombi; copies placed edge to edge join with no seam. Our tests compare the pattern one repeat over in every direction.
How big should I cut quilt pieces?
Cut each piece the finished size plus the seam allowance on every side. For a 2 in finished side with a 1/4 in seam allowance the maker gives strips 2.23 in wide and a cut side of 2.58 in; the template page shows the cut line and the sewing line at full size.
How many pieces do I need for a quilt?
Tick Plan a quilt and type the finished width and height. The maker counts the pieces of each shade that touch the quilt, whole and cut at the edges, and draws the layout. The table above shows some common sizes.
How is this different from the isometric drawing tool?
That tool lets you stack your own cubes on an isometric grid. This page makes the regular repeat of shaded rhombi, with a seamless tile and a quilting template with piece counts.
Is it free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no watermark and no limit.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Everything is drawn by JavaScript in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere.