Quilt Block Patterns
Print any of 17 traditional quilt blocks at the finished size you want, with a cutting chart, full-size templates and a quilt layout. Choose the block (Ohio Star, Churn Dash, Log Cabin, Bear’s Paw, Flying Geese and more), the finished size in inches or centimetres, and your fabric colours. The cutting chart lists every patch with its fabric, shape, finished size and cut size, using the standard rotary-cutting rules for a 1/4 in seam: squares and rectangles + 1/2 in, half-square triangles + 7/8 in, quarter-square triangles + 1 1/4 in. The templates print at full size with the cut line and the sewing line, and a 1 in test square to check the print scale. The last page repeats the block into a quilt so you can see the finished look. Nothing is uploaded.
100% private — everything runs in your browser. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Page 1 is the block with its cutting chart, then the full-size templates (check the 1 in test square), then the quilt layout. Print at 100% (Actual size).
Block
Fabric colours
Pages
Runs in your browser with our own code: nothing is uploaded or saved. The blocks are traditional patterns drawn by us. You may use what you make here, including commercially, with no credit needed.
How to make a quilt block from a pattern
- Choose a block and the finished size.
- Pick a colour for each fabric, or keep the block’s own colours.
- Download the PDF and print at 100% (Actual size). Measure the 1 in test square.
- Cut the patches from the cutting chart (or with the templates) and lay them out as in the block drawing.
- Sew with an accurate 1/4 in seam, row by row, then join the rows.
What you can use it for
- Sampler quilts: one block of each
- Learning half-square and quarter-square triangles
- Making a block at an unusual size
- Testing colours before you cut
- Quilt guild block-of-the-month
- Pillows, mug rugs and table runners
The 17 quilt blocks
| # | Block | Grid | Pieces | Fabrics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Four Patch | 2 × 2 | 4 squares | 2 |
| 2 | Nine Patch | 3 × 3 | 9 squares | 2 |
| 3 | Ohio Star | 3 × 3 | 5 squares, 16 QST triangles | 3 |
| 4 | Friendship Star | 3 × 3 | 5 squares, 8 HST triangles | 2 |
| 5 | Sawtooth Star | 4 × 4 | 5 squares, 4 QST triangles, 8 HST triangles | 3 |
| 6 | Shoofly | 3 × 3 | 8 HST triangles, 5 squares | 2 |
| 7 | Churn Dash | 3 × 3 | 8 HST triangles, 8 rectangles, 1 squares | 2 |
| 8 | Dutchman’s Puzzle | 4 × 4 | 8 QST triangles, 16 HST triangles | 3 |
| 9 | Jacob’s Ladder | 6 × 6 | 20 squares, 8 HST triangles | 2 |
| 10 | Economy Block | 4 × 4 | 1 squares, 4 QST triangles, 4 HST triangles | 3 |
| 11 | Rail Fence | 6 × 6 | 12 rectangles | 3 |
| 12 | Log Cabin | 12 × 12 | 1 squares, 20 rectangles | 3 |
| 13 | Bear’s Paw | 7 × 7 | 9 squares, 32 HST triangles, 4 rectangles | 3 |
| 14 | Flying Geese | 8 × 8 | 32 QST triangles, 64 HST triangles | 3 |
| 15 | Pinwheel | 4 × 4 | 4 HST triangles, 8 QST triangles | 3 |
| 16 | Broken Dishes | 4 × 4 | 32 HST triangles | 2 |
| 17 | Snowball | 6 × 6 | 4 octagons, 16 corners | 3 |
HST = half-square triangle, QST = quarter-square triangle. Every block is checked to cover its square exactly, with no gaps and no overlaps.
Seam allowance rules (1/4 in seams)
| Patch | Cut size | Cut how |
|---|---|---|
| Square or rectangle | Finished + 1/2 in each way | Cut to size |
| Half-square triangle | Square of the finished leg + 7/8 in | Cut once on the diagonal: 2 triangles |
| Quarter-square triangle | Square of the finished long side + 1 1/4 in | Cut twice on the diagonal: 4 triangles |
| Snowball corner | Square of the corner leg + 1/2 in | Sew on the diagonal, trim |
Example: Ohio Star, 12 in finished
| Patch | Fabric | Shape | Finished | Cut | Pieces |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Fabric 1 | Square | 4 × 4 in | 4 squares of 4 1/2 in | 4 |
| B | Fabric 1 | Quarter-square triangle | 4 in long side | 2 squares of 5 1/4 in | 8 |
| C | Fabric 2 | Quarter-square triangle | 4 in long side | 2 squares of 5 1/4 in | 8 |
| D | Fabric 3 | Square | 4 × 4 in | 1 squares of 4 1/2 in | 1 |
To paint the same block on a board, try Barn Quilt Patterns; for the size of a whole quilt, the Quilt Calculator.
Where the blocks come from
| Block | Diagram checked against |
|---|---|
| Four Patch | Quilter’s Cache, Feb 1998 (four-patch units) |
| Nine Patch | Quilter’s Cache, April 19 2004 |
| Ohio Star | Quilter’s Cache, Nov 1999 |
| Friendship Star | Quilter’s Cache, Oct 9 2002 |
| Sawtooth Star | Quilter’s Cache, Jan 20 2007 |
| Shoofly | Quilter’s Cache, Aug 1998 |
| Churn Dash | Quilter’s Cache, Oct 1998 |
| Dutchman’s Puzzle | Quilter’s Cache, Oct 1999 |
| Jacob’s Ladder | Quilter’s Cache, Feb 1998 |
| Economy Block | Quilter’s Cache, Sept 18 2002 |
| Rail Fence | Quilter’s Cache, Sept 5 2003 |
| Log Cabin | Quilter’s Cache, Sept 1999 |
| Bear’s Paw | Quilter’s Cache, Nov 1999 |
| Flying Geese | Quilter’s Cache, May 11 2000 |
| Pinwheel | Quilter’s Cache, May 1999 |
| Broken Dishes | Quilter’s Cache, Dec 1999 |
| Snowball | Quilter’s Cache, Jan 2000 |
Our drawings are our own, made from the grid; the dates are the dates on each published pattern page (read 11 November 2026).
Which tool to use
| You want | Use |
|---|---|
| One block at any size, with cutting chart and templates | Quilt Block Patterns (this page) |
| A whole quilt with borders and yardage | Quilt Pattern Maker |
| Quilt size and fabric maths | Quilt Calculator |
| Hexagons and other shapes for hand piecing | English Paper Piecing Templates |
| A block painted on a board | Barn Quilt Patterns |
Also handy: the Quilt Pattern Maker, the English Paper Piecing Templates and the Quilt Binding Calculator.
More free tools
Quilting, sewing and craft printables?
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Frequently asked questions
What is a quilt block?
A square unit of patchwork, usually 6 to 12 in finished, sewn from smaller patches. Quilts are made by repeating one block or by mixing different blocks (a sampler).
How are the cut sizes worked out?
From the finished size of each patch plus the seam allowance, using the standard rules for a 1/4 in seam: squares and rectangles + 1/2 in; half-square triangles from squares of the finished leg + 7/8 in, cut once on the diagonal; quarter-square triangles from squares of the finished long side + 1 1/4 in, cut twice on the diagonal. Our tests check every row.
What does the grid mean?
Most blocks are drawn on a grid: a nine-patch block on 3 × 3, Sawtooth Star on 4 × 4, Bear’s Paw on 7 × 7. Pick a finished size that divides by the grid for easy numbers (12 in on a 3 × 3 grid gives 4 in squares).
What if the sizes are not on a ruler line?
Some sizes give cut sizes like 4.417 in. The chart shows exact values; round up to the next 1/8 in and trim the sewn unit back to size, or choose a finished size that divides by the grid.
Are the templates full size?
Yes. Each template shows the cut line (solid) and the sewing line (dashed). Print at 100% and measure the 1 in test square. Patches too long for the page (some log cabin logs) are rotary cut from the chart instead.
Are these the traditional blocks?
Yes. Each block follows the traditional block of that name, and we checked each drawing against a published block diagram (grid, pieces and how they sit). Some blocks have regional variants with the same name; we show one and say which.
How is this different from the quilt pattern maker?
The Quilt Pattern Maker designs a whole quilt from one block, with sashing, borders and fabric yardage. This page is for one block at a time: more blocks, any finished size, a cutting chart per block and full-size templates.
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.