Sew an Aunt Kate's Choice Quilt Block

From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library

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The Aunt Kate's Choice quilt block is made from Birds in the Air units and a smidgen of extra piecing.

My favorite technique is to paperpiece this block. With little effort, points just come out so-o-o-o pointy.

Nothing gets cut off.

Simply by stitching on a line.

But if you despise paper piecing, don't worry.

Aunt Kate's Choice quilt block instructions

Instructions are also included for traditional patchwork, too.

There's always more than one way to put a block together. The trick is to find out what works best for YOU!

Is Aunt Kate's Choice not ringing a bell? You might also know it as a 'Duck and Ducklings'. (We've got instructions for that block variation here.)

There's lots to do. Let's get started!

General Instructions

Several abbreviations are used in this tutorial:

SA - seam allowance
RST - right sides together
HST - half square triangle

When you are instructed to press, first press the pieced unit flat to set the seam. Then open the patch, pressing from the front. Seam allowances are pressed toward the darker fabric unless otherwise noted.

For exquisitely flat blocks, take a minute to review our favorite pressing technique. It works even with foundation paper attached.

Now that's sweet!

Step 1: Choose your technique, a size, then cut your patches

Aunt Kate's Choice design

Sample Size: 6&188;" finished / 6¾" unfinished

Grid: 5x5

Attribution: Needle Craft Supply

AKA: Duck and Ducklings (Ladies Art Company)

Design Type: Uneven 9-patch, small center

We've got two cutting charts for two different techniques. Choose one or the other.

In both charts the dimensions represent squares unless otherwise written.

To translate from our charts, for a paperpieced 5" block for Patch #1 from Fabric A cut two 1-7/8" x 1-7/8" squares. Then subcut each once on the diagonal.

For the sample Aunt Kate's Choice in this tutorial, our Fabric 'A' is a dark and 'B' is a light.

Option #1: Paperpiecing

To print the foundation patterns, click on the size listed in the 'Finished Block' column, i.e. for a 5" finished Aunt Kate's Choice, print 2" Birds in the Air units.

You'll need the most current version of Adobe installed on your computer to download the pattern.

On the Adobe Print Menu page, under 'Page Size and Handling' set 'Custom Scale' to 100% before printing for accurate results. Click here to see what it looks like on the Print Menu page.

After printing, use the 1" square graphic on the printed pages to confirm they are printed accurately.

The patches are cut bigger to make positioning them a breeze! I suggest making a block or two as instructed.

Decide if you need to adjust the patch size to accommodate YOUR preferences.

Note any changes you make for future reference. Store with printed copies of the paper pieced patterns.

Remember to subcut Patches #1-#5.

			Finished Block Size
Patch #	Fabric	Qty	5”	6¼"	7½"	10”	Sub Cut
1	A	2	1-7/8”	2-1/8”	2-3/8”	2-7/8”
2, 3, 4	B	6	2-3/8”	2-5/8”	2-7/8”	3-3/8”
5	A	2	3-3/8”	3-7/8”	4-3/8”	5-3/8”
6	B	4	1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
7	A	4	1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
8	A	1	1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
PRINT Birds in the Air unit			2"	2-1/2"	3"	4"**	--
Trimmed Birds in the Air unit measures...			2-1/2”	3”	3-1/2”	4-1/2”	--
Grid Size			1”	1-1/4”	1-1/2”	2”	--
Unfinished Aunt Kate's Choice measures...			5-1/2"	6-3/4”	8”	10-1/2”	--

**You'll need to print two pages for a total of four units

Option #2: Traditional Piecing

There are no patterns to print for traditional piecing. Just remember to subcut Patches #1-#5 as directed (see far right column).

			Finished Block Size
Patch #	Fabric	Qty	5”	6-1/4”	7½"	10”	Sub Cut
1	A	2	1-7/8”	2-1/8”	2-3/8”	2-7/8”
2, 3, 4	B	6	1-7/8”	2-1/8”	2-3/8”	2-7/8”
5	A	2	2-7/8”	3-3/8”	3-7/8”	4-7/8”
6	B	4	1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
7	A	4	1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
8	A	1	1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
Trim small HST to...			1-1/2”	1-3/4”	2”	2-1/2”	--
Trim Birds in the Air unit to...			2-1/2”	3”	3-1/2”	4-1/2”	--
Grid Size			1”	1-1/4”	1-1/2”	2”	--
Unfinished Aunt Kate's Choice measures...			5-1/2”	6-3/4”	8”	10-1/2”	--

Step 2: Assemble the units

Birds in the Air

Make 4

For detailed instructions, click the link below that corresponds to the type of patches you cut in Step 1 for:

Paper Piecing

Traditional

After stitching, trimming and removing the paper, you'll have four units that look like this.

Make four Birds in the Air units like this one

The SAs looker larger than 1/4" because this patch is shown larger than life.

Return your sewing machine to your everyday settings.

We stitch the remainder of the block with traditional techniques.

Install your favorite quarter inch presser foot. Adjust the needle position if needed. Return to your normal piecing stitch length.

Joined Squares

Make 4

With RST, layer a #6 and a #7 square, stitch with a 1/4" seam. Press towards the dark.

Make four like this.

Stitch 4 pairs of squares together like this

Step 3: Assemble your Aunt Kate's Choice quilt block

Lay out your finished units and center square into rows.

Stitch the rows together with a 1/4" seam. Press with the SAs in the direction of the arrows shown below.

Press the SAs in the direction of the arrows

At last, your Aunt's Kate Choice quilt block is finished!

So many choices...So little time!

Make it easy on yourself and check out our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library. Lots of blocks with illustrated instructions to choose from!

What about a different quilt block?

For a list of all the 220+ quilt block patterns on this site, start here.

If you know the name of the block, shorten your search by using these links:

A-D

E-M

N-Z

Click here if you're looking for blocks with at least some paper piecing.

Click here if you're looking for the basic building blocks of quilting, i.e., Flying Geese, half square triangles, quarter square triangles, etc., along with several techniques to make each.

And finally, use these links to find blocks in these finished sizes: