Nothing is Wasted with our Economy Quilt Block Pattern

This post contains affiliate links, for which I receive compensation.

In this Economy quilt block tutorial, you'll find step-by-step paper piecing instructions with free pattern downloads in four sizes.

I prefer this technique for this block for its accuracy.

Since half the seams are on the diagonal, any deviation from a quarter inch seam is multiplied by 40%. 

With a paper pattern, all you need to concern yourself with is stitching on the line.

The Economy quilt block is used as a unit in the construction of other patchwork designs, including:

Around the Corner	Storm at Sea	South Carolina Star
Four Crowns	Tea Party	Union Square

Reduce your stitch length to 15-18 stitches per inch for paperpiecing. This reduced stitch length perforates the paper more making its removal at the end easier.

Install an open toe appliqué foot if you have one. It makes it easier to see the line you're sewing on.

When you are instructed to press, first press the pieced unit flat to set the seam. Then open the patch, pressing from the front. 

Check out our Best Technique for Pressing Quilt Blocks. It works for paperpiecing, too!

📥 Download and print Economy patterns

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.

Choose your finished block size from the list below:

• 2"

• 3"

• 4"

• 6"

Not sure which paper to use?

Take a look at my review of several of the most popular brands available to us quilters on the market.

You want a super-easy paper to tear away—less stress on the stitches. 

✂️ Cut the patches for your Economy block

Sample Size: 6" finished / 6½" unfinished

Grid: 4x4

Attribution: Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger

AKA: Hour Glass (Ladies Art Company), This and That (KC Star), Thrift Block (Nancy Cabot)

Design Type: Square in a Square

The first patch is cut to its exact size. The rest of the patches are over-sized to make their placement virtually foolproof. This minimizes ripping and saves time.

I suggest that you make a couple of blocks to test whether these sizes work for you, then make any necessary adjustments and note those changes. Store this customized cutting chart for future reference.

			Cutting Chart for an Economy Block ~ Paper piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size				Sub Cut
			2"	3"	4"	6"
E1	A	1	1½" x 1½"	2" x 2"	2½" x 2½"	3½" x 3½"	---
E2	B	2	2⅛" x 2⅛"	2½" x 2½"	2¾" x 2¾"	3½" x 3½"
E3	C	2	2⅜" x 2⅜"	2⅞" x 2⅞"	3⅜" x 3⅜"	4⅜" x 4⅜"
Unfinished Block Size			2½"	3½"	4½"	6½"	na
Grid Size			½"	¾"	1"	1½"	na

After cutting, the pieces look like this:

🪡Assemble the Economy quilt block

Setup your sewing machine for paper piecing

We need to make a few adjustments to our machine settings to paper piece.

• Reduce your stitch length to 16–20 stitches per inch (1.3-1.6 mm). This perforates the paper and stabilizes the seam when you remove the pattern. [Learn more about stitch length here.]

• Reduce your machine's speed or just plain slow down. Sew only as fast as you can and stay on the solid stitching line.

• Install an open toe appliqué foot (sometimes called an 'embroidery' or 'satin stitch' foot) if you have one (it's easier to see where you're stitching with one installed). 

• Use a larger needle (90/14) IF you have problems removing the pattern. Personally, I use an 80/12 Microtex Sharp for paper piecing without any problems.

Cut the Economy unit from the page you downloaded. A rough cut will do, just cut outside the dotted line that marks the unfinished edge. You will trim to size in the last step.

With a just a dab of Elmer's Washable Glue Stick—the one that goes on purple and dries clear—position #E1 on the unprinted side of the page. Use the dashed lines to help position it perfectly.

Align the long bias edge of #E2 triangle with one side of patch #E1. Stitch from the printed side, starting before and ending after the solid stitching line. These extra stitches are secured with subsequent lines of stitching.

The dashed lines you see are the placement lines for Patch #E1. The red arrows indicate approximately where to start and stop stitching.

Repeat for the opposite side.

Press.

Trim the dog ears with scissors.

Repeat for the remaining two sides.

And press.

At this point, I like to clean up my edges—remember the patches were cut over-sized—and establish the exact place to position the final 4 patches.

Simply line up the edge of your ruler with the solid stitching line, creasing the paper with your fingernail to help fold it back on the seam line.

Now align the 1/4" mark with the folded edge and cut. This establishes your seam allowance and perfect placement for the next patch.

And trim with your rotary cutter...

...and repeat for all four sides. You're halfway there!

With RST, line up the long bias edge of a #E3 triangle with one side of the pieced unit. Stitch the seam from the printed side, again starting and stopping a quarter inch off the solid line.

Repeat for the opposite side.

Trim the dog ears and press.

Add the final set of triangles in the same manner and press.

Trim your Economy quilt block

Line up the quarter inch mark of your ruler with the solid finished edge of your block.

Trim with a rotary cutter.

I find this much easier to do than trying to line up the edge of my ruler with the dashed-line that marks the unfinished size of the block. Cutting is more accurate.

After all four sides are trimmed and the paper removed, this is your finished Economy quilt block!

Our Economy block is ready for a quilt

Since I first wrote this Economy quilt block tutorial...

...a new product has come out on the market.

Pre-printed paper piecing patterns (that's a mouthful!) in 2", 3", 4", 6" and 10" finished sizes are available for you to print for free from this website. Both include 42 copies of the Economy block.

Lori Holt has created pads of the 6" and a 12" version that isn't included here. Click on either image below to learn more about the pads, read reviews, and/or purchase if you're interested.

6" Economy Quilt Block Foundation Paper Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet for It's Sew Emma

12" Economy Quilt Block Foundation Paper Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet for It's Sew Emma

You'll also find these papers on Amazon.com.

Same name, different block...

Several others go by the name 'Economy' but their look is totally different.

The center square is split one more time in this one. It also goes by the name 'Twelve Triangles'. That tutorial and its downloads is here.

This is reminiscent of the Whirlwind quilt block, except this one has y-seams and just 'half' quarter square triangles.

This version of the Economy quilt block is drafted as an uneven nine patch. Square in a square blocks are used a dozen times in its construction.

Click here to learn how to paperpiece square in a square units and/or download paperpiecing patterns for them in 7 different sizes.

This article was printed from Generations-Quilt-Patterns.com

Share Us

FacebookPinterestTumblrRedditX

Follow Us