Illinois Quilt Block

Skill Level: Beginner

Grid: 6x6

The Illinois quilt block is made of half squares triangles and pairs of Flying Geese...all basic units...which makes it a great practice block for the beginning quilter.

For perfectly-pieced Geese, we'll use a paper piecing technique. You'll find the free pattern downloads within the cutting chart.

Ready?

Choose a size and two fabrics. We're ready for the Illinois quilt block!

These abbreviations are used in this tutorial:

• SA - seam allowance
• RST - right sides together
• HST - half square triangle
• FGU - Flying Geese units

SA are 1/4" and pressed toward the darker fabric unless noted otherwise.

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

Starching your quilt fabric makes everything easier. Learn about it here.

Step 1: Printing the patterns

To open and print the Flying Geese units (FGU) you need the Adobe Reader installed on your computer. You can get Adobe Reader here (a new window will open so you can download it without leaving this page) if you need it.

Open the downloaded file at the intersection of 'Print FGUs' and your finished block's size. You'll find these downloads in the Cutting Chart in Step 2 below in the row highlighted in yellow.

Select the "Print" option. Under 'Page Sizing and Handling' in the Adobe print menu, set 'Custom Scale' to 100%. You must do this for the pattern to print correctly.

Click here to see what it looks like on the Print Menu page.

After printing one page, measure to confirm that it printed correctly, then continue with any remaining copies.

Cut apart on the line.

Press.

If you've cut oversized patches as I did, trim these units to size. 

HST Dimensions
Finished Block Size	Trim HST to…
4-1/2"	2"
6 "	2-1/2"
7-1/2"	3"
12 "	4-1/2"

For the 7-1/2" finished Illinois quilt block in this example the HSTs were trimmed to 3" x 3".

After trimming, these are our HSTs.

If you need more detailed instructions, click here to go to Technique #1: Creating Quick Pieced Half Square Triangles.

With RST, align a #2 with the #1. You can choose either side first. My recommendation is to be consistent so that you can develop a piecing rhythm— especially if you're making more than one block.

Stitch on the line between #1 and #2, both starting before and ending after the solid line. As the units are sewn together, that stitching secures these seamlines.

Press.

To establish the next placement line, place this patch on your cutting mat, paper-side up.

Line-up the edge of your ruler with the solid line between #1-2 and #3. Crease the paper along your ruler's edge. Fold back the paper on this line.

Now position the 1/4" mark on the folded edge and cut the excess fabric away with your rotary cutter. You've now established the next placement line.

With RST, align the long edge of a #3 with the cut edge. Sew on the line, starting and stopping outside the dashed lines.

Press.

Continue on in this manner for the remaining #4 patches.

Press.

Trim to the same dimensions as the HST.

For more detailed instructions for these FGUs, visit our Arrowhead Quilt Block, Step 3. (Hit your back arrow to return here.)

Step 4: Assemble the Illinois quilt block

Return your sewing machine to a normal, piecing stitch length. Install your quarter inch foot.

Lay out the units into the Illinois design. Pay particular attention to the FGUs pointing out from the center. The dark side of the HST is in each corner.

Sew the units into rows. Press with the SA away from the FGUs.

Stitch the rows together. Use pins to ensure a good match at the seam allowances. The inner Geese form the illusion of a square-in-a-square block.

If your Illinois quilt blocks are going to be set with sashing strips, I prefer to press these final seams away from the Flying Geese. If they'll be set edge-to-edge, then I'll press these SAs to the center.

This is our finished Illinois quilt block.

The truth be told...

...this is a seriously funky block! Lot's of motion, but to my traditional eye...much, much, much too busy.

To tone it down, I could choose a smaller scale in the black and white print. Then the contrast in the size of both prints would tell your eyes what to look at. Right now, your eye is constantly moving. Dizzy!