Square in a Square Quilt Block ~ It's hip to be a square! 😎🕺

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Several methods to make a Square in a Square

These tried and true techniques get the job done without the mental, the math gymnastics!

The first is 'folded corners' (which you may have already used for a Snowball quilt block).

The second is paper piecing (my personal favorite) which follows on this page.

Finally, you can choose to piece it using rotary cut patches using either your every ruler or templates or a specialty ruler called the 'On-Point'.

General Instructions

Several abbreviations are used on this page. They are:

• SA - seam allowance
• RST - right sides together
• HST - Half Square Triangles
• SiaS - Square in a Square

A 1/4" SA is used in this tutorial.

Highlighted in yellow, pressing instructions are easy to spot.

First press the patches in the closed position as they came off your sewing machine. This sets the seam, melding the fibers of the threads into the fibers of the fabric. At this point, I like to fingerpress the seam to make sure there isn't a tuck in the SA.

All seams are pressed away from the SA away from the Center patch.

Step 1: Cutting patches for a Square in a Square block

Sample Block Size:  5" finished / 5½" unfinished

Grid:  2x2

AKA: Square in Square, Diamond in a Square

Design Type:  Paper piecing  |  Basic, beginner blocks

Please label all your patches. We use their numbers throughout this tutorial.

The fabrics used in the sample are from an older Alison Glass Sun Print fabric group called Luminance (2021). I love to make scrap quilts, and her collections provide a lot of basics to mix into my projects.

You'll notice that C.2 and C.5 swap places with C.4 and C.3 when the pattern is flipped to the fabric side. This doesn't affect your block unless you are using different fabrics for the corners.

To print a copy of the block design and cutting chart to use at your cutting table, click here.

			Cutting Chart for a Quilt Block ~ Paper Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size							Sub Cut
			2''	2½''	3''	4 ''	5''	6"	7"
Center.1	A	1	1⅞'' x 1⅞''	2¼'' x 2¼''	2⅝'' x 2⅝''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	4⅛'' x 4⅛''	4¾'' x 4¾''	5½'' x 5½''	---
C.2, C.3, C.4, c.5	B	2	2⅜'' x 2⅜''	2⅝'' x 2⅝''	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅜'' x 4⅜''	4⅞'' x 4⅞''
Unfinished Block Size			2½''	3''	3½''	4½''	5½''	6½''	7½''	na
Grid Size			1"	1¼"	1½"	2"	2½"	3"	3½"	na

Subcutting

Layer your C.2 through C.5 patches and cut once on the diagonal to create HSTs.

Since I originally pieced this sample, I've gone back and added the Finished/Unfinished size in the seam allowance to make sorting and storing leftover patterns easier.

Step 2: Assemble the Square in a Square unit

Position the Center.1 patch to the unprinted side of the pattern, using those dashed lines to quickly position it.

Use a dab of Elmer's Washable Glue Stick &#reg; to hold it in place.

With RST, match the long bias edge of C.2 with one side of the Center.1. 

I've nudged the lighter patch over the edge of the darker Center.1 by a few threads (blue arrow)

Start your stitching your seam from outside the dashed edge of the block, onto the solid line, and then out past the other dashed edge. (blue arrows)

Since these units run from one side of the SiaS to the other, they can be chain pieced if you're making more than one block.

Chain piecing in paper piecing? Who'd a-thunk it!

For the smaller units, add a single Corner and press.

For this 5" finished sample, I added C.2 and C.3, fingerpressing in between patches. Then a quick trip to the ironing board for a quick press.

Add C.4 in the same manner. 

I've trimmed away the dog ears (to remove some bulk) before I sew this patch on the right (blue arrow) and not yet on the left (blue arrow) so you can see the difference,

Finish the unit with C.5.

...and the dog ears are gone.

...and another good press.

Your Square in a Square quilt block looks something like this.

Trimming your Square in a Square quilt block

All it takes to turn this hot mess into piecing perfection is 4 cuts with your rotary cutter.

At your cutting mat, paper side up, place the 1/4" line on your ruler directly over one of the solid lines that surrounds the SiaS (blue arrow below)

Trim away the excess fabric, leaving behind a perfect 1/4" SA.

Turn the unit (or mat if you've got one that rotates—one of my favorite tools for paper piecing) a quarter turn. 

Line up the ruler again, and trim.

Turn 1/4" turn again and trim.

One final quarter turn and a last cut with your rotary cutter.

Utter perfection!

If you took care to stitch on the lines, those points are all exactly 1/4" away from the edge of the block. 

Piecing Nirvana!

Our edges are all on the straight of grain, just like it'd be if we'd used Folded Corners or pieced with templates, so we can remove the pattern now.

From the backside, you can see those edges of the background C.2-C.5 were nudged a few threads past the Center square to avoid any darker fabric shadowing through our quilt top. A no-brainer given it took almost no effort.

If removing that paper makes you vomit in your mouth a little🚫✂️🎉

...I've got an alternative for you.

It's paper piecing on freezer paper—where you peel away the pattern instead of ripping it off.

Simply print your paper piecing pattern on freezer paper. You'll need to figure out which way to lay it in your paper tray. Use a regular sheet of paper to determine which side needs to be up so you don't get the ink on the plastic side. 

I've marked my printer—love my P-Touch label maker—so I don't have to remember.

Good ol' P-Touch labeler to the rescue! Some days I'd forget my brains if they weren't stapled to my forehead!

Cut out a copy of the SiaS, a rough cut, as usual.

DON'T SKIP THIS STEP

Use a narrow-edged ruler (like an Add-A-Quarter Plus or even your kid's school ruler) to ACCURATELY fold on all the solid seam lines within the edges of the block. It's easier to see what you're doing, and it doesn't yuck up the pattern as much a thicker rotary ruler does.

For an accurate block, the line should show just past the edge of the ruler, with no white between the line and the ruler. This may seem picky, but if you're after accuracy, it's worth the extra nanosecond to position it properly.

Click the image to see a closer-up of the ruler placement vs the line

The accuracy of your finished SiaS depends on the accuracy of both your stitching and your FOLDING.

Below is the rough-cut pattern (bottom, left) and after folding (bottom, right). The cut patches, using the same cutting chart, are at the top.

Using the dashed guidelines, press the wrong side of Center.1 to the unprinted side of the pattern.

You'll be able to peel up the pattern from the ironing board. If you've got one of the wool pressing mats (that I LOVE!), cover it with a piece of muslin. A LOT of fiber transfers from the wool to the plastic and reduces its holding power.

Center.1 is pressed into position. That's the downloadable cutting chart in the background

Peel back the paper pattern from the C.2 corner until you can fold the pattern on the pre-folded line. 

Center C.2, RST, with Center.1.

With your stitch length set at what you normally piece with—mine's at 2.0mm—stitchthisclose to the folded edge of the pattern, and not through the paper.

If you've got a speed control on your machine, use it. Remember, we're not spending any time ripping at the end.

Just like when you stitch through a paper pattern, start and stop past the outside edges of this unit.

Helpful Hint

If you're having a rough time stitching right next to the fold, try an edge stitching foot—your machine's manufacturer might call it something different. (shown right)

I did need to adjust my needle position (.03) to line it up exactly where I wanted it. Test yours before going to the actual block.

Stitchingthisclose to the folded edge

Press.

For this 3" finished sample, I can fingerpress this seam, add C.3, fingerpress again, and then jump to the iron to give it a good pressing. Again, don't hit the freezer paper directly with your iron. It'll gunk it up.

Add C.4 following the same steps. I've trimmed away the dog ears (with scissors) that were created by adding C.2 and C.3.

Stitching C.4

Press and finish up with the addition of C.5.

Another good turn at the ironing board, and we've an untrimmed Square in a Square quilt block like this.

Looks just like the Square in a Square when we sewed through the paper

All that's left is to trim this to size, just like we did before. 

The proof is in the pudding 🍨 🥄 😋

IS IT ACCURATE?

Let's measure. 

For our 3" finished/3½" unfinished sample, those points should be 1/4" in from the edge of the Square in a Square, and 1¾" in from the sides.

My skirt is officially blown up. This little puppy is ACCURATE!

Now for the best part…there's no paper to rip.

Simply peel it away from the back of the block. You can continue to reuse it until the plastic won't hold the fabric in place.

Paper piecing doesn't get much better than that!

Struggling with perfect points?📌📌📌

Pin our Square in a Square paper piecing tutorial to your "Must-Try Quilts" board. You'll be squaring up your skills and creating geometric masterpieces in no time!

For even MORE blocks to make... 🧩🎨

...visit our Free Quilt Block Pattern Library, with over 230+ blocks to choose from in multiple sizes.

Free downloads are included in all sizes for any blocks require paper piecing patterns or templates.

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

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