Today let’s look at this easy quilt block called Friendship Quilt. It is a traditional block and was first published in Hearth and Home. Using only squares and rectangles it is quick and easy to sew together. Let’s get started!
Fabric Requirements for a 12″ Finished Friendship Quilt Block:
- Light/Blue: 4 – 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles, and 20 – 2.5″ squares
- Dark/Purple: 5 – 4.5″ squares, and 4 – 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles
- A 5″ x width of fabric (40″) strip of each color should make one block
Sewing Directions:
Square in a Square Units:
Step 1:
Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of four Light/Blue 2.5″ squares as shown in the picture below.
You can also find a detailed tutorial for making a basic Square in a Square block at https://quiltembroiderypdf.com/how-to-sew-a-basic-square-in-a-square-block
Step 2:
You can see the first four steps for making this unit in the picture below.
- Top left: Place two of the Light/Blue 2.5″ squares on opposite corners of a Dark/Purple 4.5″ square, right sides together, and sew close to the marked line in what will be the seam allowance.
- Top right: Match up the corners of the Light/Blue 2.5″ squares and press.
- Bottom left: Open up the Light/Blue 2.5″ squares and trim the seam allowances.
- Bottom right: Refold the Light/Blue triangles.
Step 3:
Repeat Step 2 on the other two corners of the Dark/Purple 4.5″ square as shown below.
Step 4:
Repeat Steps 1 through 3 for a total of five Square in a Square units.
Rectangle Units:
Step 5:
Sew together a Light/Blue 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangle and a Dark/Purple 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangle and press the seam allowance toward the Dark/Purple rectangle as shown.
Step 6:
Repeat Step 5 for a total of four Rectangle units.
Putting It All Together:
Step 7:
Lay out the Square in a Square units and the Rectangle units as shown in the picture below. From here the block goes together like a basic Nine Patch block.
Step 8:
Sew the units into three rows as shown in the picture below.
Step 9:
Press the seam allowances away from the Square in a Square units as shown below.
Step 10:
Sew the three rows together and…
Step 11:
Press the seam allowances away from the center of the block. You’re done! That was quick!
Layout Suggestions:
Here’s the basic 4 x 4 layout:
And here it is as a scrappy quilt:
For this example, the blocks are made with the same light colored fabric but each block has a different dark color:
And here three dark fabrics are used in each block:
Here’s what it looks like with sashing and cornerstones added:
Here I mixed up the colors for the sashing and cornerstones – what a difference!
Here are two on-point layouts. Lovely!
