Learn how to make the stunning Lost and Found quilt block with this step-by-step tutorial! This striking 12″ block is perfect for confident beginners and experienced quilters alike, combining three classic units – half square triangles (HSTs), flying geese, and square-in-a-square – to create a bold, graphic diamond frame design.
Whether you’re building your piecing skills or adding a new favorite to your block library, the Lost and Found block delivers maximum visual impact with approachable construction. Grab your fabric and let’s get started!
Fabric Requirements for a 12″ Finished Lost and Found Quilt Block:
- Light/White: 1 – 4.5″ square, 2 – 3″ squares, and 16 – 2.5″ squares
- Medium/Blue: 4 – 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles
- Medium/Purple: 2 – 3″ squares, and 4 – 2.5″ squares
- Dark/Blue: 4 – 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles, and 12 – 2.5″ squares
Sewing Directions:
Square in a Square Unit:
Step 1:
Using the Light/White 4.5″ square and the four Medium/Purple 2.5″ squares, “snowball” the corners of the Light/White square to create a Square in a Square unit. You can find my 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
Half Square Triangle Units:
Step 2:
Using a Light/White 3″ square and a Medium/Purple 3″ square, make Half Square Triangle (HST) units as shown in the picture below. You can find my tutorial for making HST units at https://quiltembroiderypdf.com/how-to-sew-a-basic-half-square-triangle-block
Corner Units:
Step 3:
- Lay out one of the Step 2 units, 2 Light/White 2.5″ squares, and a Dark/Blue 2.5″ square as shown below and sew the units into two rows (top left image).
- Press the seam allowances toward the Light/White squares (top right image).
- Sew the two rows together (bottom left image)
- Press the seam allowance. As you can see in the bottom right image, I pressed the seam allowance using the tweak/twirl/furl method. However, when I got to the final seams of the block I realized I should have pressed the seam allowance toward the top row (the row with the HST unit).
This is how the final seam allowance should be pressed.
Step 4:
Repeat Step 3 for a total of four units.
Flying Geese Units:
Step 5:
Using eight Dark/Blue 2.5″ squares and four Medium/Blue 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles, sew together four Flying Geese units. For a detailed tutorial of my no-trim method for making perfect Flying Geese blocks check out https://quiltembroiderypdf.com/how-to-sew-a-basic-flying-geese-block. The picture below shows the first steps.
- Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of the Dark/Blue 2.5″ squares.
- Sew a Dark/Blue 2.5″ square to a Medium/Blue rectangle along the marked line (top image). Note the orientation of the marked line.
- Match the corners of the Dark/Blue square and press (second image).
- Open the square up and trim the seam allowance (third image).
- Refold (bottom image).
Step 6:
Repeat Step 5 on the adjacent corner as shown in the picture below.
Step 7:
Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for a total of four Dark Blue/Medium Blue Flying Geese units like the ones in the picture below.
Step 8:
Repeat Steps 5 through 7 only using eight Light/White 2.5″ squares and four Dark/Blue 2.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles.
Middle Units:
Step 9:
Lay out a Step 7 and a Step 8 Flying Geese unit as shown below.
Step 10:
Sew the two units together and press the seam allowance toward the Step 7 unit as shown.
Step 11:
Repeat Steps 9 and 10 for a total of four Middle units.
Putting It All Together:
Step 12:
Lay out the Corner units, the Middle units, and the center Square in a Square unit as shown in the picture below.
Step 13:
Sew the units into three rows as shown below.
Step 14:
Press the seam allowances toward the Middle units as shown in the picture below.
Step 15:
Sew the three rows together to complete the block.
Step 16:
Press the seam allowances toward the center of the block as shown. All done!
Layout Ideas:
Here is the basic 4 x 4 layout using colors similar to the tutorial. This makes a nice secondary design.
And this example is the same layout as above but with narrow (1″) sashing and cornerstones added.
This is an alternating layout where every other block is a star block.
This design uses a Snowball block for an alternating block.
Here is an on-point, alternating design that uses a large Hourglass block for the alternate block that also extends into the setting triangles.
Another alternating, on-point layout using a chain block for the alternate block.
This on-point design has narrow sashing and cornerstones in a complementary color that is also used in the setting triangles.
