QST: 4 Different Fabrics

Best Practices for Auto Recognition

QST Block Unit in PreQuilt

A common Quarter Square Triangle block unit is often composed of 4 different fabrics and can have a very scrappy look to it.

And since the idea behind this series is to build a block unit (not an entire block that is just a quarter square triangle), I'm going to create a 12" finished block that has a quarter square triangle block unit in it (like for example, the Card Trick quilt block).

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Help Guide

Click on the BLOCKS tab on the left side control panel.
Click on the Make Custom Block button.
The Block Editor panel will slide out and overtake your screen. My block is set to 12" x 12" finished, but it doesn't matter, the next steps will work for all sized blocks.
Set your grid guidelines by changing the number for the horizontal and vertical units.
- In this example, I'd like to create the Card Trick quilt block, so I'll set my gridlines to 6 horizontal and 6 vertical units.
- Note: I set 6 horizontal and 6 vertical (instead of 3), because I need to have a gridline for the midpoint of each QST.
Click on the isosceles triangle shape () from the central control panel.
One isosceles triangle will be added to the block space. Move it into the correct position by clicking on the shape on the block space and moving it to where it belongs.
Isosceles triangle shape added to the quilt block space
Isosceles triangle shape moved to one side of the QST
Now that the isosceles triangle is in place, we can now stretch it into the shape of a quarter square triangle. With the triangle selected, grab the square on the right side of the isosceles triangle and drag it until the triangle fills the width of two grid spaces. If the snap to grid is turned on (default) then the shape will automatically fill the grid space.
- Keep in mind this is only quarter of the block unit, the three quarters are empty (denoted by gingham background).
With the quarter square triangle shape selected, click on the Clone button () on the central control panel.
Cloned QST shape - identical to the first QST (Using Fabric Link A)
Click on the Rotate button () on the central control panel so that it is in the correct orientation. You will need to click on the Rotate button several times to get it to be upside down.
Move the new quarter square triangle piece so it is opposite (and above) the first quarter square triangle. It should snap into place and the tip of the QST piece should meet perfectly at the middle of the 4 grid spaces.
Click on the Link button for a different fabric link (so that the new QST block piece is now linked to a different Fabric Link). In this example, I've linked them to Fabric D.
Before: 2 identical QST pieces
After: 2 different QST pieces
Click on one of the quarter square triangle shapes to select it and then click on the Clone button () on the central control panel.
Before: 2 different QSTs
After: 2 different QSTs + 1 cloned copy
Click on the Link button for a different fabric link (so that the new QST block piece is now linked to a different Fabric Link). In this example, I've linked them to Fabric C.
3 QST shapes - now all using different fabric links
Click on the Rotate button () on the central control panel so that the new QST is in the correct orientation. And move it into the position of your choice (either left or right side of the block unit).
Repeat Steps 12-14 for the last quarter square triangle piece so that it completes the QST block unit.
1 x QST block unit
Card Trick block with 1 center QST block unit

Sewing Construction Diagrams

1 at a Time Subcut Method

This method makes 1 QST block unit at a time. But these instructions give you enough fabric to produce 4 QST units. But each QST block unit is made independently.