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Quick Four-Patch Quilt Block

Toby Lischko

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Duration:   5  mins

Description

A four-patch quilt block is a very common unit in many different quilt patterns and is made from four pieces of fabric. While there are several different ways to create a four-patch unit, Toby Lischko shows you a quick and easy way to make one that uses less time and less thread and that lays flat when pressed.

Four-Patch Quilt Block

Toby first begins by explaining what a four-patch quilt block is. She then shows how to cut the fabric for the unit. While you would normally cut all of your pieces separately, Toby shows how the fabric must be cut in order for her method of making the four-patch unit to work correctly. This requires that two different colors of fabric are used and positioned correctly before being cut at the same time.

After she demonstrates how to do this, she shows which side of the fabric needs to be facing up while stitching. Toby explains that when learning how to make a four-patch quilt block, as well as with any quilt piecing, it is important to have an accurate and consistent quarter-inch seam allowance. She explains how to measure and mark seams for stitching.

Toby goes on to show how to stitch the first two seams of the four-patch unit, one right after another. Once those seams are stitched, Toby shows how to open them up and finger-press the seam.

Then, without trimming the thread, she shows how the fabric can be aligned and the final seam stitched. By using this method of making a four-patch quilt block, you can save time and thread, as well as make sure that all of the right fabrics stay together within the unit.

While four-patch quilt blocks are used for many quilt designs, you can easily make variations of them, such as a disappearing four-patch quilt. You can also use them when learning how to create your own quilt blocks.

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3 Responses to “Quick Four-Patch Quilt Block”

  1. Karon

    Why would you clip the thread? The idea of pulling the thread is the tails will help stabilize the junction, if you clip them it will create a situation for the seams to open and cause a hole. The longer threads help prevent the seam from opening.

  2. Mary Teague

    Love this method! No matter how careful I am, my centers often don’t match. I also like the way the middle seams are opened like you would do with hand piecing.

  3. Ila Migut

    I love the tip about construction! But...please engage the IDT on your machine. It will really improve your results!

There are many ways to make four patch blocks. I'm gonna show you my method for making a fast four patch and how to twist the specs seam so that all the seams are going in the same direction which reduces bulk in the back of the block. Now I know there's lots of ways to make four patches. One is you sew two strips together and you cut them into sections. I prefer cutting the squares individually. It doesn't take any more time because even when you're sewing the two fabrics together in a strip, you still have to cut them apart and then sew them together. So I prefer to cut my squares at once. And the best way to do that is to take your two fabrics. I've got two different color fabrics here. I lay them right sides together and then I'm gonna cut my squares with the fabrics together. And so I'm gonna cut. I want to make sure I have a start with a straight edge here. Okay. Okay. So I've got that one ready to go. And then I have one more to cut. So I've got my two different fabrics together. Okay. So now I have my four blocks. Now you can't see them, but you've got both of them. Okay, so what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna turn one upside down. And I'm gonna sew one right after the other with a quarter of an inch seam allowance. Okay, so I'm gonna sew one. And I'm gonna stop with my needle down. Nope. That's not my needle down. There's my needle down. It's a new sewing machine. I'm just learning it. Okay. And then I'm gonna put the other one right next to it. It's touching it. Okay. And I'm gonna sew the next one right after it. I'm gonna cut my threads. Now the trick is I'm not gonna take these apart. I'm gonna leave this just like that. And then I'm gonna press these in opposite directions. So I'm gonna press the first one towards the dark and I'm gonna press the second one towards the dark and I'm just finger pressing. Okay. And then all I have to do is flip. And then I'm gonna sew it together. Now because I sewed one right after the other, the seams are already touching each other. They're abutted. And they're going in opposite directions, so I know my seams gonna match now. So I'm just gonna put a pin right in front of that seam allowance, just so that it holds that seam together when I go to sew it. You don't have to, some people don't do that, but I still like to add a little pin there. So I'm just gonna put a pin there. I'm going to sew those pairs together at my quarter of an inch. Cut my thread. Okay, so now the machine was making a little tight stitch here. Okay, so now what I'm gonna do is I have to clip that little thread that was holding it together. 'Cause I want to twist this seam in the back. So I have to just clip this one little thread. Okay, and the way to get that seem to twist is I stick my fingers into where the seams are coming together, just like this. And I give it a little twist. And what it does is it pulls those threads apart. And if they don't come apart, you can always take your little seam ripper and give it a little extra. So see, there's one little, couple little threads that want to stick together. So I just give them a little clip and you can see I can get those seams going in opposite directions. So I turn it over to the front. I give it another press and you can see how nice that seam matches perfectly because I sewed it one right after the other. So there's no way it can't match. And because the seams are all going in the same direction and that seam is pressed open in the back, or pressed around in the circle in the back, you have a nice flat seam in the center and it makes a quick four patch. So try this method. You're not gonna believe how easy it is.

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