Patchwork
Jacob's Ladder
A nine-patch of five four-patch units (corners and center) and four half-square triangles (the sides). The four-patch darks and the HST diagonals line up to form the climbing ladder; piece the five four-patches and four HSTs, then join as a nine-patch.
Cut list
What to cut for one 12 inch finished block. A quarter inch seam allowance is already in every size.
Feature
- 2 squares
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the background fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
- 10 squares
- 2½"
Background
- 2 squares
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the feature fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles.
- 10 squares
- 2½"
By region
| Region | Fabric | Units | Cut from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Left Patch NW | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Left Patch NE | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Left Patch SW | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Left Patch SE | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Right Patch NW | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Right Patch NE | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Right Patch SW | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Right Patch SE | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Left Patch NW | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Left Patch NE | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Left Patch SW | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Left Patch SE | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Right Patch NW | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Right Patch NE | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Right Patch SW | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Bottom Right Patch SE | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Center Patch NW | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Center Patch NE | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Center Patch SW | Background | 1 | 2½" |
| Center Patch SE | Feature | 1 | 2½" |
| Top Sky | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Step | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Right Sky | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Right Step | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Step | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Sky | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Left Step | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Left Sky | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
How it goes together
- Step 1
Cut your pieces
Cut the pieces in the cut list. The sizes are for a 12 inch finished Jacob's Ladder block and already include a quarter inch seam allowance.
- Step 2
Make the half-square triangle units
Sew each pair of triangles along its long edge and press toward the darker fabric. Trim every unit to size before you join it.
- Step 3
Assemble the block
Join the units into rows, then join the rows. Press as you go and square the finished block to size.
Read more
Color value vs hue in quilts
Value is how light or dark a color is. Hue is what we usually call “the color itself.” In quilts, value carries the design — hue carries the mood.
5 min read
Quilt block families, explained
Most quilt blocks belong to one of six families — Patchwork, Half-square triangles, Flying geese, Stars, Curves, and Hexagons. Each family is a way of piecing fabric together.
6 min read
The quilter’s seam allowance, explained
A seam allowance is the strip of fabric between the seam and the raw edge. Quilters work in a standard 1/4 inch — and getting it right is the difference between a top that finishes flat and one that fights you.
5 min read
Try the Jacob's Ladder on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.