Patchwork
Maple Leaf
A nine-patch leaf: five solid leaf squares form the plus-shaped body, three corner half-square triangles round out the lobes, and the bottom-right cell carries a diagonal stem. Cut the stem as a straight 1" x 6" strip and set it into the diagonal seam of a 4 7/8" background square, then trim the unit to size.
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. This block uses 3.
- 5 squares
- 4½"
Accent
- 1 piece
- 1" × 6"
Background
- 2 squares
- 4⅞"Cut once on the diagonal, layered with the feature fabric. Each square makes 2 triangles. This block uses 3.
- 2 squares
- 4⅞"
By region
| Region | Fabric | Units | Cut from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top Left Lobe | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Left Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Right Lobe | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Top Right Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Left Lobe | Feature | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Bottom Left Background | Background | 1 | 4⅞" square, cut once on the diagonal |
| Leaf Top | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Leaf Left | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Leaf Center | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Leaf Right | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Leaf Bottom | Feature | 1 | 4½" |
| Stem | Accent | 1 | 1" × 6" |
| Stem Background Upper | Background | 1 | 4⅞" |
| Stem Background Lower | Background | 1 | 4⅞" |
How it goes together
- Step 1
Cut your pieces
Cut the pieces in the cut list. The sizes are for a 12 inch finished Maple Leaf 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 Maple Leaf on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.