Half-square triangles
Yankee Puzzle
Four hourglass units in a two-by-two set. Each unit is a quarter-square triangle — cross-cut two layered squares on both diagonals — with the feature colour on the vertical axis so the hourglasses spin.
Cut list
What to cut for one 12 inch finished block. A quarter inch seam allowance is already in every size.
Feature
- 2 squares
- 7¼"Cut twice on the diagonal, layered with the background fabric. Each square makes 4 triangles.
Background
- 2 squares
- 7¼"Cut twice on the diagonal, layered with the feature fabric. Each square makes 4 triangles.
By region
| Region | Fabric | Units | Cut from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feature 1 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 1 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 2 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 2 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 3 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 3 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 4 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 4 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 5 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 5 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 6 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 6 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 7 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 7 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Feature 8 | Feature | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice on the diagonal |
| Background 8 | Background | 1 | 7¼" square, cut twice 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 Yankee Puzzle block and already include a quarter inch seam allowance.
- Step 2
Make the quarter-square triangle units
Join the quarter-square triangles in pairs along their short edges, then join the pairs. 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.
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Try the Yankee Puzzle on a real layout.
Open it on the Design Wall. Try a few colors, see the math, change your mind.