Step-by-Step Instructions
How to Make 16-Patch Quilt Blocks Any Size
This Royal Star is made of 16 patches.
Four patches are just Squares, four are a combination of Half Square Triangles sewn together and eight are a combination of Quarter Square Triangles sewn together:
The color-coded breakdown also shows how many of
each piece you will need to make all sixteen patches:
4 Squares
8 HSTs
32 QSTs
Click the headings below to open. - Click again to close.
What size block do you want to make?
8" Block
12" Block
16" Block
The finished patch size is all you need to make the entire block:
Finished patch size: 2"
Finished patch size: 3"
Finished patch size: 4"
These are common finished sizes for 16-patch blocks like this Royal Star,
but you can pick any size you want. Click on the heading below to see how:
You can make common sizes by lining up to the 2", 3" or 4" line.
But what if you wanted to make it finish at 9 inches?
Using a ruler alone, making a 16-patch block finish at 9" would be a math nightmare.
In Finished-Size Quilting,
you only need to know the Finished Patch Size:
Click on the heading below to see how simple it is
to make a 16-patch block that finishes at 9":
The S Addition adds a 1/2", which is the exact amount you need for Squares.
Cut five squares.
The H and Q Additons add the precise amount for Half and Quarter Square Triangles. *On a ruler alone, you have to round up to the nearest 1/8" making your triangles less accurate. Click here to learn more.
Cut four squares.
Cut eight squares.
Cut the squares into triangles first or sew the seams first?
When you're making patches that are combinations of just Half Square Triangles or just Quarter Square Triangles as in this Royal Star block, you have the choice of cutting the squares into triangles first or sewing the seams first and then cutting them into triangles. See details in the next section.
Sew First Method:
How to Make the 2 HST Patches
Line the squares up and sew the diagonal seams first:
How to Make the 4 QST Patches
Start the same way as we showed to make 2 HST patches:
Then, repeat the steps above,
starting with the two new squares you just made:
Cut First Method:
Cut the squares that you made, using the H Addition, in half diagonally once to make eight half square triangles.
Cut Quarter Square Triangles:
First, attach the Q Addition to the edge of the Ruler.
Leave the Fabric Guide set on 2¼" line & cut 8 squares. (4 dark fabric - 2 light fabric)
Then cut the squares diagonally twice to make 32 quarter square triangles.
After cutting the squares into HSTs & QSTs, pre-trim their points,
so it will be much easier to line them up and sew them together.
Using a point trimmer like the Prep-Tool ensures accurate pre-trimming:
HSTs: Use Short Side Trim
Line the Prep-Tool along the short sides of the half square triangles.
QSTs: Use Long Side Trim
Line the Prep-Tool along the long sides of the quarter square triangles
The video below shows how to trim points, using the Prep-Tool:
How to sew the triangles together
There are 3 combinations of triangle squares:
Made of 2
half square triangles
Made of 1 half square triangle and 2 quarter square triangles
Made of 4
quarter square triangles
Includes 3-Part Triangle Squares
Includes 2-Part and 4-Part Triangle Squares
2-Part Triangle Squares:
Line 2 HSTs up
right sides together.
Sew together with a
scant 1/4" seam allowance.
Press them open with
the seam to the dark,
purple side.
3-Part Triangle Squares:
Line 2 QSTs up right
sides together & sew.
Line the 2 sewn QSTs up with an HST & sew.
Press them open with
the seam to the dark side.
4-Part Triangle Squares:
Line 2 sets of 2 QSTs up
right sides together & sew.
Line 2 sets of 2 sewn
QSTs up together & sew.
Press them open.
To make sure the points on your triangles stay pointy in your finished block,
you want to sew them together with a scant - slightly less than - ¼” seam allowance.
Learn More
How to use the Super Easy Seam Guide Setter
to align the Seam Guide at a Scant ¼” on your sewing machine.
The Super Easy Seam Guide Setter comes with
every Finished-Size Quilting Set.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This Royal Star is made of 16 patches:
- 4 Patches: just Squares
- 4 Patches: Combination of Half Square Triangles sewn together
- 8 Patches: Combination of Quarter Square Triangles sewn together
The color-coded breakdown also shows how many of each piece you will need to make all sixteen patches:
4 Squares
8 HSTs
32 QSTs
The finished patch size is all you need to make the entire block:
Finished patch size is 2" for an 8" block.
Finished patch size is 3" for a 12" block.
Finished patch size is 4" for a 16" block.
These are common finished sizes for 16-patch blocks like this Royal Star,
but you can pick any size you want.
You can make common sizes by lining up to the 2", 3" or 4" line.
But what if you wanted to make it finish at 9 inches?
Using a ruler alone, making a 16-patch block finish at 9" would be a math nightmare.
In Finished-Size Quilting, you only need to know the Finished Patch Size:
Click on the heading below to see how simple it is to make a 16-patch block that finishes at 9":
Use Just the Finished Patch Size Measurement to Make the Entire Block.
The S Addition adds a 1/2", which is the exact amount you need for Squares.
Cut five squares.
Cut four squares.
Cut eight squares.
Every patch in this Royal Star block has just Squares, just HSTs or just QSTs.
In other words, no patch has a combination of 1 HST and 2 QSTs like this:
So, for patches with triangles, you can cut the squares into triangles first, or you can sew the seams first and then cut them into triangles.
See the "Sew First" and "Cut First" methods below.
2 Half Square Triangle-Patch
4 Quarter Square Triangle-Patch
Sew First Method:
How to Make the 2 HST Patches
Line the squares up and sew the diagonal seams first:
How to Make the 4 QST Patches
Start the same way as we showed to make 2 HST patches:
Then, repeat the steps above,
starting with the two new squares you just made:
Cut First Method:
Cut the squares that you made, using the H Addition, in half diagonally once to make eight half square triangles.
Cut Quarter Square Triangles:
First, attach the Q Addition to the edge of the Ruler.
Leave the Fabric Guide set on 2¼" line & cut 8 squares. (4 dark fabric - 2 light fabric)
Then cut the squares diagonally twice to make 32 quarter square triangles.
After cutting the squares into HSTs & QSTs, pre-trim their points, so it will be much easier to line them up and sew them together.
Using a point trimmer like the Prep-Tool ensures accurate pre-trimming:
HSTs: Use Short Side Trim
Line the Prep-Tool along the short sides of the half square triangles.
QSTs: Use Long Side Trim
Line the Prep-Tool along the long sides of the quarter square triangles
The video below shows how to trim points, using the Prep-Tool:
How to sew the triangles together for the 9 & 16 patch blocks
There are 3 combinations of triangle squares:
Made of 2 half square triangles
Made of 1 half square triangle and 2 quarter square triangles
Made of 4 quarter square triangles
Includes 3-Part Triangle Squares
Includes 2-Part and 4-Part Triangle Squares
2-Part Triangle Squares:
Line 2 HSTs up right sides together.
Sew together with a scant 1/4" seam allowance.
Press them open with the seam to the dark,
purple side.
3-Part Triangle Squares:
Line 2 QSTs up right sides together & sew.
Line the 2 sewn QSTs up with an HST & sew.
Press them open with the seam to the dark side.
4-Part Triangle Squares:
Line 2 sets of 2 QSTs up right sides together & sew.
Line 2 sets of 2 sewn QSTs up together & sew.
Press them open.
To make sure the points on your triangles stay pointy in your finished block, you want to sew them together with a scant - slightly less than - ¼” seam allowance. Click on the next heading below to see how.
How to use the Super Easy Seam Guide Setter to align the Seam Guide at a Scant ¼” on your sewing machine.
The Super Easy Seam Guide Setter comes with every Finished-Size Quilting Set.
Finished-Size Quilting
Tool Options:
Set Options with 1, 2 or 3 Guidelines Rulers
Set Options for your 12" & 24" acrylic rulers
