Welcome new quilters. Are you ready to get started on your quilting journey? Learning to quilt may seem a little daunting at first, but with a few foundational techniques, you will be well on your way. Let me introduce you to some beginner friendly quilt blocks that will form the building blocks of your quilting journey.

Sew Easy! Your Guide to Beginner Quilt Blocks

A Few Essential Tools

Before we look at the blocks, let’s make sure you have a few basic tools:

Rotary Cutter, Self-Healing Mat, and Ruler: These are invaluable for cutting fabric.
Sewing Machine: A basic machine with a straight stitch is all you really need.
Fabric: Start with good quality quilting fabric (100% cotton).
Thread: A neutral coloured thread works best e.g. beige or light grey.
Iron and Ironing Board/Surface: Pressing is crucial for flat quilt seams.
Pins: To hold your fabric pieces together as you sew.

Beginner Friendly Quilt Blocks

Here are three blocks to get you started on your quilting adventure. You will see these blocks frequently in quilt patterns.

1. Four Patch

A four patch quilt block made with a light green fabric and a medium green fabric.

The Four Patch is a great starter block. It consists of four squares sewn together to form a larger square.

How to Make It: Cut two pairs of 3” fabric squares (contrasting colours is helpful like in my example). Using a quarter inch seam, sew one pair together, and repeat with the second pair. Press the seam on the first pair to the right. Press the seam on the second pair to the left. Then, sew the two rows together to form your four patch block.

2. Half Square Triangle (HST)

A half square triangle block made with a light green fabric and a medium moss green fabric.

Half Square Triangles are incredibly versatile and appear in many quilt designs. Sew two squares right sides together on the diagonal, and cut them apart to create two HST blocks.

How to Make It: Place two fabric squares right sides together. Draw a diagonal line from one corner to the opposite corner. Stitch ¼” away from both sides of the drawn line. Cut along your drawn line to separate the blocks, and press your two HSTs.

3. Flying Geese

A flying geese quilt block containing three shades of green fabric.

This classic block evokes images of geese flying in formation. It is made from one large rectangle and two smaller squares.

How to Make It: On the wrong side of the squares, draw a diagonal line from edge to edge. Place a square on the left corner of the rectangle, right sides together, aligning the edges (top and side). The diagonal line you drew should be placed so that it begins in the middle of the rectangle. Stitch directly on the line and press open the triangle. Fold back the top layer of fabric, and then trim away the bottom fabric ¼” away from the stitched line. Repeat on the opposite corner to complete your flying geese block.

Tips for Piecing and How to Avoid Skewed Blocks

Skewed blocks happen to all of us when we’re starting out and even sometimes once we have been quilting for a while. My tips will help you avoid the dreaded skewed blocks.

Consistent 1/4 Inch Seam Allowance: Your sewing machine may have come with a quarter inch foot. If it did not, go to your manufacturer’s website to find out if you can purchase one. An alternative is using a magnetic guide on your sewing machine bed to mark a quarter of an inch from your needle. A consistent ¼” seam is key to quilting success.

Pressing Matters: Pressing your seams versus ironing makes a huge difference. For consistency, press your seams to one side (usually the darker fabric). Pressing means laying your iron down on the seam and leaving it there for a few seconds. Avoid “ironing” (moving the iron) as it can stretch or skew your fabric, particularly with triangle blocks.

Don’t Use Steam: Steam is not the friend of quilters, and yes many YouTube videos show quilters using steam on their blocks. First, putting water in your iron usually results in the iron rusting through in the future. It took 4 years for my Oliso to spring a leak. Second, steam will skew your blocks, especially triangle blocks. Triangles are cut on the bias which means that the fabric is much more stretchy compared to fabric cut on the straight of grain. Instead of steam, use a spritz bottle with water in it to achieve the same result without skewing.

Chain Piecing: When sewing a number of similar units, chain piecing can save you time and thread. Sew one unit, then feed the next unit directly under the presser foot behind the first unit without cutting the thread in between. Use the needle down feature on your sewing machine to help in chain piecing.

Listen to Your Fabric: Fabrics made of different fibers behave differently. Some will have more natural stretch than others. Be gentle with your fabric and try not to pull or tug on it as you sew, as this can end with skewed blocks. Please do not pull fabric through your sewing machine.

My Final Thoughts

I hope you found value in Sew Easy! Your Guide to Beginner Quilt Blocks. The three blocks I covered are frequently used in many quilt patterns. Once you master these blocks, you can move onto other more difficult blocks with confidence.

For more helpful quilting tips and tricks, make sure you follow me on YouTube,and Pinterest.