On Cloud Nine: Navajo Quilt Block
Navajo Quilt Block
Cutting Requirements for 12″ finished block (scant 1/4″ seam allowance):
- Brown: Cut FOUR (4) 4″ squares. (These are paired with the White 4 5/8″ squares, which will create EIGHT (8) Half-Square Triangles. The HSTs should end up being 3 1/2″ sq.)
- Brown: Cut TWO (2) 2 7/8″ squares. Then cut the squares diagonally, corner-to-corner, ONE (1) time. You’ll end up with TWO (2) triangles per square. (These are paired with each other to join the horizontal portion of the quilt block together.)
- White: Cut ONE (1) 6″ square. (This will be the center of this quilt block.)
- White: Cut FOUR (4) 4″ squares. On the back side of the square draw a diagonal line, corner-to-corner, ONE (1) time. (These are paired with the Brown 4″ squares, which will create EIGHT (8) Half-Square Triangles. The HSTs should end up being 3 1/2″ sq.)
- White: Cut TWO (2) 2 7/8″ squares. Then cut the squares diagonally, corner-to-corner, ONE (1) time. You’ll end up with TWO (2) triangles per square. (These are paired with each other to join the vertical portion of the quilt block together.)
- White: Cut ONE (1) 8″ square. Then cut the square diagonally, corner-to-corner, TWO (2) times. Will yield FOUR (4) triangles. (These are the FOUR (4) corner’s of this quilt block.)
Navajo Quilt Block Diagram
Navajo Quilt
If you make TWELVE (12) “Navajo Quilt Blocks,” you will end up with the quilt top pictured above. The size will be 36″ x 48″ finished, 36 1/2″ x 48 1/2″ unfinished.
Rachel is a reader of my blog & she made a beautiful quilt out of this “Navajo Quilt Block!” Isn’t it stunning?! She’s a Family & Consumer Science teacher. She made this for a Family, Career & Community Leadership Association (FCCLA) raffle. She’s the sponsor of her FCCLA group at her school & loves every minute of it! She’s ready for school to start back up in August but she’s not really ready to start getting up so early in the mornings! 🙂
Thank you for this quilt pattern, I hope to start this pattern in a few weeks. Thank you Caroline
Hi Caroline! You’re so very welcome!
If I want to make a king size how many blocks will I need
Hi Sandra! I don’t know what size you want your king size to be, though. Do you want a coverlet? A California king? Regular king? Or maybe a large bedspread with a pillow-tuck? Each of my quilt blocks are 12″ square finished. I suggest that you add some sashing between each quilt block. Not only will it increase the size of your quilt, it’ll also help with not worrying about which way to press your seams (left, right or open). Then add a border or two, too. Again, this will increase the size of your quilt. If I didn’t answer your question, or if you need more clarification, please contact me. I’ll be more than happy to help you further!
Hello! Do you have another block design on the picture or is just the one block pattern?
Hi Bridget! I’m not really sure what you’re asking me? But the image is a single quilt block & the text below it is how to cut it out. Then the second image is the same quilt block with the diagram of how to sew it together. If that doesn’t answer your question, feel free to contact me & I’ll respond to you as soon as is reasonably possible.
Just made a full/double size quilt using this quilt block and it looks gorgeous!
However the 4 1/2″ squares that you cut in half diagonally and then sew together ended up being WAY the wrong size. I don’t think I did anything wrong… but I ended up having to cut them down about 1/2 inch on each side to get them to the right size. I’m wondering if you allowed them extra big so that they could then be trimmed and squared up. The pattern doesn’t say to do this so that is a bit confusing.
I’m also wondering if you even need to do the 2 3/4″ squares (joining vertical/horizontal portions) and cut diagonally. For the way I sewed the blocks together I wish I had just cut triangles to fit in that spot (just one, not two with a seam). The seam was definitely unnecessary and just created more work. You could just cut the same 4 1/2 inch square and cut in half diagonally to use for this spot.
Thanks for the pattern!
Hi Rachel! I’d love to see a photo of your quilt! If you’re willing to share a photo of it with me I’ll send you an email, so you’ll know where to send it to. As for the 4 1/2″ squares, my design program’s the one, that told me that’s the size needed. I just re-checked the sizing & it’s the same as it was when I wrote this blog post. Now you’re saying that they should be 4″ squares? Is that the finished size? Or the unfinished size? The reason the 2 3/4″ squares are in there is so that nobody has to sew a “Y” seam. If you’re comfy sewing them then you could certainly just sew a larger triangle to replace the two instead. Glad you enjoyed the pattern!
Thanks for the pattern. I think the pattern is missing the step to cut Brown 4 1/4″ squares which need to be paired with White 4 1/4″ square. I think that would have been Rachel’s confusion too.
Hi Jaya! There isn’t anything missing in the pattern. The 4 1/2″ squares (both Brown & White) are the Half-Square Triangles!
Thanks for replying! Yes, I am sorry. I was confusing myself!! 🙂
It’s okay Jaya! No worries!
What am I missing here on this Navajo Quilt Block? I cut all the pieces according to your instruction. I laid out the block pieces and noticed the 6 inch center block is too small.
Hi Alida! I edited my pattern just before responding to you. It only increased the size of the center to 6 1/8″. Other than that I can’t tell you what you’re missing. You do have to sew the Half-Square Triangles together, before you’ll be able to correctly gauge, how the rest of the quilt block pieces will fit. Once you sew them together & if you still have problems feel free to contact me. I’ll see what I can do to help you out so the quilt block sews together.
What size are the half square triangles after they are sewn? I
Am having problems with this block. I cut out just as you said, however some pieces too small, some too big. What am I doing wrong. Thank you
Hi Rebecca! They should be 3″ square when they’re finished. However I cannot possibly tell you what you’re doing right or wrong?
I also am questioning the 4 5/8 squares to make the half square triangles . If they are made with sewing two seams along the line drawn as a diagonal. Then cutting the diagonal.
Charts that end with a 3 “ finished block start with 3 7/8 squares.
This is even too big for the center square 6 1/8
I very much like my finished block but it had taken me all day to figure the measurements. It would be helpful if you added the measurements of the finished half square triangle block.
Hi Teri! It’s been a long time since I added that quilt block to my website. If you’ll kindly give a few days, I’ll look at it again & email you the measurements of the finished HST.
This block measurements are all messed up. Yes, the finished HST needs to be 3 finished. However, the finished block is more like 11.5, 11 finished. I wanted to make a 12 inch pillow, so these do not work. Just add 6 1/8 plus 2(2 7/8) and it doesn’t even add up to 12 inches without any seams.
Hi Holly! Then you need to cut your HSTs larger. Look at the rest of the comments on this quilt block. The other commenters have figured it out for themselves and/or I helped them figure out what the sizes should be. If all else fails, cut the HSTs larger than the pattern calls for & then cut them down to the size that you think that they should be. You can also increase the size of the center of the quilt block. If you have more questions you can contact me but be more specific as to what your problem is?
Okay I figured this pattern out, the center block I cut six and a half inches, the side half square triangles were cut at 4 inches and squared down to three and a half inches. The corner pieces are the same as the half square triangles. The four half block on the outside of the block itself I cut at 8 in and I cut it diagonal both ways to make four pieces. And it worked out great for me it’s a beautiful pattern.
Thank you for the pattern, mine is coming along nicely.
Dawna, I commend you in figuring this out on your own! What size did your HST’s end up being? Thanks for the compliments! I would love to see a photo of your finished quilt! Please contact me when it’s done & I’ll send you my email address where you can send it to. If you’re willing, I’ll add it to this page, so that everyone else can see your finished quilt?!
I was very disappointed with this pattern. As the comment above says, the person had to refigure the measurements to get it to fit. This should not have had to be done. All the correct instructions should have been given. I also had trouble like others getting the pieces to fit. There was no dimension given to what size the HST’s should be. As people reported their issues, more detail should have been placed in the instructions.
Barb: I am disappointed in your comment. If you have read any of the other instructions to my other quilt blocks, you would have seen that I don’t give any other measurements, for anything else beyond the cutting instructions. However, I have edited my “Navajo Quilt Block” to include the measurent for the HSTs. I also edited the sizes of the other cutting instructions to mimic those of the user who commented on how perfectly hers turned out to be. Hopefully yours will now come out as great as hers is?!