The Yankee Puzzle Quilt Block

The Yankee puzzle quilt block is and old favorite that is a fun and easy pattern. It is great for the beginner quilter to see the many possibilities with different fabrics and just the placement of the colors.

If you use the two color combination as in the example, you see the windmill in the center.

A really ambitious quilter can make this quilt in a weekend.

The Yankee puzzle quilt block uses only the quarter square triangles.

To complete one block for a sampler quilt:

Materials:
Fat quarter fabric in three colors
(dark brown, light brown and tan)
Backing
Batting

Step 1 - Use the rotary cutting techniques.

Cut 1 patch 5 ½” square from each of the dark brown and light brown fabrics.
Cut 2 patch 5 ½” square from the tan fabric.

Step 2 - Use the quarter square triangle method to create a 4 triangle square unit.

Place one 5 ½” square of dark brown fabric and one 5 ½” square of the tan fabric, right sides together.

For a quarter square triangle, draw diagonal lines from corner to corner (making an X) on the wrong side of the lighter fabric. Place the squares right sides together and sew ¼” on both sides of only one of the lines.

Cut along both of the drawn lines. Press the seam allowance toward the darker fabric.

This yields 2 half squares or a triangle.

Step 3 - Stitch 2 two-triangles units right sides together with the dark fabric opposite the light fabric. This creates an X or in this case, the Yankee puzzle quilt block. Repeat this procedure to complete the four units.

Step 4 - Sew row one. One unit with the light color on the right, one unit with the light color on the bottom. Be sure to check for the correct direction of the pattern placement. Refer to the picture.

Step 6 - Sew the rows together to complete the Yankee puzzle quilt block.

Look at the difference when you put the dark color in the center.

See how easy that was to complete the Yankee puzzle quilt block.

You can do it too.

Go to Quick and Easy Quilting Ideas from Yankee Puzzle Quilt Block