From Janet Wickell,
Your Guide to Quilting.
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Hour Glass Quilt Block

Hour Glass quilt blocks show us that you don't have to make blocks with tons of pieces to have a quilt with lots of visual movement and texture. Two quick-pieced half square triangles and seven plain squares are all it takes to make an Hour Glass quilt block.

The center row of the Hour Glass quilt block could be strip pieced, but it's easy to just cut the squares and chain piece the segments as they move through the machine.

Choose any fabrics that suit you, because the Hour Glass quilt block works for any theme you want to create. It makes a good scrappy quilt, so basic cutting instructions are for one block. I've included instructions for additional 12" blocks at the end of the page.

Finished Block Size: 12-inches square & 6-inches square

See:

• How to Cut Fabric Strips
• Cutting Patchwork Shapes

Cutting Chart for One 12-inch Hour Glass Quilt Blocks

Large Floral

• four 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" squares

Pink Tone-on-Tone

• two 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" squares
• one 4-7/8" x 4-7/8" squares

Neutral

• one 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" square
• one 4-7/8" x 4-7/8" square

Cutting Chart for One 6-inch Hour Glass Quilt Blocks

Medium Floral

• four 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" squares

Pink Tone-on-Tone

• two 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" squares
• one 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" squares

Neutral

• one 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" square
• one 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" square

Make Fifteen 12-inch Hour Glass Quilt Blocks

Large Floral

One yard, cut seven 4-1/2" wide crosswise grain strips, then cut:

• 60 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" squares

Pink Tone-on-Tone

3/4 yard, cut three 4-1/2" wide crosswise grain strips and two 4-7/8" crosswise grain strips, then cut:

• thirty 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" squares (cut final three from remaining yardage)
• fifteen 4-7/8" x 4-7/8" squares

Neutral

5/8 yard, cut two 4-1/2" wide crosswise grain strips and two 4-7/8" crosswise grain strips, then cut:

• fifteen 4-1/2" x 4-1/2" squares
• fifteen 4-7/8" x 4-7/8" square