Practical Orchard Block
Quilt blocks aren't much simpler than Practical Orchard -- it's a perfect block for beginning quilters.Most of the block's patches are squares, but a single quarter square triangle unit at the block's center offers some practice with quick piecing techniques.
Practical Orchard is well suited for a quilt with sashing between the blocks. Another choice is to use plain setting squares or a simple alternate block, like the dependable snowball. You'll find an example made with Snowballs on page 3.
Another layout option for Practical Orchard is to flip-flop the fabrics used for squares so that that unlike fabrics end up side-by-side when blocks are joined, offering more visual movement than can be achieved with identical blocks.
The pattern results two quilt blocks. Repeat to make additional blocks, and change the fabrics each time if you would like to make a scrap quilt.
Finished Practical Orchard quilt block: 9" x 9"
Fabrics and Cutting for Two Quilt Blocks
Medium dark brown, mottled for outer corners and quarter square triangle units: (8) 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" squares; (1) 4-1/4" x 4-1/4" squareLight novelty fabric for squares sewn to the block's center: (8) 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" squares
Light-medium for quarter square triangle units: (1) 4-1/4" x 4-1/4" square
