Classic Maple Leaf Quilt Block Tutorial

One of my favorite quilts to pull out every Fall is this Modern Maples quilt. I’ve always been drawn to this classic quilt block and thought it would be fun to share a quick maple leaf quilt block tutorial for making a traditional Maple Leaf quilt block in three different sizes: 6″, 9″, and 12″. These blocks come together quickly and are fun to mass produce! This year I’ve also updated this post with a free printable PDF instruction sheet for making all three Maple Leaf quilt block sizes.

Maple Leaf Quilt Block Tutorial

I love how this very traditional Maple Leaf quilt block looks so modern on the larger scale and depending what fabrics you use. For my original quilt I used woven Oakshott Cottons.  You can read more about my original Maples quilt here.

These blocks made a great repetitive one-block quilt. Or by making a variety blocks 6″ x 6″, 9″ x 9″, or 12″ x 12″ you could even mix and match them together in one project.

The cutting instructions for each block follow a simple, repetitive system:

OR – Find a Free Printable PDF version of this tutorial here

Maple Leaf Quilt Block Cutting Instructions

6″ x 6″ Block –

• from leaf fabric cut 2 squares 3″ x 3″, 3 squares 2 ½″ x 2 ½″, and one strip 1 ¼″ x 4″
• from background fabric cut 3 squares 3″ x 3″, 1 square 2 ½″ x 2 ½″

9″ x 9″ Block

• from leaf fabric cut 2 squares 4″ x 4″, 3 squares 3 ½″ x 3 ½″, and one strip 1 ¼″ x 5″
• from background fabric cut 3 squares 4″ x 4″, 1 square 3 ½″ x 3 ½″

12″ x 12 Block

• from leaf fabric cut 2 squares 5″ x 5″, 3 squares 4 ½″ x 4 ½″, and one strip 1 ½″ x 7″
• from background fabric cut 3 squares 5″ x 5″, 1 square 4 ½″ x 4 ½″

Block Assembly

Match up two of the larger size (Small Block – 3″ x 3″, Medium 4″ x 4″, Large 5″ x 5″) leaf squares and background squares and place them right sides together. We are going to use these to make 4 Half Square Triangle blocks.

Draw a diagonal line on the back of the dark square and sew a ¼″ seam allowance along both sides of the drawn line.

Rotary cut both squares on the drawn diagonal line to get 4 Half Square Triangle blocks. Square-up the HST blocks to the ½″ size smaller square than what you started with. (Small: 2 ½″ x 2 ½″, Medium 3 ½″ x 3 ½″, Large 4 ½″ x 4 ½″).

This is my favorite ruler and method for squaring up Half Square Triangle Blocks.

Press seams toward the colored leaf fabric.

Stem Square:

Cut remaining Large background square in half on the diagonal to create two triangles. Fold rectangle strip in half vertically and finger press to find the center. Fold triangles in half along the longest edge and finger press to mark the center.

Line up center crease of one triangle with center crease on one side of the rectangle and sew in place. Repeat with opposite triangle.

Square up block to same size as the remaining block pieces. (Small block – 2 ½″ x 2 ½″, Medium block 3 ½″ x 3 ½″, Large block 4 ½″ x 4 ½″)

Lay out remaining squares, half square triangle, and stem square as demonstrated above. (Be careful that half square triangle blocks are pointing the right direction. It’s easy to swing them a different direction. I know this from personal experience. 😉 )

Sew squares together into three rows. Press seams toward the left for rows 1 & 3, and toward the right for row 2.

Sew rows together and press seams away from the stem square. And there you go! An adorable Maple Leaf Quilt block, ready to play.

I’ve had fun making a bunch of them. I originally planned to sew these 6″ x 6″ blocks together to make a pillow, but now I’m starting to think it might be fun to combine all three-sized blocks together to make a throw quilt. We’ll see where this goes!

I still love the modern look of the solids in my original quilt, but this time I decided to play with prints for a different look. I’m mixing a variety of Lori Holt prints including some from her  Granny Chic collection and  Autumn Love. I love how all of Lori’s collections continue to play well together year after year. 

For my background, I decided to play with a bunch of low-volume prints including Riley Blake’s Swiss Dots and Lori’s Bee Basics Backgrounds.  

I’ve had fun making a bunch of them. I originally planned to sew these 6″ x 6″ blocks together to make a pillow, but now I’m starting to think it might be fun to combine all three-sized blocks together to make a throw quilt. We’ll see where this goes!

Click here –> for a Free Printable PDF version of this tutorial here

For another example of a fun, Modern Maples quilt, check out this one by Andy of A Bright Corner.

 

 

 

And if you’re looking for more Halloween and Fall sewing and quilting patterns and tutorials, check out this updated list of some of my favorite Fall inspiration.

Have you made a a maple leaf quilt block before?  Share in a comment below!