Modern Fundamentals:
Quarter-Square Triangle Blocks

by Yvonne Fuchs

Quarter-square triangle blocks, which are also commonly called hourglass blocks, are square blocks that are made up of four 90° triangles. By building the blocks up using half-square triangle techniques, no bias edges will need to be handled and the finished quarter-square triangle block edges will be parallel to the fabric straight grain.

Before making a quarter-square triangle block, it is helpful to be familiar with making half-square triangles (HST). For a guide on half-square triangles, see Modern Fundamentals: Half-Square Triangles.

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Yvonne is a former aerospace engineer turned modern quilter, designer, and technical editor. She was introduced to quilting by her paternal grandmother in high school when her grandmother offered to hand quilt a twin-size quilt to use in her college dorm room if Yvonne made the quilt top. Now, 25 years later, Yvonne has developed a style that bridges her technical background and love of bold color, specializing in transparency color play and bold, geometric designs. Yvonne’s quilts have been featured in numerous national and international magazines, quilt shows, and Modern Quilts: Designs of the New Century. She lives on the big island of Hawaii with her husband.

You can follow her creative journey on her blog, www.quiltingjetgirl.com, or on Instagram @quiltingjetgirl.

Photos by Laura Loewen

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