Quiltspiration

Broken Dishes quilt block

Sixteen half-square triangles on a four-by-four grid, turned in pairs so light and dark alternate in every direction.

The Broken Dishes is pieced on a 4 × 4 grid, so a 12" block has 3" grid squares.

Broken Dishes quilt block in cranberry and cream
In cranberry and cream
Broken Dishes quilt block in navy and white
In navy and white

Cutting for 6", 8", 10", 12" blocks

Cutting for one block
FabricPiecesCut6" block8" block10" block12" block
backgroundHalf-square triangles82⅜"2⅞"3⅜"3⅞"
mainHalf-square triangles82⅜"2⅞"3⅜"3⅞"

Cut sizes include ¼" seam allowances.

How to sew a 12" Broken Dishes block

Broken Dishes block laid out in its units before sewing
  1. Make 16 half-square triangles, 3" finished. Pair a 3⅞" background square with a 3⅞" main square right sides together. Draw a line corner to corner, sew ¼" on both sides of it, cut on the line and press. Each pair makes 2.

  2. Lay out the units as drawn and sew them into 4 rows. Press the seams of each row the opposite way from the one before so they nest, then sew the rows together. The block measures 12" finished, 12½" with seam allowance.

Quilts made with the Broken Dishes block

To paint it on a board, the Broken Dishes barn quilt pattern has the measurements for 2, 4 and 8 ft boards and the paint for each color.

Design a quilt with this block

Quiltspiration draws it in your own fabric and gives the cut list for any size.

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