Quiltspiration

Shoofly quilt block

Four half-square triangles in the corners, four background squares on the sides and a center square. The dark triangles point in toward the center.

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

Also called Shoo Fly.

Shoofly quilt block in cranberry and cream
In cranberry and cream
Shoofly quilt block in navy and white
In navy and white

Cutting for 6", 7½", 9", 12" blocks

Cutting for one block
FabricPiecesCut6" block7½" block9" block12" block
backgroundHalf-square triangles22⅞"3⅜"3⅞"4⅞"
mainHalf-square triangles22⅞"3⅜"3⅞"4⅞"
backgroundSquares42½"3"3½"4½"
accentSquares12½"3"3½"4½"

Cut sizes include ¼" seam allowances.

How to sew a 12" Shoofly block

Shoofly block laid out in its units before sewing
  1. Make 4 half-square triangles, 4" finished. Pair a 4⅞" background square with a 4⅞" 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 3 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 Shoofly block

To paint it on a board, the Shoofly 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.

More nine patch blocks