Five Patch Quilt Block Instructions

From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library

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Skill Level: Beginner

The beginner-friendly Five Patch quilt block is made with strip-pieced 9 patches.

Like all blocks with a nine patch in the corner, you can easily create a chain design with the addition of a simple alternate block.

Cutting instructions for that alternate block are found at the end of this page.

So what does it look like in a quilt?

Six different quilt designs using this block are shared to inspire you!

Not quite the 'chain' block you were looking for?

Click here for more blocks that form chain designs.

General Instructions

If you need help printing this page, you'll find it here.

These abbreviations are used in this tutorial:

SA - seam allowance

RST - right sides together

Bac - background fabric

Seam allowances (SA) are all 1/4".

Unless otherwise indicated, SA are pressed toward the darker fabric.

The newest quilt fabrics to tickle your fancy...

Click the images below to see the full collection. We share any commercial and/or free patterns that showcase them, too. (For inspiration, of course!)

Independence Palette Prisma Dyes fabric collection by Lunn Studios for Robert Kaufman

Independence Palette Prisma Dyes
Lunn Studios
Robert Kaufman

XOXO fabric collection by April Rosenthal for Moda

XOXO
April Rosenthal
Moda

Cherry Pie Batiks
Hoffman

Step 1: Cutting for a Five Patch block

Five Patch design

Sample Size: 9" finished / 9½" unfinished

Grid: 9x9

Attribution: Ladies Art Company

AKA: Glorified Nine Patch (Evelyn Brown)

Design Type: Blocks that form chain, Even 9-patch

Choose fabrics with enough contrast between them so that the chains show up in the design.

For a 4-1/2" block, fabrics that read as solids are the best choice due to the small patch size. Save the large scale prints for larger blocks.

Patches #1-#6 are used in strip sets and are cut a bit longer than needed.

			Cutting Chart for a Five Patch Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
Patch	Fabric	Qty	4 1/2"	9 "
1	Bac	2	1” x 9”	1 1/2” x 13”
2	M	1	1” x 9”	1 1/2” x 13”
3	M	2	1” x 5”	1 1/2” x 7”
4	Bac	1	1” x 5”	1 1/2” x 7”
5	Bac	1	1 1/2” x 9”	2 1/2” x 15”
6	D	1	1” x 9”	1 1/2” x 15”
7	Bac	1	2”sq	3-1/2”sq
Unfinished Block Size			5 "	9 1/2"
Grid Size			1/2"	1 "

Step 2: Create the units for the Five Patch

Nine Patch

Make 4

With right sides together (RST) stitch a #1 to a #2. Stitch a #3 and a #4 to each other. Press.

The guide on my quarter inch foot makes sewing strip sets together virtually foolproof!

Alternating fabrics, add the second #1 to the #1/#2 strip set; add the second #3 to the #3/#4 pair. Press.

Straighten a short edge on each by lining up lines on your ruler with the seam lines (arrows)—this is also a quick double check that your SA was accurate.

Straighten the short edge of both strip sets

Straightening the edge of the #1/#2/#1 patch

Use the chart below to subcut each strip set. Cut eight units from the #1/#2/#1 unit and four from the #3/#4/#3.

	Nine Patch Units
Finished Block Size	Stripset Width	Subcut Width
4-1/2”	2”	1”
9”	3 1/2”	1 1/2”

Arrange the subcut units into nine patches. This design has the lighter, background fabric in the corners. (below, left)

With RST, join pairs together and press. Add the third unit to each pair (above, right) for a total of four 9-patches.

Sides

Make 4

With RST stitch the #5 and #6 together along the long edge. Press.

Use the chart below to check that your stripset is the correct width after stitching.

Straighten a short edge with your rotary cutter.

Cut four units equal to the 'Subcut Width' below.

	Side Units
Finished Block Size	Stripset Width	Subcut Width
4-1/2”	2”	2”
9”	3 1/2”	3 1/2”

You now have...

There is a bit leftover on purpose.

Step 3: Assemble the Five Patch quilt block

Arrange the units to create the Five Patch design.

With RST, stitch the patches into rows. The SA nest nicely to make matching them a breeze.

SAs are pressed toward the Side units, i.e. away from the 9-patches and towards the solid center square.

To finish the block, stitch the rows together. Press.

Your Five Patch quilt block looks like this!

Designing with the Five Patch quilt block

I've switched to a monochromatic color scheme for the patchwork designs that follow. The same exact coloring of the block is used for all six examples.

In this first one, Five Patch blocks are stitched edge-to-edge in a straight set. A nice secondary pattern appears at the corners of the blocks.

5x7

A simple sashing made of background fabric and a cornerstone in the medium value fabric is added to our design. Naturally, the secondary pattern changes. This design is a bit more open and airy.

Five Patch quilt design, straight set with sashing

5x7

Next, the blocks are turned on-point and set edge-to-edge with no sashing.

4x5

This time when the sashing is added, a dark value cornerstone is used.

Five Patch quilt design, diagonal set with sashing

4x5

In this last design, it's interesting to see how the sashing reduces the dominance of the dark square. I didn't expect that!

Note, too, that for all the quilt designs so far it doesn't matter whether there are even or odd numbers of blocks in the rows and columns. The design is symmetrical either way. That gives you more options when you're designing a quilt to fit a particular bed.

Adding an alternate block

Five Patch quilt design, alternate block

When paired with this simple alternate block a traditional-looking 'chain' design is created.

It's shown here first in a straight set. To maintain design symmetry you need odd numbers of blocks in the rows and columns.

Five Patch quilt design, straight set with alternate blocks

5x7

And now with the blocks on-point.

Five Patch quilt design, diagonal set with alternate blocks

4x5

Here the quilt is symmetrical regardless of the numbers of blocks in the rows and columns.

Cutting Chart for an Alternate Block

			Cutting Chart for a Five Patch Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~ Alternate Block Only
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
Patch	Fabric	Qty	4 1/2"	9"
1	M	4	1” x 1”	1 1/2” x 1 1/2”
2	Bac	2	1” x 4”	1 1/2” x 7 1/2”
3	Bac	1	4” x 5”	7 1/2” x 9 1/2”
Unfinished Block Size			5"	9 1/2"
Grid Size			1/2”	1”

With RST sew a #1 to both ends of a #2, pressing SA toward #2. Repeat for a total of two.

Stitch one #1/#2/#1 to each long side of #3. Press.

The alternate block is complete.

Click here for more blocks that form chain designs.

What about a different quilt block?

For a list of all the 215+ quilt block patterns on this site, start here.

If you know the name of the block, shorten your search by using these links:

A-D

E-M

N-Z

Click here if you're looking for blocks with at least some paper piecing.

Click here if you're looking for the basic building blocks of quilting, i.e., Flying Geese, half square triangles, quarter square triangles, etc., along with several techniques to make each.

And finally, use these links to find blocks in these finished sizes: