Rocky Mountain Chain Quilt Block

Skill Level: Beginner

'There ain't no mountain high enough to keep me from' making the Rocky Mountain Chain quilt block!

It's got so much quilty-goodness going for it.

You have the opportunity to practice half square triangles and choose from two different Square-in-a-Square techniques.

That's about all there is to it. Neither technique requires any special tools.

Each method to make the Square in a Square—either Connector Corners (sometimes called 'sew and flip') or paper piecing—has its own complete cutting chart.

The different charts are color coded to make things easy for you to follow.

Click the image to PIN for later!

Are you an experienced quilter?

Got stash?

Flirting with hoarder status?

This Rocky Mountain Chain might just be your solution.

Without further ado, let's begin!

General Instructions

Several abbreviations are used throughout this tutorial (and website):

• HST - half square triangle(s)
• SiaS - Square in a Square unit(s)
• SA - seam allowance
• RST - right sides together
  

Quarter inch seam allowances (SA) are used throughout. Press seams to the dark unless otherwise instructed.

My favorite 1/4" foot

You'll see me switch back and forth between presser feet. An open toe applique foot for the HST and paper piecing the SiaS is 'Da Bomb'—making it so easy to see where you're stitching.

For sewing the patches together it's back to your favorite 1/4"  presser foot.

My favorite has a rigid guide on the right-hand side.

It's particularly helpful when I'm suffering through a serious case of brain-fart-itis-maximus. (No amount of Excedrin can cure that!)

And I most certainly was during the construction of the sample.

Step 1: Cutting and optional paper piecing pattern download

Rocky Mountain Chain design

Sample Size: 10" finished / 10½" unfinished

Grid: 10x10

Design Type: Uneven 9-patch, small center

Attributed to: Hearth & Home

AKA: Tumbling Blocks (Comfort Magazine)

As they say, there's more than one way to skin a cat—and there's always more than one way to make a quilt block.

Option #1: Traditional piecing w/Connector Corners

Select your block size, fabrics and cut. There is no pattern to download.

			Cutting Chart for a Rocky Mountain Chain Quilt Block ~Traditional Piecing with Connector Corners*~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
			10"	15"	20"
1*	D	4	2-1/2" x 2-1/2"	3-1/2" x 3-1/2"	4-1/2" x 4-1/2"
2* 3* 4* 5*	L	16	1 1/2" x 1 1/2"	2" x 2"	2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
6	L	8	1 1/2" x 2 1/2"	2 " x 3 1/2"	2 1/2" x 4 1/2"
7	L	1	6 1/2" x 6 1/2"	8 1/2" x 8 1/2"	10 1/2" x 10 1/2"
8	D	1	6 1/2" x 6 1/2"	8 1/2" x 8 1/2"	10 1/2" x 10 1/2"
9	D	9	2 1/2" x 2 1/2"	3 1/2" x 3 1/2"	4 1/2" x 4 1/2"
Unfinished Block Size			10 1/2"	15 1/2"	20 1/2"
Grid Size			2"	3"	4"

Option #2: Traditional piecing w/paper piecing

You'll need the most current version of Adobe installed on your computer to download the pattern.

On the Adobe Print Menu page, under 'Page Size and Handling' set 'Custom Scale' to 100% before printing for accurate results. Click here to see what it looks like on the Print Menu page.

After printing, use the 1" square graphic on the printed pages to confirm they are printed accurately.

Choose your finished Rocky Mountain Chain block size from the list below. Download and print the copies needed to make a block.

Now cut the patches for the block.

			Cutting Chart for a Rocky Mountain Chain Quilt Block ~Traditional Piecing and Paper Piecing*~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
			10"	15"	20"
1*	D	4	1 7/8" x 1 7/8"	2 5/8" x 2 5/8"	3 3/8" x 3 3/8"
2* 3* 4* 5*	L	8	2 3/8" x 2 3/8"	2 7/8" x 2 7/8"	3 3/8" x 3 3/8"
6	L	8	2" x 2 1/2"	2 " x 3 1/2"	3" x 4 1/2"
7	L	1	6 1/2" x 6 1/2"	8 1/2" x 8 1/2"	10 1/2" x 10 1/2"
8	D	1	6 1/2" x 6 1/2"	8 1/2" x 8 1/2"	10 1/2" x 10 1/2"
9	D	9	2 1/2" x 2 1/2"	3 1/2" x 3 1/2"	4 1/2" x 4 1/2"
Unfinished Block Size			10 1/2"	15 1/2"	20 1/2"
Grid Size			2"	3"	4"

NOTE: If you were wondering, under the patch dimensions for the 20" block, both the #1 and the #2-#5 patches are cut 3-3/8" x3-3/8". That is correct—not a typo.

Step 2: Constructing the units

SiaS for Side Units

SiaS unit

Make 4

Use #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 and #6

You chose your preferred method to make the Square in a Square (SiaS) units and then cut those patches in Step 1.

Now choose the corresponding instructions below to make these units.

If you cut from the Blue Chart: Connector Corners Method...

Use #1-#5

Click here for instructions to make this unit with the connector corner technique.

When finished click the back button on your browser bar to return here.

If you cut from the Yellow Chart: Paperpiecing...

Use #1-#5

For more detailed instructions using this method click here.

Before doing anything else, subcut the eight squares for Patches 2-5 in half diagonally once to form 16 right triangle shapes.

From the paper pattern you downloaded in Step 1, cut out the four units. Don't bother to trim exactly on the dashed line—a rough cut just outside the dashes is good enough for now.

Reduce your stitch length to 1.2mm to 1.5mm or 15-20 stitched per inch. An open toe applique foot is perfect for this stitching because you can see the sewing line. 

Use an Elmer's Washable glue stick (goes on purple, dries clear) to glue the wrong side of a #1 Center patch in place on the unprinted side of the pattern. (A little dab'll do ya!) 

Its edges should extend approximately 1/4" past the solid stitching line (below).

Notice how I didn't bother to cut the pattern exactly on the dashed lines. Everything gets trimmed neatly at the end—even the thread tails!

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:

• 4"

• 4-1/2"

• 5"

• 6"

• 8"

• 9"

• 10"

• 12"

This article was printed from Generations-Quilt-Patterns.com

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