Broken Sugar Bowl Quilt Block Tutorial in 5 sizes

From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library

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Skill Level: Beginner

Our Broken Sugar Bowl quilt block tutorial is here to guide you every step of the way. This beginner-friendly pattern from the Jacob's Ladder family will have you stitching with confidence.

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Gather your materials and join us in making this timeless quilt block.

General Instructions

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

Several abbreviations are used on this page:

SA - seam allowance
HST - half square triangle
RST - right sides together
Bac - background fabric

All SA are 1/4" unless otherwise noted.

Pressing instructions are highlighted to make them easy to find.

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Step 1: Cutting patches for a Broken Sugar Bowl

Broken Sugar Bowl design

Sample Size: 6" finished / 6½" unfinished

Grid: 6x6

Design Type: Jacob's Ladder | Even 9-patch

Download these items to help you while you make this block:

Cutting chart in 5 sizes

Coloring/fabric planning page

Choose a medium and dark fabric with enough contrast so that the individual pieces are clearly differentiated.

I prefer to cut over-sized patches for my half square triangles, then sew the unit and trim to the correct dimensions.

In this tutorial for the 6" finished sample block, I cut my #2 and #3 patches 3-1/8" x 3-1/8" instead of the 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" listed in the chart below—adding 1/4" to each dimension—for specifically that reason.

If you'd like to cut your HST patches oversized, they are marked with ** below.

			Cutting Chart for a Broken Sugar Bowl Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
Patch	Fabric	Qty	6''	9''	12''	15''	18''
1	Dark	2	2½'' x 2½''	3½'' x 3½''	4½'' x 4½''	5½'' x 5½''	6½'' x 6½''
2	Med	2	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅞'' x 4⅞''	5⅞'' x 5⅞''	6⅞'' x 6⅞''
3	Bac	2	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅞'' x 4⅞''	5⅞'' x 5⅞''	6⅞'' x 6⅞''
4	Dark	1	1½'' x 7''	2'' x 9''	2½'' x 11''	3'' x 13''	3½'' x 15''
5	Bac	1	1½'' x 7''	2'' x 9''	2½'' x 11''	3'' x 13''	3½'' x 15''
6	Bac	2	1½'' x 1½''	2'' x 2''	2½'' x 2½''	3'' x 3''	3½'' x 3½''
7	Med	2	1½'' x 1½''	2'' x 2''	2½'' x 2½''	3'' x 3''	3½'' x 3½''
Unfinished Block Size			6½''	9½''	12½''	15½''	18½''
Grid Size			1''	1½''	2''	2½''	3''

Step 2: Create the Broken Sugar Bowl units

Half Square Triangles (HST)

Make 4

We'll use the Quick Pieced Method for making these HSTs.

Draw a diagonal line on the back of both #3 background squares.

With your favorite 1/4" presser foot installed, stitch a 1/4" from both sides of this drawn line.

Stitch on both sides of the line to create the HST units

After stitching, give the pairs a quick press as they were sewn and then cut them in half on the drawn line.

Cut each pair of squares in half on the drawn line

Press the four HST open with the SA to the dark.

Find your Finished Block Size in the chart below and trim your HST as directed.

If you cut generously you'll be trimming more than if you cut the patches the exactly as listed in the Cutting Chart.

Finished Block Size	Trim HST to...
6”	2½"
9”	3½"
12”	4½"
15"	5½"
18"	6½"

Four Patches

Make 1

Make 2

With RST, sew the #4 and #5 strips together along the long edge.

The SA is pressed to the dark #4.

Find your Finished Block Size in the chart below.

Verify that your strip set measures true to the corresponding width. Subcut the stripset into four equal units using the 'Subcut Width'.

Finished Block Size	Stripset Width after Stitching	Subcut Width
6”	2½”	1½”
9”	3½”	2”
12”	4½”	2½”
15”	5½”	3”
18”	6½”	3½”

With RST stitch a #6 to a #7 square. Repeat for a total of two.

Press the SA toward the darker fabric.

Arrange the pairs as shown below.

With RST, sew each pair together. The SA can be pressed to one side or 'twirled'.

These are our finished four patches.

Step 3: Assemble the Broken Sugar Bowl quilt block

Arrange all the units into rows as shown below. The dark #1(large) and #4(small) squares are in the outside corners.

With RST, stitch the units in each row together.

Take a quick peek and flip open the patches right before sewing them to make sure everything's in the right position. It's really easy to mix them up at the sewing machine.

When you're sure they're in the proper position, stitch.

Press the SA away from the HST.

With RST, stitch the rows together. I pin to keep the points of the HST matching up where they should be.

One final visit to the ironing board and this is the finished Broken Sugar Bowl quilt block!

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More Jacob's Ladder variations...

The Broken Sugar Bowl quilt block is one of a number of Jacob's Ladder block variations. There are instructions on this site for many more—both 9-patch and four-patch variations—in several sizes.

Simply click any of the images below to go directly to those block instructions.