Churn Dasher Quilt Block Pattern

From our Free Quilt Block Patterns Library

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Skill Level: Beginner

The Churn Dasher quilt block is made all of half square triangles and cut squares.

It's a good block for the beginning quilter to try out a method for making half square triangles eight at a time. A great technique for every quilter to have in their 'piecing arsenal'!

The block design lends itself to a number of variations. You'll find a-whopping nine of them further down on this page.

Churn Dasher Quilt Block Pattern tutorial

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As always, instructions are included for several block sizes.

This time including 5", 7-1/2", 10" and 15".

Let's get started with this two fabric block!

General Instructions

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

The sample in this tutorial is a 10" finished block.

All seam allowances (SA) are 1/4".

When you're instructed to press, first press the pieced unit flat to set the seam. Then open the patch, pressing from the front.

Seam allowances are pressed toward the darker fabric unless otherwise noted.

I use several common abbreviations on this page:

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

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Step 1: Cut the Churn Dasher patches

Churn Dasher design

Sample Size: 10" finished / 10½" unfinished

Grid: 5x5

Attributed to: Hearth & Home

Design Type: 25 squares, Uneven 9-patch, Star

Patches #3 and #4 are marked with 2 asterisks (**). These squares are used to make our half square triangles (HST) eight at a time.

Some quilters prefer to make their HST larger than required and then trim them down to size. I'm one of those quilters. So when I make this block, I add an extra 1/2" to each dimension of my #3 and #4 patches. Instead of cutting them 5-3/4"x5-3/4" for my 10" finished block, I'll cut them at 6-1/4"x6-1/4".

If your 1/4" seam is always spot on, use the measurements in the chart. If you want a bit of extra insurance add a bit.

There's a handy chart for you to download with all the numbers on it for this 8-at-a-time technique. Click here to download it.

			Cutting Chart for a Churn Dasher Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
Patch	Fabric	Qty	5"	7½	10"	15"
1	BAC	8	1½ x 1½	2" x 2"	2½ x 2½	3½ x 3½
2	A	9	1½ x 1½	2" x 2"	2½ x 2½	3½ x 3½
3**	BAC	1	3¾ x 3¾	4¾ x 4¾	5¾ x 5¾	7¾ x 7¾
4**	A	1	3¾ x 3¾	4¾ x 4¾	5¾ x 5¾	7¾ x 7¾
Unfinished Block Size			5½	8"	10½	15½
Grid Size			1"	1½"	2"	3"
**These patches are for the HSTs. You may want to cut them larger. Then trim to size after stitching.

Step 2: Assemble the units for your Churn Dasher

Two Patch Units

With RST, stitch one #2 square to a small background #1. Press with the SA towards the dark fabric.

Repeat for a total of 4 pairs.

Half Square Triangle Units (HST)

We'll use a method that makes 8 HSTs at one time. You can find detailed instructions how to do this in our Beginner Quilt Block Patterns series under Half Square Triangles: Technique #4.

On the back of the large background square #3 draw a pair of perpendicular lines from corner to corner to form an 'X'.

With RST, layer the large dark #4 and background #3 squares and stitch a quarter inch away from both sides of both lines.

The arrow points to the anchor cloth. Start your stitching on one to stop your sewing machine from 'eating' the point of your squares.

After the stitching is complete, the squares look like this.

We'll use the midpoint measurement to cut this in half through the center both vertically and horizontally.

Find the midpoint measurement or center of your #3/#4 squares. It is simply the size of the cut squares divided by 2.

Because I started with larger #3/#4 patches cut at 6-1/4" I had to do the math myself. The mid-point is 3-1/8" or 6-1/4" divided by 2.

If you cut your #3/#4 patches the exact dimension of 5-3/4", your mid-point is 2-7/8" or 5-3/4" divided by 2.

If you are making another block size, use the chart below to find the Midpoint measurement.

Finished Block Size	#3/#4 squares measure	Midpoint Measurement	Trim HST to...
5"	3¾"sq	1⅞"	1½"
7½"	4¾"sq	2⅜"	2"
10"	5¾"sq	2⅞"	2½"
15"	7¾"sq	3⅞"	3½"

Cut your block in half at this midpoint both vertically and horizontally to create four squares. Then cut along the drawn diagonal lines.

You now have eight HSTs.

Press.

Check your HST against the 'Trim to...' size in the chart above. Trim as needed.

Again, for more detailed instructions on this technique go to Half Square Triangles: Technique #4.

Corners

Layout the patches for a corner unit. (Photo 1)

Photo 1

Photo 2

With RST, align the edges of a HST with a BAC square. Stitch and press with SA towards the light fabric. (Photo 2, top) This is the only time in this block where you press towards the light—this is so the seams will nest and to reduce bulk.

Photo 3

Take a quick check from the front of the sewn unit to make sure the darker fabric isn't shadowing through to the front. If it is, trim the seam allowance of the dark so that it is shorter than the light one.

Repeat for the HST and #2 patch. This time press with SA towards the dark. (Photo 2, bottom)

Sew the to sub-units together, nesting the seam allowances and pinning if needed.

Press this seam towards the #2 square. (Photo 3)

Step 3: Assemble your Churn Dasher block

Lay out the pieced units.

Lay out the stitches unit and cut patches

Stitch into rows. Press with the SA as shown by the red arrows below.

Stitch the rows together.

The finished Churn Dasher quilt block is ready to be pieced into your next quilt.

Your Churn Dasher is finished!

Variations on a Churn Dasher design

Holy
Guacamole!

No one was more surprised than me to see all the variations on this simple Churn Dasher quilt block drawing.

You will be, too!

And here they are...

Domino

A two fabric version that looks completely different from the Churn Dasher quilt block, simply because of the color placement.

Farmer's Daughter

Three fabrics—a dark, a medium and a light—come together to create a star design.

Also known as: Two Crosses

Click her e for the instructions to make it.

Sister's Choice

Another three fabric block, with the addition of the dark squares on the sides it looks more like a bow, don't you think?

You may know it by one of its other common names: Churn Dasher quilt block, Five Patch Star, Four & Star, 4X Star, Star and Cross

E-Z Quilt

In this variation, I'd choose to piece the brown fabrics as rectangles instead of 2 squares to simplify the piecing.

Rolling Star

The star theme continues with a reverse nine patch (the lighter patches are in the corners) in the center.

Souvenir

Piece the center as one unit, and you've got the perfect place to display machine embroidery collections.

Click here for instructions to make this block.

Star and Cross

Simplify the piecing by using a rectangle instead of 3 patches in the very center.

Father's Choice

The star almost disappears, with the turquoise creating almost a 'tulip' design.

Nine Patch Star

It completely transforms with this two color placement.

All those variations from the simple Churn Dasher quilt block—who knew!

Looking for something truly stellar?

You've finished your star quilt block, and you're ready for more!

Browse our collection of 55+ stellar star quilt block patterns. All have instructions and cutting charts in multiple sizes. If templates or paper piecing is used in the tutorial, there's a free download for you of those materials.

Star quilt block patterns found on this website

Eeny. Meenie. Miney. Moe.

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