Cupid's Arrowpoint Quilt Block: Bulls-Eye Beautiful Points Every Time! 🎯❤️  

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This Cupid's Arrowpoint quilt block isn't flashy, but don't underestimate it! 🏹

It may look simple, but that center square is prime real estate for your machine or hand quilting or appliqué talents.

Our paper piecing approach means perfect points without the usual headaches—no wrestling with fussy units or endless trimming.

📋 General Instructions

Several abbreviations are used on this page. They are:

• SA - seam allowance
• RST - right sides together
• HST - Half Square Triangle
• QST - Quarter Square Triangle
• SiaS - Square in a Square
• FG - Flying Geese

A 1/4" SA is used in this tutorial.

✂️   Cutting patches for a  block

Sample Block Size:  10" finished / 10½" unfinished

Grid:  8x8

Design Type:  Paper piecing  |  Plain block w/pieced sashing

Please label all your patches. We use their numbers throughout this tutorial.

To print a copy of the Cupid's Arrowpoint design and cutting chart to use at your cutting table, click here.

			Cutting Chart for a Cupid's Arrowpoint Quilt Block ~ Includes Paper Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size				Sub Cut
			6''	8''	10''	12''
1	Bac	4	1⅝'' x 1⅝''	1⅞'' x 1⅞''	2¼'' x 2¼''	2⅝'' x 2⅝''	---
2, 3	Med	8	2⅛'' x 2⅛''	2⅜'' x 2⅜''	2⅝'' x 2⅝''	2⅞'' x 2⅞''
4	Med	2	3¼'' x 3¼''	3¾'' x 3¾''	4¼'' x 4¼''	4¾'' x 4¾''
5	Dark	8	2⅛'' x 2⅛''	2⅜'' x 2⅜''	2⅝'' x 2⅝''	2⅞'' x 2⅞''
6	Dark	2	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅜'' x 4⅜''
7	Bac	2	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅜'' x 4⅜''
8	Bac	1	3½'' x 3½''	4½'' x 4½''	5½'' x 5½''	6½'' x 6½''	---
Unfinished Block Size			6½''	8½''	10½''	12½''	na
Grid Size			¾''	1''	1¼''	1½''	na

✂️✂️  Subcutting

Patches 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 are all cut once on the diagonal to create HST shapes.

Patch 4 is cut twice on the diagonal to make QST shapes.

🧵  Create the Border units for your Cupid's Arrowpoint block

Make 2 each

The short Border (top) and long border (bottom)

Our long and short border units are the same for Patches 1 through 5. 6&7 are added just to the longer border.

Use a tiny dab of Elmer's Washable Glue Stick® to hold #1 in position on all four borders.

'Tiny' is the word of the day. It's only got to hold until the #2s are stitched in place.

Usually, we'd put the glue stick away now, but keep it handy. You may want to use it a bit later on.

We need to make a few adjustments to our sewing machine settings to paper piece.

• Reduce your stitch length to 16–20 stitches per inch (1.3-1.6 mm). This perforates the paper and stabilizes the seam when you remove the pattern. [Learn more about stitch length here.]

• Reduce your machine's speed or just plain slow down. Sew only as fast as you can AND stay on the solid stitching line.

• Install an open toe appliqué foot (sometimes called an 'embroidery' or 'satin stitch' foot) if you have one (it makes it easier to see where you're stitching). 

• Use a larger needle (90/14) IF you have problems removing the pattern. Personally, I use an 80/12 Microtex Sharp for paper piecing without any issues.

With RST, match the long bias edge of a #2 with one side of #1. 

Sew the seam.

Your stitches should around the point of the pink aroow

Fingerpress #2 open and out of the way.

Repeat the process for the second #2.

Repeat for the two #3 triangles.

It's time to trim the seams on both sides to establish the exact placement for the #4s,

Pull the stitches away from the pattern so you can fold it back on the line.

Position the 1/4" mark on your ruler on the fold.

Now we have a perfect 1/4" SA and place to match the long edge of #4 to

Trim all four of the Borders, short and long, before adding #4.

With RST, position #4 with this fresh-cut edge, using the opposite corner of #1 (dotted fabric) to center the point of the triangle.

Stitch. 

Repeat for all eight #4 patches.

Use the same trimming process for patch placement for the two exposed sides of the #4:

• Pull the stitches away from the pattern
• Use your ruler's edge to fold the pattern on a line between #4 and a #5
• Place 1/4" ruler markings on the folded edge
• Trim away the excess. 

Repeat for the other side.

Repeat for all eight #4s.

Trim one side of a #4 and then the other to create the placement lines for the #5s

Add the #5s, one to each opposite corner.

Positioning the first #5

Press with your iron to prevent tucks at the SA.

Add the second #5 to each #4.

Here you can see how #5s were added to opposite corners before adding the 3rd #5

The two short borders are completely pieced. Set them aside for now. There's a bit more to finish the longer borders.

The sewing for the short Border is complete. On to the HST shapes for the Long one (bottom).

Trim the #5s to create the exact placement for #6: fold the pattern back on the line between the #5s and #6, match the 1/4" ruler mark to the fold and trim away the excess fabric.

With RST, position #6 matching the cut edge.

It's worth the effort to take a sec to hold the patch at the edge and flip it open to check the outside point ends up in the correct place. It's much too easy to get into a rhythm with the piecing up to this point and then mess this one up. Ask me how I know?!!

Stitch the seam.

Trim #6 to prepare for #7.

If that point on #6 is too floppy for you (and it definitely was for me on this 12" sample block), use your glue stick to stick the pointed end of #6 to the paper pattern.

Finally, with RST, match the long bias edges of #6 and #7 and stitch.

Trimming to perfection

I love this part of paper piecing. Our units look like such a hot mess once the stitching is complete, but 4 cuts with a rotary cutter 'pretty' them up instantly,

On your mat, pattern side up, match the 1/4" mark on your ruler with one side of the solid rectangle that surrounds your block. (pink arrow)

With your rotary cutter, trim away the excess.

Repeat this simple step for each side of all 4 borders.

Here's the shorter border after its trim job.

Untrimmed on top, trimmed on bottom

And now the long border.

Untrimmed on top, trimmed on bottom

If you stitched on the line, the points are exactly 1/4" in from the edge. Each HST seam cuts into the corner at exactly 45°. 

Remove the paper now. Our outside edges are purposefully cut on the straight of grain, just like any traditionally pieced block. 

🧩  Final Assembly of our Cupid's Arrowpoint quilt block

Arrange your patches with the short borders on the left and right, the long borders on the top and bottom with the background fabric HSTs in all four corners.

With RST, sew a short border onto each side of #7. Press these SAs toward the center.

Now sew the rows together, pinning as needed to hold the edges even and the seams matched in the corners. (Those seams nest to make our matching easier.)

These final seams are pressed towards the center. 

Set your Cupid's Arrowpoint blocks in a quilt

30 Cupid's Arrowpoint blocks are set in a quilt with a simple sashing and cornerstone and a solid background fabric instead of the dots I used in the sample block.

The outlines of the patches and the blocks are removed to give you a better idea of how your finished quilt will look.

📌   Take a Shot at This Later! 🏹📌

Juggling too many quilt projects already? Pin this Cupid's Arrowpoint block to your "Someday Soon" board and give yourself something to look forward to!

Those perfect points will be waiting whenever you're ready to take aim.

For even MORE blocks to make… 🧩🎨

...visit our Free Quilt Block Pattern Library, with over 260+ blocks to choose from in multiple sizes.

Free downloads are included in all sizes for any blocks require paper piecing patterns or templates.

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

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