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Learn to make the Duck and Ducklings Quilt Block
From our Free Quilt Block Pattern Library
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Skill Level: Beginner
The two fabric Duck and Ducklings quilt block, while drawn on a 5x5 grid is truly an uneven 9-patch in construction.
On this page you'll find both traditional and paperpiecing cutting dimesions and instructions for 3 block sizes, as well as the necessary paperpieced patterns to download.
Time to get to work!
General Instructions
All seam allowances (SA) are 1/4" unless otherwise indicated.
To press, first press the pieced unit flat to set the seam. Then open the patch, pressing from the front. You may want to reduce or eliminate the use of steam for paper pieced blocks. Steam tends to curl the paper.
For flatter quilt blocks, check out our favorite pressing technique. It works even with the foundation attached. Now THAT'S sweet!
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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!)
Step 1: Choose technique, size and then cut the patches
Duck and Ducklings designSample Size: 5" finished / 5½" unfinished
Grid: 5x5
Attribution: Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger
AKA: Corn and Beans (Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger), Ducklings (KC Star), Fox and Geese (Nancy Cabot), Handy Andy and Hen and Chickens and Shoo-fly (Carrie Hall and Rose Kretsinger), Wild Goose Chase (The Farmer's Wife and/or Carlie Sexton)
(Links above are to instructions on this site to block tutorials with that name.)
Design Type: Uneven 9-patch, small center
Cutting charts are provided for both paper (blue) and traditional (mauve) piecing methods.
Paper piecing patches are cut oversized to make it easy to position them properly the first time.
All patches are cut as squares unless otherwise noted.
For example, from the Traditional (mauve) piecing chart for a 10" finished block, for Patch #1 you'll cut two 2-7/8" x 2-7/8" squares and then subcut once on the diagonal.
Paper Piecing
 |
Cutting Chart for a~ Paper Piecing ~ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch | Fabric | Qty | Finished Block Size | Sub Cut | ||
| 5” | 7-1/2” | 10” | ||||
| 1 | D | 2 | 1-7/8” | 2-3/8” | 2-7/8” |  |
| 2, 3, 4 | L | 6 | 2-3/8” | 2-7/8” | 3-3/8” | |
| 5 | D | 2 | 3-3/8” | 4-3/8” | 5-3/8” | |
| 6 | L | 4 | 1½" x 2½" | 2” x 3½” | 2½” x 4½” | na |
| 7 | D | 1 | 1-1/2” | 2” | 2-1/2” | na |
| Print this size Birds in the Air unit... | 2" | 3" | 4" | -- | ||
| Trim Birds in the Air unit to... | 2-1/2” | 3-1/2” | 4-1/2” | -- | ||
| Unfinished block size... | 5-1/2” | 8” | 10-1/2” | -- | ||
| Grid Size | 1” | 1-1/2” | 2” | -- | ||
Traditional Piecing
 |
Cutting Chart for a~ Traditional Piecing ~ | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patch | Fabric | Qty | Finished Block Size | Sub Cut | ||
| 5” | 7-1/2” | 10” | ||||
| 1 | D | 2 | 1-7/8” | 2-3/8” | 2-7/8” | |
| 2, 3, 4 | L | 6 | 1-7/8” | 2-3/8” | 2-7/8” | |
| 5 | D | 2 | 2-7/8” | 3-7/8” | 4-7/8” | |
| 6 | L | 4 | 1½” x 2½” | 2” x 3½” | 2½” x 4½” | na |
| 7 | D | 1 | 1-1/2” | 2” | 2-1/2” | na |
| Trim small HST to... | 1-1/2” | 2” | 2-1/2” | -- | ||
| Unfinished Birds in the Air unit measures... | 2-1/2” | 3-1/2” | 4-1/2” | -- | ||
| Unfinished block size... | 5-1/2” | 8” | 10-1/2” | -- | ||
| Grid Size... | 1” | 1-1/2” | 2” | -- | ||
Step 2: Download and print the foundation patterns
If you are using patches sized for traditional piecing from the pink cutting chart, skip this step.
Otherwise, download the Birds in the Air paper foundation pattern. The one you need is listed on the blue chart (above) on the line fourth from the bottom.
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.
Step 3: Assemble the Birds in the Air units
Make 4
For foundation pieced instructions, go to Birds in the Air unit.
For traditional instructions click here.
When you are finished, click the 'back button' on your browser to return here.
Regardless of the method you chose, after stitching you'll have four units that look like this one...
Step 4: Assemble the Duck and Ducklings quilt block
Lay out your pieced and cut patches into rows.
Stitch the units into rows. Press with the seam allowances pointing in the direction of the arrows.
Sew the rows together. Your SAs nest which makes matching the seams so much easier and less bulky, too!
Press.
Your finished Duck and Ducklings quilt block looks like this...
Common Variations
These two blocks, while completely different from each other, are also called Duck and Ducklings.
This simple variation also goes by the name Aunt Kate's Choice. The side rectangles have been replaced with two squares.
Same name, but a completely different block drawn on an 8x8 grid.
What about a different quilt block?
For a list of all the 200+ quilt block patterns on this site, start here.
If you know the name of the block, shorten your search by using these links:
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:
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