Bean There, Week Two – the Cat’s Cradle Quilt Block

How to Make a Cat’s Cradle Quilt Block

This is the block we are making this month.

I used this method in the free Follow Me Fish Quilt Block and Pattern. Because there is a detailed tutorial on that page, I am not going repeat it here. This block is very similar to the Shaded Four-Patch block. The tutorial for that block shows a fourth method of making it. I would recommend looking it over just in case you like that method the best.

Method One uses HSTs

How easy is this! Just 2-1/2″ (unfinished) squares. You will have an awful lot of seams, though. The block finishes to 4-1/2″ square. I recommend pressing seams open or twirling them to keep bulk down. Cutting instructions for this method are at the bottom of this tutorial.

method two also uses HSTs

This method starts the same way as the Shaded Four-Patch block but instead of the square at one end, you use an HST. This gets a bit tricky. You need to make sure the point is going in the correct direction. (Ask me how I know…)

Make a test block first!

To make the unit in the graphic above, you would sew a 2-1/2″ unfinished Orange HST to a 2-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ White rectangle. Make (2) and sew them together as shown. Keep pressing those seams open. It really will make things easier later on.

Place this unit right sides together with a 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ Gold rectangle. The dark line is the sewing line. The dotted line is the cutting line. Cut on the dotted line. One unit like this will make two blocks like the one on the left below. Make 24. Repeat this process with the Green HSTs. This time you will only need to make 16.

Do it again! Make a unit like the one above, this time using Green HSTs. Place it right sides together with a 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ White rectangle. Cut on the dotted line. One unit like this will make two blocks like the one below. Make 24. Repeat this process with the Red HSTs. This time you will only need to make 16. Cutting instructions for this method are at the bottom of this tutorial.

methods three uses a clipped corner

This is the method used in Follow Me Fish.

This time you start with a unit like the one below. That’s a 2-1/2″ square matched to a to a 2-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ White rectangle. You will also need a 2-1/2″ square to snub the corner after the unit is completed.

Remember that after you make these blocks, you have to add a white 2-1/2″ square over the colored corner square so you can sew on the diagonal to make the clipped corner. The tutorial is at Follow Me Fish. Cutting instructions for this method are at the bottom of this tutorial.

This week you will be making the 24 orange blocks.

Use your favorite method above to make 24 of these blocks.

Here are the fabric requirements for the next three weeks.

Method One:

• (120) 2-1/2″ white squares. That would require (8) 2-1/2″ strips of white, cut into 2-1/2″ square.
• (40) 2-1/2″ gold squares. That would require (3) 2-1/2″ strips of gold, cut into 2-1/2″ squares
• (40) 2-1/2″ green HSTs. Use your favorite method to make these.
• (16) 2-1/2″ red HSTs. Use your favorite method to make these.
• (24) 2-1/2″ orange HSTs. Use your favorite method to make these.

Method Two:

• (80) 2-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ white rectangles. That would require (7) 3-1/2″ strips of white
• (20) 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ white rectangles. That would require (3) 4-1/2″ strips of white
• (20) 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ gold rectangles. That would require (3) 4-1/2″ strips of gold
• (40) 2-1/2″ green HSTs. Use your favorite method to make these.
• (16) 2-1/2″ red HSTs. Use your favorite method to make these.
• (24) 2-1/2″ orange HSTs. Use your favorite method to make these.

Method Three:

• (80) 2-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ white rectangles. That would require (7) 3-1/2″ strips of white
• (20) 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ white rectangles. That would require (3) 4-1/2″ strips of white
• (20) 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ gold rectangles. That would require (3) 4-1/2″ strips of gold
• (40) 2-1/2″ green squares. That would require (3) 2-1/2″ strips.
• (16) 2-1/2″ red squares. That would require (1) 2-1/2″ strip.
• (24) 2-1/2″ orange squares. That would require (2) 2-1/2″ strips.
• (80) 2-1/2″ white squares. That would require (5) 2-1/2″ strips.