---
title: "Memorial Day Mystery: Making the Square in a Square Blocks for the Tea and Crumpets Quilt"
date: 2020-05-25
author: "Phoebe Moon"
featured_image: "https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SNS-200.jpg"
categories:
  - name: "Free Patterns"
    url: "/category/free-pattern.md"
  - name: "New Ideas"
    url: "/category/new-ideas.md"
  - name: "Quilt Mysteries"
    url: "/category/mysteries.md"
tags:
  - name: "How to Square Up a Block"
    url: "/tag/how-to-square-up-a-block.md"
---

# Memorial Day Mystery: Making the Square in a Square Blocks for the Tea and Crumpets Quilt

It’s time to make the square-in-a-square blocks that form the basis of one of the blocks in this mystery quilt. Since there are so many of them, I am experimenting with different Square Up Rulers. Take a look and tell me which ruler you prefer?

## **Making the Square-in-a-Square Blocks, Fabric # 1**

 Assemble:**

- (20) 4-3/4″ x 4-3/4″ **Fabric #1** squares
- (40) 4″ x 4″ background squares

Cut the (40) 4″ background squares on the diagonal to make (80) triangles.

![How to Create a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block with a Fussy Cut Center](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cutting-squares-into-triangles.jpg)

To make the Square-in-a-square blocks, sew a background triangle to both sides of a 4-3/4″ Fabric # 1 square, matching the center of the triangle with the center of the 4-3/4″ square.

![How to Create a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block with a Fussy Cut Center](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SNS1.jpg)

Press to the triangle. Make (20) units like these.

![How to Create a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block with a Fussy Cut Center](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SNS2.jpg)

Sew the remaining triangles to the top and bottom of the units you just made. They probably won’t fit exactly, but that’s okay.

![How to Create a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block with a Fussy Cut Center](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SNS3.jpg)

After you have pressed to the triangle again, square up this block to 6-1/2″ x 6-1/2″, taking care to preserve the 1/4″ seam allowance.

![How to Create a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block with a Fussy Cut Center](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SNS-squareup-before.jpg)

You will find a [rotating cutting mat](https://amzn.to/3c1wEdO) very helpful about now.

![How to Create a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block with a Fussy Cut Center](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/SNS-squareup-after.jpg)

In the pictures above, I am using a [Creative Grid specialty ruler (CGRJAW7).](https://www.amazon.com/shop/scrapdash?listId=3JDO2TJLE9ZT9) I like this ruler for this block because you can center the fussy-cut block in the square. Check the pictures below to see how other rulers might be used.

## **Making the Square-in-a-Square Blocks, Fabric # 2**

**Assemble:**

- (20) 4-3/4″ x 4-3/4″ **Fabric #2** squares
- (40) 4″ x 4″ background squares

Repeat the above process to create (20) square-in-a-square blocks from Fabric # 2.

![A comparison of square-up rulers with a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/QIAD6.jpg)This is the [6-1/2″ ruler from the Quilt-in-a-Day Fussy Cut Set.](https://www.amazon.com/shop/scrapdash?listId=1C55T3COAAWG2) The Quilt-in-a-Day Fussy Cut set of rulers are my favorite rulers for general squaring-up. The 6-1/2″ one works particularly well for this block because you can set those small little corner lines on the corner of the Fussy-Cut center while keeping the diagonal lines straight.

![A comparison of square-up rulers with a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cute-cuts-6.jpg)

The [Trim-it-Square-Trim Ruler Set](https://amzn.to/3cUXhlD) is similar to the Quilt-in-a-Day Fussy Cut set of rulers except there are more of them in the set, and they have more marking lines. I do like the fact you can see the 1/4″ seam allowance easily.

![A comparison of square-up rulers with a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CGR6.jpg)

I don’t like this one, the [Creative Grid CGR6](https://www.amazon.com/shop/scrapdash?listId=1C55T3COAAWG2), at least for squaring up this particular block. You have to figure out where the center lines and the other diagonal is. The [Omnigrid R6A](https://amzn.to/2Ty0PCI) (below) has the same problem.

![Quilt Tutorial: A comparison of square-up rulers with a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/R6A.jpg)

The one that I like the least for this block is the Creative Grid [Square-Up Ruler](https://amzn.to/2XplXwf) (below) Those big dots ended up exactly where they shouldn’t be for squaring up a Square-in-a-Square block.

![Quilt Tutorial: A comparison of square-up rulers with a Square-in-a-Square Quilt Block](https://scrapdash.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CGRSQ6-1.jpg)

For this particular project, I decided I liked the [Creative Grid specialty ruler (CGRJAW7)](https://www.amazon.com/shop/scrapdash?listId=3JDO2TJLE9ZT9) the best. It was made for this block and it works well. Tell me, what ruler did you use, and did you like it?





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