The Shaded Trail Quilt Block

The shaded trail quilt block is a vintage block that was originally published in the Kansas City Star back in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

This looks like a complicated pattern, but with the creative use of the half square triangle, it becomes so easy to put together. I just love those half square triangles.

To complete one block for a sampler quilt:

Materials:
Fat quarter fabric in three colors
(black, red and white)
Batting
Backing

Step 1 - Use the rotary cutting techniques.

Cut 10 patches 3 ½” square from the black fabric.
Cut 10 patches 3 ½” square from the red fabric.
Cut 12 patches 3 ½” square from the white fabric.
Cut 4 patches 2 ½” square from the white fabric.

Step 2 - Use the half square triangle method.

Place one 3 ½” square of black fabric and one 3 ½” square of white fabric, right sides together. Draw a line on the diagonal on the lighter fabric from one corner to the opposite corner. Stitch ¼” on each side of the marked line.

Cut on the drawn line with your rotary cutter or scissors to separate the square into triangles.

Fold open the square and press the seam allowances toward the darker fabric. Using your plastic ruler, trim the square to be 2 ½”. Be sure to use the 45 degree angle on your ruler.

Complete 12 black/white half square units. Complete 12 red/white half square triangle units. Complete 8 black/red half square triangle units.

Step 3 - Think of completing a nine patch block. So to complete the corner unit, sew row one. White square and a black half square triangle (pointed to the lower right).

Sew row two. Red/white half square triangle (pointed to the lower right) and a black/red half square triangle (black triangle pointed to the lower left).

Sew the rows together to complete the corner unit. Make 4 corner units.

Complete 4 corner units.

Step 4 - To complete the side middle units, sew row one, black/white half square triangle (pointed to the upper left) and a red/white half square triangle (pointed to the upper right).

Sew row two. Red/white half square triangle (pointed to the lower left) and a black/white half square triangle (pointed to the lower right).

Sew the rows together to complete the middle units. Make 4 middle units.

Step 5 - To complete the center unit, sew row one, red/black half square triangle (black pointed to the lower left) and a red/black half square triangle (black pointed to the upper left).

Sew row two. Red/black half square triangle (black pointed to the lower right) and a red/black half square triangle (black pointed to the upper right).

Sew the rows together to complete the center unit.

Step 6 - Sew row one of the big picture. Corner unit, middle unit, corner unit.

Be sure to check for the proper placement of the units to make sure that the pattern ends up as our shaded trail quilt block.

Step 7 - Sew row two - middle unit, center unit, middle unit.

Step 8 - Sew row three - corner unit, middle unit, corner unit.

Step 9 - Sew the rows together to complete the shaded trail quilt block.

Congratulations! You have just completed a simple pattern that looks complicated. Now you can accomplish anything.

Go to Free Quilt Block Patterns from the Shaded Trail Quilt Block