How to Sew a Crossroads Quilt Block

The Crossroads quilt block design uses five colors in the same family. The arrangement of the geometric shapes creates a striking "light and shadow" effect. The Crossroads pattern was common in "slave quilts" and signified the crossroads of a city, often Cleveland, where escaping slaves would find refuge before crossing into Canada to freedom.

Things You'll Need

• Fabrics
• Sewing and quilting thread
• Sewing and quilting needles
• Rotary cutter and mat
• Marking pencil, white
• Ruler and straight edge
• Scissors
• Templates (plastic or tin)
• Quilt batting

Instructions

Cutting

1. Choose five fabrics, in solids or small prints, that are shades of the same color. Purchase 100 percent cotton fabrics or re-purpose old cotton clothing and sewing remnants. Launder the fabrics and press them.

2. Use a white marking pencil and the template to mark the squares on one of the fabrics. Stack all the fabrics except Fabric E. Use a rotary cutter and straight edge to cut out the squares. (See Resources)

3. Draw the rectangle shape on Fabric E. Cut out the rectangles with the rotary cutter on the cutting mat. Organize the cut pieces by color. Mark them A, B and C with the white pencil.

4. Pair the squares right sides together as follows: A and D, twice; A and C, C and B. Align the edges carefully and pin in place. Draw a diagonal across the top square (of each of the four pairs) with a white marking pencil.

5. Stitch a seam along either side of the diagonal, 1/4 inch from the marked line. Cut along the line to create 2 two-colored squares. Open the squares and press flat.

Piecing

1. Sew a C/A block to a B/C block so that A and B are seamed. Repeat so that there are two identical two-block strips. Place them right sides together, aligning the seams, with A and B opposite one another along the seam line.

2. Press the four-block square flat. Note that C is positioned around the central A/B block, which now forms a diamond. Stitch a rectangle of Fabric E along either side of the four-block square to create the central strip of the block.

3. Lay the central strip flat on the work surface. Place the strips created in Step 1 above and below the central strip. Position D fabric forms to create the four corners of the block.

4. Pin the two narrow strips to the central strip, right sides together. Align the seams carefully. Stitch the two seams.

5. Press the quilt block flat. Trim the seams to eliminate bulk. Clip any stray threads.

6. Layer the finished block with backing fabric and batting. Quilt through all three layers. Finish by binding the edges.

Tips & Warnings

• Cut 3 7/8 inch squares as follows: Fabric A-3 squares; Fabric B-2 squares; Fabric C-4 squares; Fabric D-2 squares.

• Cut 4 rectangles from Fabric E, each 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches.

• Use 1/4 inch seam throughout. Press the fabric after each piecing. Block the seams.

Resources

• Blank quilt block template