Stitchtale

Modern Cake Stand quilt block

A cake stand in half-square triangles. Pure vintage charm for a kitchen or a birthday quilt.

6 steps, start to finishWatch the Modern Cake Stand sew up, cut to press.

Try it in your colours

Tap a colourway, or pick each fabric. The film at the top changes too.

Colourways

Or pick each fabric

Love it? Find real fabric in these colours at the fabric shop.

Cut sizes for one Modern Cake Stand block

Pick the finished size. Every cut includes the ¼″ seam allowance.

Cutting for one 6″ finished Modern Cake Stand block
PieceCutQty
Half-square trianglemain fabric5⅜″ × 5⅜″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric5⅜″ × 5⅜″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric2⅜″ × 2⅜″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric2⅜″ × 2⅜″1
Background squarebackground fabric2″ × 2″3
Point rectanglemain fabric3½″ × 2″1
Cutting for one 9″ finished Modern Cake Stand block
PieceCutQty
Half-square trianglemain fabric7⅝″ × 7⅝″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric7⅝″ × 7⅝″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric3⅛″ × 3⅛″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric3⅛″ × 3⅛″1
Background squarebackground fabric2¾″ × 2¾″3
Point rectanglemain fabric5″ × 2¾″1
Cutting for one 12″ finished Modern Cake Stand block
PieceCutQty
Half-square trianglemain fabric9⅞″ × 9⅞″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric9⅞″ × 9⅞″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric3⅞″ × 3⅞″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric3⅞″ × 3⅞″1
Background squarebackground fabric3½″ × 3½″3
Point rectanglemain fabric6½″ × 3½″1

In the film the triangle squares start a little big and get trimmed to size, which is the easy way to sharp points. The chart gives the exact cut if you’d rather skip the trim.

Good to know

What size should I make a Modern Cake Stand block?

Any size that suits your quilt. 12″ is the easiest to sew, and 9″ or 6″ look lovely in a busy, scrappy quilt. It sits on a 4 by 4 grid, so a finished size that divides by 4 gives you friendly cutting numbers. The cut sizes for all three are on this page.

How many Modern Cake Stand blocks do I need for a quilt?

At 12″ you need 9 blocks for a wall quilt, 12 for a baby quilt, 30 for a throw, 48 for a twin quilt and 72 for a queen quilt. Sashing or a border between them means fewer blocks for the same size.

Is the Modern Cake Stand good for a beginner?

Yes, if you take it slowly. The one new skill is the half-square triangles, and the film at the top shows every cut, seam and press.

What's the trick to a neat Modern Cake Stand?

Trim your triangle squares before you sew them in. The stand only sits level when they're exact.