Stitchtale

Jack-o'-Lantern quilt block

A classic block that sews up in an afternoon and looks right in almost any fabric.

8 steps, start to finishWatch the Jack-o'-Lantern sew up, cut to press.
Sew a Jack-o'-Lantern quilt

Try it in your colours

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 Jack-o'-Lantern block

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

Cutting for one 6″ finished Jack-o'-Lantern block
PieceCutQty
Background rectanglebackground fabric2¾″ × 1¼″1
Point rectanglemain fabric2″ × 1¼″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric1⅝″ × 1⅝″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric1⅝″ × 1⅝″4
Background rectanglebackground fabric2″ × 1¼″1
Half-square triangleaccent fabric1⅝″ × 1⅝″3
Center rectangleaccent fabric5″ × 1¼″2
Center rectangleaccent fabric6½″ × 1¼″3
Center rectangleaccent fabric2″ × 1¼″5
Background rectanglebackground fabric3½″ × 1¼″1
Cutting for one 9″ finished Jack-o'-Lantern block
PieceCutQty
Background rectanglebackground fabric3⅞″ × 1⅝″1
Point rectanglemain fabric2¾″ × 1⅝″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric2″ × 2″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric2″ × 2″4
Background rectanglebackground fabric2¾″ × 1⅝″1
Half-square triangleaccent fabric2″ × 2″3
Center rectangleaccent fabric7¼″ × 1⅝″2
Center rectangleaccent fabric9½″ × 1⅝″3
Center rectangleaccent fabric2¾″ × 1⅝″5
Background rectanglebackground fabric5″ × 1⅝″1
Cutting for one 12″ finished Jack-o'-Lantern block
PieceCutQty
Background rectanglebackground fabric5″ × 2″1
Point rectanglemain fabric3½″ × 2″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric2⅜″ × 2⅜″1
Half-square trianglebackground fabric2⅜″ × 2⅜″4
Background rectanglebackground fabric3½″ × 2″1
Half-square triangleaccent fabric2⅜″ × 2⅜″3
Center rectangleaccent fabric9½″ × 2″2
Center rectangleaccent fabric12½″ × 2″3
Center rectangleaccent fabric3½″ × 2″5
Background rectanglebackground fabric6½″ × 2″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 Jack-o'-Lantern 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 8 by 8 grid, so a finished size that divides by 8 gives you friendly cutting numbers. The cut sizes for all three are on this page.

How many Jack-o'-Lantern 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 Jack-o'-Lantern 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 Jack-o'-Lantern?

Sew a test Jack-o'-Lantern first and measure it. If it comes out the right size, the rest will too.

Coffee and a few seams?

Start a quilt with the Jack-o'-Lantern and we’ll walk you through every cut and seam.

Sew a Jack-o'-Lantern quilt