Stitchtale

Shoofly quilt block

A farmhouse favourite with four triangle corners round a square cross, and nothing fussy.

5 steps, start to finishWatch the Shoofly sew up, cut to press.
Sew a Shoofly quilt

Try it in your colours · Design your own quilt with it

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.

Quilts made with the Shoofly

Cut sizes for one Shoofly block

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

Cutting for one 6″ finished Shoofly block
PieceCutQty
Point squaremain fabric2½″ × 2½″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric2⅞″ × 2⅞″2
Half-square trianglebackground fabric2⅞″ × 2⅞″2
Background squarebackground fabric2½″ × 2½″4
Cutting for one 9″ finished Shoofly block
PieceCutQty
Point squaremain fabric3½″ × 3½″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric3⅞″ × 3⅞″2
Half-square trianglebackground fabric3⅞″ × 3⅞″2
Background squarebackground fabric3½″ × 3½″4
Cutting for one 12″ finished Shoofly block
PieceCutQty
Point squaremain fabric4½″ × 4½″1
Half-square trianglemain fabric4⅞″ × 4⅞″2
Half-square trianglebackground fabric4⅞″ × 4⅞″2
Background squarebackground fabric4½″ × 4½″4

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 Shoofly 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 3 by 3 grid, so a finished size that divides by 3 gives you friendly cutting numbers. The cut sizes for all three are on this page.

How many Shoofly 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 Shoofly 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 Shoofly?

Trim your triangle squares before you sew the rows. Squared-up units make the whole block lie flat.

Coffee and a few seams?

Start a quilt with the Shoofly and we’ll walk you through every cut and seam.

Sew a Shoofly quilt