Greek Square Quilt Block Pattern (Workshop #21)

Today’s free quilting workshop by Janeen van Niekerk is about our third block in our sampler quilt. This is called the Greek Square* quilt block pattern. I’m intrigued by that name. Does it look like a Greek square? I’m not sure. What I do know is that it is a really old quilt block design that originates between 1800 and 1849. In the US, it’s called a Churn Dash*, because it looks like an old fashioned butter churn. So, there you go.

If you missed the first two quilting block workshops, see all of Janeen’s free online quilting workshops listed at the end of this article.

Workshop for Beginners Quilters

Sampler Quilt Block 3: a Greek Square.

This old traditional block is sometimes also known as the Churn Dash or the Greek Square or Greek Cross. This block is really easy and quick to make and depending on where your fabric choice is different, your block will look different every time.

The Greek Square Quilt Block Plan

From our plan you can see that this block is only ABC.

By looking at our color design, we see that the A and B portions consist of double colors.

Cutting Fabric for your Greek Square Quilt Block

Decide on your fabrics that will be the B portions of the block.

Step-by-step Quilt Making Instructions:

Cut 2 Width of Fabric (WOF) strips that measure 2 1/8”.
Sew the 2 strips together with a ¼” seam.
Press open to the darker side fabric.
Cut 4 pieces from the strip each measuring 3 7/8”.
For the A Half square triangles (A Blocks).
Cut 2 squares of fabric 6 ¼” big.
Mark an x through the one.
Place the 2 squares on top of each other with the right side of the fabrics facing each other.
Sew with a ¼” around the outside edge of the squares.

Cut through the squares on the X shape you marked to get 4 triangle shapes.

Press them open to the darker side fabric.
You will need to cut these squares down to measure 4 1/8” .

For the middle C block you will need to cut 1 x square that measures 3 7/8”.

Greek Cross Quilt Block Sewing Instructions

Lay out your pieces as shown by the plan.
We are going to sew the top row of 3 pieces together using a ¼” seam.
Then we will sew the middle and then the bottom pieces together.
Once you have 3 rows we can join our rows together making sure that we line up the joins by “nesting” our seams.

Unfinished block measures 10,5”.
You can neaten up and square you block to the correct measurement.

And there you have it: 3 blocks finished in your sampler quilt!

Congratulations! You did well so far.

Till next time,

Janeen van Niekerk, Quilting Instructor
Quilt Art Design

About Quilting Instructor Janeen van Niekerk

Quilt artist Janeen van Niekerk is an avid quilter. In particular, she’s an accomplished paper piecing designer. She does it all with a passion. Our latest news of quilt making instructor Janeen van Niekerk is that she has just launched a brand new paper piecing magazine.

Janeen’s prolific range of hand-made quilts (she takes commissions for personalized, stylish portrait quilts), as well as her unique quilt patterns (think quilts featuring safari animals and trees, or kids toys) are inspired by her environs; she lives in sunny Pretoria in South Africa, with her husband and kids.

Janeen offers her quilts designs & paper piecing patterns for individual sale Out of Janeen’s 230 quilt patterns for sale, these are my top 5 Paper Piecing Quilt Patterns, Animals and Flowers. All really beautiful!!

Janeen van Niekerk (spelled by some as Janine van Niekerk) is also part of the Free Block of the Month -club, offering a free paper piecing quilt block pattern, each month. Check it out here:

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Quilting Pattern Library & Other Training Courses

This gorgeous owl quilt pattern is both included in one of Janeen’s books as well as being available for individual sale. Don’t you just love this quilt design?

The owl and all Janeen’s other patterns are for sale here at Craftsy. BTW. Crafty also has other quilting, sewing and other craft workshops, which I encourage you to check out, by clicking either the banner below, or the link above.

How to Sew a Quilt – Quilting Workshops for Beginners

Want to begin sewing quilts with me? Join our free online quilting workshops, which you can take at your leisure, any time you want. Work at your own pace.

Free Quilting Patterns & Tutorials & Classes in this quilting course:

Class #1: Fussy cutting ~ How to Make a Quilt: Free Quilting Beginners Class.
Class #2: Quilting Tools – What you’ll need as a beginner.
Class #3 : How to Choose & Work with Quilting Fabric.
Class #4: How to Read & Work with a Quilt Pattern.
Class #5: Creating a Finished Quilt Block .
Class #6: How to Make Quilt Rows – from finished blocks.
Class #7: How to add Borders to your quilt.
Class #8 : How to finish a quilt: add backing, batting and how to bind a quilt.
Class #9 : How to Make Quilt Blocks more Exciting.
Class #10 : How to Make a Modern Lap Quilt.
Class #11 : How to Make a Modern Lap Quilt, the next steps.
Class #12: How to finish a Quilt :: Modern Lap Quilt.
Class #13/14: Quilting Glossary with Quilt Sewing Terms for Beginners
Class #15: Half Square Triangles Quilting Techniques
Class #16: Half Square Triangles Quilting Techniques – part 2
Class #17: Half Square Triangles Quilt Wall Art Project
Class #18: Free Sampler Quilt Workshop
Class #19: First Bock in the Sampler: How to make a Striped Frame Quilt Block
Class #20: How to Make a Log Cabin Quilt Block
Class #20: Greek Square Quilt Block Pattern (Workshop #21)
Or, … continue your journey with Quilting patterns, tutorials and ideas featured here at FineCraftGuild.com (beyond Janeen’s quilting course).

* The Greek Square Quilt Block pattern or the churn dash quilt block has gone by a gazillion other names, including Broken Plate, Double Monkey Wrench, Double T (ref: Hearth & Home), Dragon’s Head (published in Woman’s World), Fisherman’s Reel, Hens and Chickens, Hole in the Barn Door, Indian Hammer, Joan’s Doll Quilt, Lincoln’s Platform, Love Knot, Ludlow’s Favorite, Old Mill Design (ref: the The Farmer’s Wife), Picture Frame, Puss in the Corner, Quail’s Nest, Sherman’s March (ref: Capper’s Weekly), Shoo Fly, and Wrench.

Rose (follow my blog rather than me..)