X Block quilt block
Four corner triangles and a centre square forming a diagonal X — the counterpart to the Plus block, and its natural partner in a quilt.
Also known as Cross Block, X and Plus.
X and Plus quilts pair these two blocks in alternation, a modern arrangement that reads as a scattered graphic rather than a grid. The X itself is an old shape in patchwork but its current popularity is firmly a twenty-first-century revival.
X Block cutting chart
Cut sizes include a ¼″ seam allowance: ½″ on squares and rectangles, ⅞″ on half-square triangles, and 1¼″ on quarter-square triangles. Pick a finished block size:
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 2⅞" × 2⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Background | Square | 2½" × 2½" | 4 | finishes 2" × 2" |
| Dark | HST square | 2⅞" × 2⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 2½" × 2½" | 1 | finishes 2" × 2" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 3⅞" × 3⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Background | Square | 3½" × 3½" | 4 | finishes 3" × 3" |
| Dark | HST square | 3⅞" × 3⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 3½" × 3½" | 1 | finishes 3" × 3" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 4¼" × 4¼" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Background | Square | 3⅞" × 3⅞" | 4 | finishes 3⅜" × 3⅜" |
| Dark | HST square | 4¼" × 4¼" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 3⅞" × 3⅞" | 1 | finishes 3⅜" × 3⅜" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 4⅞" × 4⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Background | Square | 4½" × 4½" | 4 | finishes 4" × 4" |
| Dark | HST square | 4⅞" × 4⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 4½" × 4½" | 1 | finishes 4" × 4" |
| Fabric | Shape | Cut size | Qty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | HST square | 5⅞" × 5⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Background | Square | 5½" × 5½" | 4 | finishes 5" × 5" |
| Dark | HST square | 5⅞" × 5⅞" | 2 | cut once on the diagonal → 4 triangles |
| Dark | Square | 5½" × 5½" | 1 | finishes 5" × 5" |
How it goes together
Half-square triangles in the four corners with a plain centre and plain sides. The diagonals must all point outward from the centre for the X to close.
Tips
- Alternate X blocks and Plus blocks in the same quilt — they are designed to be seen together.
- The X reads strongest when the corner triangles and the centre share a fabric.
- Check triangle orientation before sewing; one rotated corner breaks the X.
How much fabric for a X Block quilt?
Yardage for a whole quilt of X Block blocks, computed the way the studio does it — every piece packed across a 40″ usable width with 10% added for waste.
| Quilt size | Blocks | Finished | Top fabric | Backing | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baby 36×48 | 12 | 36" × 48" | Background 1⅜ yd · Dark ¾ yd | 2½ yd | ⅜ yd |
| Throw 60×72 | 30 | 60" × 72" | Background 3⅜ yd · Dark 1¾ yd | 3⅞ yd | ½ yd |
| Queen 90×108 | 72 | 96" × 108" | Background 7¾ yd · Dark 4 yd | 8¾ yd | ⅞ yd |
What it looks like in a quilt
A single block only tells you half the story. Set sixteen of them together and the secondary pattern appears where the blocks touch:
X Block questions
What pairs with an X block?
A Plus block of the same finished size. The two alternate to make the X-and-Plus quilts common in modern quilting.