The Magical Salem Quilt Block 🌟✨ 6", 9", 12", 25" blocks (2024)

Quilt up a storm with the spellbinding SalemQuilt Block! 🌪️

This bewitching design is a captivating twist on the classic 9-patch, featuringa dazzling display of Flying Geese Chevrons that will have your fellow quiltersswooning.

Conjure up quilting magic with this mesmerizing masterpiece. 🪄⚡

Use these links to quickly move around this tutorial:

• A cutting chart in four sizes, with downloads of the chart and block design

• A list of all the abbreviations used on this page

• Tips for cutting directional prints

• Paper piecing patterns to download and print

• A coloring page to download and print

• Step-by-step piecing instructions

Cut. Sew. Press. Weave a web of quilting wonder with your fabric as you conjure up the beguiling Salem Quilt Block. 🕸️✨

General Instructions

Several abbreviations are used on this page. They are:

• SA - seam allowance
• RST - right sides together
• HST - half square triangles
• QST - quarter square triangles
• FG - Flying Geese pairs
• SiaS - square in a square
• FC - Folded Corners

A 1/4" SA is used in this tutorial.

Highlighted in yellow, pressing instructions are easy to spot.

To press, first press the patches in the closed position as they came off your sewing machine. This sets the seam, melding the fibers of the threads into the fibers of the fabric.

Then press the SA to the dark unless otherwise noted.

Download and print the paper piecing pattern

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Click the images below to see the full collection. We share any commercial and/or free patterns that showcase them, too. (For inspiration, of course!)

Step 1: Cutting patches for a block

Sample Block Size:9" finished / 9½" unfinished

Grid: 6x6

Design Type: Star |Paper piecing | Even 9-patch

Please label all your patches. We use their numbers throughout this tutorial.

			Cutting Chart for a Salem Quilt Block ~ Paper PLUS Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size				Sub Cut
			6''	9''	12''	15''
Center.1	Bac	1	1⅞''x1⅞''	2⅝''x2⅝''	3⅜''x3⅜''	4⅛''x4⅛''	---
C2, C3, C4, C5, Sky.1	Med	6	2⅜''x2⅜''	2⅞''x2⅞''	3⅜''x3⅜''	3⅞''x3⅞''
Goose.1	Bac	1	3¾''x3¾''	4¾''x4¾''	5¾''x5¾''	6¾''x6¾''
Goose.2	Med	1	3¾''x3¾''	4¾''x4¾''	5¾''x5¾''	6¾''x6¾''
Sky.2	Bac	4	2⅜''x2⅜''	2⅞''x2⅞''	3⅜''x3⅜''	3⅞''x3⅞''
1	Bac	4	2½''x2½''	3½''x3½''	4½''x4½''	5½''x5½''	---
2	Dark	8	1½''x1½''	2''x2''	2½''x2½''	3''x3''	---
Unfinished Block Size			6½''	9½''	12½''	15½''	na
Grid Size			1''	1½''	2''	2½''	na

Subcutting

The Sky.1, Sky.2 and C.2 through C.5 are all cut in half once on the diagonal to create HST shapes.

Goose.1 and Goose.2 are cut in half twice on the diagonal, making QST shapes.

That was easy!

Tips for working with directional prints

The background fabric has a distinct pattern that runs from top to bottom. When cutting the Center.1 piece, I made sure to align the pattern so it also runs top to bottom.

Option 1

For the Sky.2 patches, all but 2 of them should be cut diagonally with the pattern running top to bottom. (below left)

The other 2 patches should be cut diagonally but with the pattern running left to right. (below right) This ensures that all the Half-Square Triangles (HSTs) and Flying Geese Pairs (FG) have the design going in the same direction.

An additional benefit to turning two of the patches a 1/4 turn, is that you can stack all 6 of them and subcut with one stroke.😊

Option 2

Otherwise, you can position your patches all with the design running top to bottom.

Cut one stack upper left to lower right (below left) and the other lower left to upper right (below right) to get the desired patches.

The choice is yours which option you choose...IF you are working with directional prints and want to control the direction of the print in your block or quilt.

Subcutting the Goose patches automatically gives you all the patches you need. I've marked the sample paper piecing pattern with orientation guides (top, bottom, etc.) to help me remember to pay attention when positioning patches.

The key is carefully aligning the fabric patterns to create a cohesive, visually striking design across the entire quilt block. 🎨🧵✨

Of course, you could always choose to ignore the direction of a directional print. What is most important is what YOU want.

Step 2: Assemble the units for your Salem block

Let's get all the gluing out of the way first.

Use a dot of Elmer's Washable Glue Stick to hold the Goose.1s and Center.2 in position between the dashed guidelines.

The gluestick can be put away. We're done with it for this block.

Square in a Square (SiaS)

Make 1

With RST, align the long bias edge of C.2 with the edge of Center.1

Sew the seam, starting and stopping past the outside dashed edges of the block.

Press.

Position the edge of C.3 with Center.1 and stitch.

Press.

Position C.4 with Center.1 after clipping away the dog ears to remove some bulk. (The blue arrows point to dog ears that still need to be trimmed away.)

After pressing, finish up with C.5 in the same manner.

After a quick turn at the ironing board, place the SiaS paper side up on your cutting mat.

Line up the 1/4" mark on your ruler with one of the solid lines surrounding the block.

Trim away the excess.

Turn the mat a 1/4 turn and trim again. Repeat for the third side. And finally the fourth.

From the front side, a perfect SiaS.

You can see the results of my going back and re-cutting the Center to make the pattern line up from top to bottom

Flying Geese Pairs (FG)

Make 4

With RST, align the long bias edge of the first Sky.1 with one side of Goose.1.

Stitch the seam, again starting and stopping a good 1/4" before and after the solid line. Press.

Add the second Sky.1 in the same manner.

Below you can see how those seams are stitched. (You can also see where I've marked the pattern with 'top' to help me manage the directional background print.)

Those stitches extend well past the solid lines

At your mat, pull the pattern away from the stitches so we can fold it back on itself.

Later, you'll see where I had to tape the pattern after mangling it.

Line up your ruler with the solid line between the Sky.1s and Goose.2. Crease on the line with your thumbnail.

Fold the pattern back on this line and align the 1/4" mark of the ruler with the fold.

Trim away the excess.

Match the raw edges of Goose.2 with the fresh cut, centering the Goose so its point is directly across from the point on the pattern.

Stitch the seam and press.

At the cutting mat, fold the pattern back on itself on the line between Goose.2 and Sky.2, and trim to 1/4". Repeat for the other side.

This is the Goose after the trim job.

Now add your Sky.2s, pressing in between to ensure there are no tucks at the SA.

After pressing and trimming (just like you did the SiaS) your FGs should look like this.

Folded Corners Unit (FC)

Make 4

Use a mechanical pencil (chalk or lead—whichever is easier to see) and draw a line from corner to corner on the backside of the eight #2 squares. Take the time to make sure the lines run exactly to the point of each corner.

Layer a #2 with a corner of #1, outside edges even.

Sew on the side of the line closest to the corner. This tiny bit off the center of the line will make up for the 'turn of the cloth' taken up in the SA.

An open toe appliqué foot is the perfect tool for the job, there's nothing between your eyes and the drawn line.

Repeat for the opposite diagonal corner.

Here's our unit before pressing.

After pressing the patches towards the corners, check that the patches are even along the outside edges.

If they meet as shown below, you're ready to trim the SAs.

From the backside, match the 1/4" line on your ruler with the seam line and trim away the excess.

Repeat for the other side.

Step 3: Assemble your Salem quilt block

Arrange your patches with the FC in the corners, the FG pointing in toward the center and the SiaS in the very center.

With RST, stitch the units together to form the rows. Use pins to hold the points together and edges even as needed. (My favorites are the IBC Super Fine pins.)

[Click here for a review of 'Pinning for perfect points' for a refresher.]

These seams are all pressed away from the FG units.

With RST, sew the rows together. Again, pin as needed to hold the edges and points together.

After we've pressed for the last time, our sample Salem quilt block looks like this from the front side.

A quick look at the backside shows the trimming we did and how it all fits together.

Quilters, prepare to be hexed! 🔥 📌📌

This beguiling Salem Quilt Block is too good not to pin for later. Your innerquilting witch is calling. 🧠🪄

Looking for something truly stellar?

You've finished your star quilt block, and you're ready for more!

Browse our collection of 55+ stellar star quilt block patterns. All have instructions and cutting charts in multiple sizes. If templates or paper piecing is used in the tutorial, there's a free download for you of those materials.

Eeny. Meenie. Miney. Moe.

Which star quilt block will you sew?

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