Quilt block sizes
Quilt block sizes are set by the grid: a block divides cleanly only at sizes its grid shares out onto the marks of a rotary ruler. The table below gives those sizes for every grid on this site.
Clean steps, cuttable eighths, and refused sizes
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Every eighth-inch value from 4″ through 20″ is shown at its numeric position. Long ticks are clean steps, medium ticks are merely cuttable, and short ticks are refused.
Which sizes each grid divides into cleanly
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| Grid | Published as | Divides cleanly at | The first few sizes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1×1 | 1×1 | every ½″ | ½″, 1″, 1½″, 2″, 2½″, 3″ … |
| 2×2 | 2×2, 4×1 | every 1″ | 1″, 2″, 3″, 4″, 5″, 6″ … |
| 3×3 | 3×3 | every 1½″ | 1½″, 3″, 4½″, 6″, 7½″, 9″ … |
| 4×4 | 4×4 | every 2″ | 2″, 4″, 6″, 8″, 10″, 12″ … |
| 5×5 | 5×5 | every 2½″ | 2½″, 5″, 7½″, 10″, 12½″, 15″ … |
| 6×6 | 3×3 | every 3″ | 3″, 6″, 9″, 12″, 15″, 18″ … |
| 7×7 | 7×7 | every 3½″ | 3½″, 7″, 10½″, 14″, 17½″, 21″ |
| 8×8 | strip | every 4″ | 4″, 8″, 12″, 16″, 20″ |
Show every eighth-inch classification4″ through 20″, by lattice
Scroll sideways to read every state group.
| Grid and family | Clean steps | Merely cuttable | Refused |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1×1 · 1×1 | 4″, 4½″, 5″, 5½″, 6″, 6½″, 7″, 7½″, 8″, 8½″, 9″, 9½″, 10″, 10½″, 11″, 11½″, 12″, 12½″, 13″, 13½″, 14″, 14½″, 15″, 15½″, 16″, 16½″, 17″, 17½″, 18″, 18½″, 19″, 19½″, 20″ | 4⅛″, 4¼″, 4⅜″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 4⅞″, 5⅛″, 5¼″, 5⅜″, 5⅝″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6⅛″, 6¼″, 6⅜″, 6⅝″, 6¾″, 6⅞″, 7⅛″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 7⅞″, 8⅛″, 8¼″, 8⅜″, 8⅝″, 8¾″, 8⅞″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9⅜″, 9⅝″, 9¾″, 9⅞″, 10⅛″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10⅝″, 10¾″, 10⅞″, 11⅛″, 11¼″, 11⅜″, 11⅝″, 11¾″, 11⅞″, 12⅛″, 12¼″, 12⅜″, 12⅝″, 12¾″, 12⅞″, 13⅛″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13⅝″, 13¾″, 13⅞″, 14⅛″, 14¼″, 14⅜″, 14⅝″, 14¾″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15⅜″, 15⅝″, 15¾″, 15⅞″, 16⅛″, 16¼″, 16⅜″, 16⅝″, 16¾″, 16⅞″, 17⅛″, 17¼″, 17⅜″, 17⅝″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18⅛″, 18¼″, 18⅜″, 18⅝″, 18¾″, 18⅞″, 19⅛″, 19¼″, 19⅜″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 19⅞″ | None |
| 2×2 · 2×2, 4×1 | 4″, 5″, 6″, 7″, 8″, 9″, 10″, 11″, 12″, 13″, 14″, 15″, 16″, 17″, 18″, 19″, 20″ | 4¼″, 4½″, 4¾″, 5¼″, 5½″, 5¾″, 6¼″, 6½″, 6¾″, 7¼″, 7½″, 7¾″, 8¼″, 8½″, 8¾″, 9¼″, 9½″, 9¾″, 10¼″, 10½″, 10¾″, 11¼″, 11½″, 11¾″, 12¼″, 12½″, 12¾″, 13¼″, 13½″, 13¾″, 14¼″, 14½″, 14¾″, 15¼″, 15½″, 15¾″, 16¼″, 16½″, 16¾″, 17¼″, 17½″, 17¾″, 18¼″, 18½″, 18¾″, 19¼″, 19½″, 19¾″ | 4⅛″, 4⅜″, 4⅝″, 4⅞″, 5⅛″, 5⅜″, 5⅝″, 5⅞″, 6⅛″, 6⅜″, 6⅝″, 6⅞″, 7⅛″, 7⅜″, 7⅝″, 7⅞″, 8⅛″, 8⅜″, 8⅝″, 8⅞″, 9⅛″, 9⅜″, 9⅝″, 9⅞″, 10⅛″, 10⅜″, 10⅝″, 10⅞″, 11⅛″, 11⅜″, 11⅝″, 11⅞″, 12⅛″, 12⅜″, 12⅝″, 12⅞″, 13⅛″, 13⅜″, 13⅝″, 13⅞″, 14⅛″, 14⅜″, 14⅝″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15⅜″, 15⅝″, 15⅞″, 16⅛″, 16⅜″, 16⅝″, 16⅞″, 17⅛″, 17⅜″, 17⅝″, 17⅞″, 18⅛″, 18⅜″, 18⅝″, 18⅞″, 19⅛″, 19⅜″, 19⅝″, 19⅞″ |
| 3×3 · 3×3 | 4½″, 6″, 7½″, 9″, 10½″, 12″, 13½″, 15″, 16½″, 18″, 19½″ | 4⅛″, 4⅞″, 5¼″, 5⅝″, 6⅜″, 6¾″, 7⅛″, 7⅞″, 8¼″, 8⅝″, 9⅜″, 9¾″, 10⅛″, 10⅞″, 11¼″, 11⅝″, 12⅜″, 12¾″, 13⅛″, 13⅞″, 14¼″, 14⅝″, 15⅜″, 15¾″, 16⅛″, 16⅞″, 17¼″, 17⅝″, 18⅜″, 18¾″, 19⅛″, 19⅞″ | 4″, 4¼″, 4⅜″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 5″, 5⅛″, 5⅜″, 5½″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6⅛″, 6¼″, 6½″, 6⅝″, 6⅞″, 7″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 8″, 8⅛″, 8⅜″, 8½″, 8¾″, 8⅞″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9½″, 9⅝″, 9⅞″, 10″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10⅝″, 10¾″, 11″, 11⅛″, 11⅜″, 11½″, 11¾″, 11⅞″, 12⅛″, 12¼″, 12½″, 12⅝″, 12⅞″, 13″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13⅝″, 13¾″, 14″, 14⅛″, 14⅜″, 14½″, 14¾″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15½″, 15⅝″, 15⅞″, 16″, 16¼″, 16⅜″, 16⅝″, 16¾″, 17″, 17⅛″, 17⅜″, 17½″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18⅛″, 18¼″, 18½″, 18⅝″, 18⅞″, 19″, 19¼″, 19⅜″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 20″ |
| 4×4 · 4×4 | 4″, 6″, 8″, 10″, 12″, 14″, 16″, 18″, 20″ | 4½″, 5″, 5½″, 6½″, 7″, 7½″, 8½″, 9″, 9½″, 10½″, 11″, 11½″, 12½″, 13″, 13½″, 14½″, 15″, 15½″, 16½″, 17″, 17½″, 18½″, 19″, 19½″ | 4⅛″, 4¼″, 4⅜″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 4⅞″, 5⅛″, 5¼″, 5⅜″, 5⅝″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6⅛″, 6¼″, 6⅜″, 6⅝″, 6¾″, 6⅞″, 7⅛″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 7⅞″, 8⅛″, 8¼″, 8⅜″, 8⅝″, 8¾″, 8⅞″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9⅜″, 9⅝″, 9¾″, 9⅞″, 10⅛″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10⅝″, 10¾″, 10⅞″, 11⅛″, 11¼″, 11⅜″, 11⅝″, 11¾″, 11⅞″, 12⅛″, 12¼″, 12⅜″, 12⅝″, 12¾″, 12⅞″, 13⅛″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13⅝″, 13¾″, 13⅞″, 14⅛″, 14¼″, 14⅜″, 14⅝″, 14¾″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15⅜″, 15⅝″, 15¾″, 15⅞″, 16⅛″, 16¼″, 16⅜″, 16⅝″, 16¾″, 16⅞″, 17⅛″, 17¼″, 17⅜″, 17⅝″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18⅛″, 18¼″, 18⅜″, 18⅝″, 18¾″, 18⅞″, 19⅛″, 19¼″, 19⅜″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 19⅞″ |
| 5×5 · 5×5 | 5″, 7½″, 10″, 12½″, 15″, 17½″, 20″ | 4⅜″, 5⅝″, 6¼″, 6⅞″, 8⅛″, 8¾″, 9⅜″, 10⅝″, 11¼″, 11⅞″, 13⅛″, 13¾″, 14⅜″, 15⅝″, 16¼″, 16⅞″, 18⅛″, 18¾″, 19⅜″ | 4″, 4⅛″, 4¼″, 4½″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 4⅞″, 5⅛″, 5¼″, 5⅜″, 5½″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6″, 6⅛″, 6⅜″, 6½″, 6⅝″, 6¾″, 7″, 7⅛″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 7⅞″, 8″, 8¼″, 8⅜″, 8½″, 8⅝″, 8⅞″, 9″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9½″, 9⅝″, 9¾″, 9⅞″, 10⅛″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10½″, 10¾″, 10⅞″, 11″, 11⅛″, 11⅜″, 11½″, 11⅝″, 11¾″, 12″, 12⅛″, 12¼″, 12⅜″, 12⅝″, 12¾″, 12⅞″, 13″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13½″, 13⅝″, 13⅞″, 14″, 14⅛″, 14¼″, 14½″, 14⅝″, 14¾″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15⅜″, 15½″, 15¾″, 15⅞″, 16″, 16⅛″, 16⅜″, 16½″, 16⅝″, 16¾″, 17″, 17⅛″, 17¼″, 17⅜″, 17⅝″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18″, 18¼″, 18⅜″, 18½″, 18⅝″, 18⅞″, 19″, 19⅛″, 19¼″, 19½″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 19⅞″ |
| 6×6 · 3×3 | 6″, 9″, 12″, 15″, 18″ | 4½″, 5¼″, 6¾″, 7½″, 8¼″, 9¾″, 10½″, 11¼″, 12¾″, 13½″, 14¼″, 15¾″, 16½″, 17¼″, 18¾″, 19½″ | 4″, 4⅛″, 4¼″, 4⅜″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 4⅞″, 5″, 5⅛″, 5⅜″, 5½″, 5⅝″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6⅛″, 6¼″, 6⅜″, 6½″, 6⅝″, 6⅞″, 7″, 7⅛″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 7⅞″, 8″, 8⅛″, 8⅜″, 8½″, 8⅝″, 8¾″, 8⅞″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9⅜″, 9½″, 9⅝″, 9⅞″, 10″, 10⅛″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10⅝″, 10¾″, 10⅞″, 11″, 11⅛″, 11⅜″, 11½″, 11⅝″, 11¾″, 11⅞″, 12⅛″, 12¼″, 12⅜″, 12½″, 12⅝″, 12⅞″, 13″, 13⅛″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13⅝″, 13¾″, 13⅞″, 14″, 14⅛″, 14⅜″, 14½″, 14⅝″, 14¾″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15⅜″, 15½″, 15⅝″, 15⅞″, 16″, 16⅛″, 16¼″, 16⅜″, 16⅝″, 16¾″, 16⅞″, 17″, 17⅛″, 17⅜″, 17½″, 17⅝″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18⅛″, 18¼″, 18⅜″, 18½″, 18⅝″, 18⅞″, 19″, 19⅛″, 19¼″, 19⅜″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 19⅞″, 20″ |
| 7×7 · 7×7 | 7″, 10½″, 14″, 17½″ | 4⅜″, 5¼″, 6⅛″, 7⅞″, 8¾″, 9⅝″, 11⅜″, 12¼″, 13⅛″, 14⅞″, 15¾″, 16⅝″, 18⅜″, 19¼″ | 4″, 4⅛″, 4¼″, 4½″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 4⅞″, 5″, 5⅛″, 5⅜″, 5½″, 5⅝″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6″, 6¼″, 6⅜″, 6½″, 6⅝″, 6¾″, 6⅞″, 7⅛″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7½″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 8″, 8⅛″, 8¼″, 8⅜″, 8½″, 8⅝″, 8⅞″, 9″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9⅜″, 9½″, 9¾″, 9⅞″, 10″, 10⅛″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10⅝″, 10¾″, 10⅞″, 11″, 11⅛″, 11¼″, 11½″, 11⅝″, 11¾″, 11⅞″, 12″, 12⅛″, 12⅜″, 12½″, 12⅝″, 12¾″, 12⅞″, 13″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13½″, 13⅝″, 13¾″, 13⅞″, 14⅛″, 14¼″, 14⅜″, 14½″, 14⅝″, 14¾″, 15″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15⅜″, 15½″, 15⅝″, 15⅞″, 16″, 16⅛″, 16¼″, 16⅜″, 16½″, 16¾″, 16⅞″, 17″, 17⅛″, 17¼″, 17⅜″, 17⅝″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18″, 18⅛″, 18¼″, 18½″, 18⅝″, 18¾″, 18⅞″, 19″, 19⅛″, 19⅜″, 19½″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 19⅞″, 20″ |
| 8×8 · strip | 4″, 8″, 12″, 16″, 20″ | 5″, 6″, 7″, 9″, 10″, 11″, 13″, 14″, 15″, 17″, 18″, 19″ | 4⅛″, 4¼″, 4⅜″, 4½″, 4⅝″, 4¾″, 4⅞″, 5⅛″, 5¼″, 5⅜″, 5½″, 5⅝″, 5¾″, 5⅞″, 6⅛″, 6¼″, 6⅜″, 6½″, 6⅝″, 6¾″, 6⅞″, 7⅛″, 7¼″, 7⅜″, 7½″, 7⅝″, 7¾″, 7⅞″, 8⅛″, 8¼″, 8⅜″, 8½″, 8⅝″, 8¾″, 8⅞″, 9⅛″, 9¼″, 9⅜″, 9½″, 9⅝″, 9¾″, 9⅞″, 10⅛″, 10¼″, 10⅜″, 10½″, 10⅝″, 10¾″, 10⅞″, 11⅛″, 11¼″, 11⅜″, 11½″, 11⅝″, 11¾″, 11⅞″, 12⅛″, 12¼″, 12⅜″, 12½″, 12⅝″, 12¾″, 12⅞″, 13⅛″, 13¼″, 13⅜″, 13½″, 13⅝″, 13¾″, 13⅞″, 14⅛″, 14¼″, 14⅜″, 14½″, 14⅝″, 14¾″, 14⅞″, 15⅛″, 15¼″, 15⅜″, 15½″, 15⅝″, 15¾″, 15⅞″, 16⅛″, 16¼″, 16⅜″, 16½″, 16⅝″, 16¾″, 16⅞″, 17⅛″, 17¼″, 17⅜″, 17½″, 17⅝″, 17¾″, 17⅞″, 18⅛″, 18¼″, 18⅜″, 18½″, 18⅝″, 18¾″, 18⅞″, 19⅛″, 19¼″, 19⅜″, 19½″, 19⅝″, 19¾″, 19⅞″ |
The step is half the grid number, and the reason is what it does to the units: growing the block by half its grid grows every unit by exactly half an inch, so the units stay on sizes a ruler cuts cleanly. Sizes between the steps can sometimes still be cut — anything that keeps each unit on an eighth-inch mark works — but they put the units on the smallest ruler marks, where cutting is fiddliest. The calculator on every block page accepts any size the block can cut and refuses the rest, with the nearest clean sizes offered instead.
The two sizes that catch people out
- A 5-patch block at 12″ would need 2.4″ units, which is not a mark on any ruler. Try 10″ or 12½″ instead — Sister's Choice is the 5-patch block on this site.
- A 7-patch block at 12″ would need 1.714…″ units, which is not a mark on any ruler. Try 10½″ or 14″ instead — Bear's Paw is the 7-patch block on this site.
Every block, by grid family
1×1
2×2
3×3
4×1
4×4
5×5
7×7
strip
More from Quilt Block Atlas
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- Flying geese calculator Compare no-waste and stitch-and-flip flying-geese cuts.
- Quilt top size calculator Lay out blocks, sashing, and borders.
- Why is my quilt block the wrong size? Diagnose seams, printing, sizing, or an uncuttable target.
- Quilt block glossary Look up the measurement and unit words used here.
Common questions
What sizes do quilt blocks come in?
Any size the block's grid divides cleanly — there is no fixed list. The table above gives each grid's sizes; most blocks on this site cut cleanly at 12 inches, and the ones that do are collected on free quilt block patterns 12 inch.
How do I resize a block pattern to a different size?
Never scale the cut sizes — recompute them from the new finished size. Check the new size divides cleanly for the block's grid, then read the cut sizes off the block's own chart, or use the quilt block grid calculator for any grid and size.
Why doesn't doubling the measurements work?
Because the seam allowance in every cut measurement is fixed — it does not grow with the block. Double a cut size and you double its seam allowance with it, so every piece comes out oversize and the finished block lands bigger than you asked for. Recompute from the finished size instead; that is the one thing every chart on this site does for you.
Which sizes can't be cut accurately?
Any size that puts a unit between the marks on your ruler. The two that catch people out are above: a 5-patch and a 7-patch block both refuse 12 inches, because a fifth or a seventh of twelve never lands on an eighth-inch mark. When a size cannot be cut, the calculator says so and offers the nearest sizes that can.