Hello, fellow quilters! Have you ever looked at a beautiful quilt with the blocks turned like diamonds and thought, “I could never do that”? That stunning design is called setting blocks on point, and I’m here to let you in on a little secret: it’s not as hard as it looks.
For years, I’ve helped quilters in my shop get over their fear of the math and cutting involved. The truth is, once you understand the “why” behind the steps, the “how” becomes easy. You don’t need to be a math genius. You just need a clear guide.
This article is that guide. We are going to walk through exactly how to set blocks on point, step-by-step. We’ll make the math simple, the cutting clear, and the sewing a breeze. Get ready to unlock a whole new look for your quilts!
What Does “On Point” Mean in Quilting?
First, let’s make sure we’re on the same page. Setting a quilt block “on point” simply means you turn a square block 45 degrees. It rests on its point, like a diamond, instead of sitting flat on its side.
This creates a beautiful diagonal pattern across your quilt. But when you turn all those squares, you get empty, triangle-shaped spaces along the sides and at the corners. To fill those gaps and make our quilt a nice rectangle again, we use special triangles. These are called setting triangles for quilts. There are two kinds you’ll need:
- Side Setting Triangles: These fill in the main sides of the quilt.
- Corner Setting Triangles: These are the four smaller triangles that finish off the corners.
Cutting these triangles to the right size is the part that worries most people. But we’re about to make that part easy.
The “Scary” Math Made Simple
This is where many quilters put their pattern away. But don’t you worry. We’ll use simple formulas to get the perfect size for our triangles every time. The most important thing to know first is the finished size of your quilt blocks. That’s the size of the block after all the seams are sewn. If your block pattern says it’s an 8.5-inch block, its finished size is 8 inches.
For our examples, let’s pretend our finished blocks are 7.5 inches.
How to Cut Your Side Setting Triangles
The side setting triangles fill in the long, straight edges of your on point quilt layout. To make them, you first cut a large square and then cut that square into four smaller triangles. Here is how to figure out how big that large square needs to be.
| What to Do | The Math | Our Example (7.5″ Block) |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Take your finished block size and multiply by 1.414. | 7.5 x 1.414 = 10.6 |
| Step 2 | Add 1.25 inches for the seam allowances. | 10.6 + 1.25 = 11.85 |
| Step 3 | Round up to the next whole or half-inch number. | 11.85 rounds up to 12 inches |
So, for our project, we need to cut one big 12-inch square to get our four side setting triangles. Once you cut your large square, you will carefully cut it twice diagonally, from corner to corner, to create four triangles. The long side of these triangles will be on the straight grain of the fabric, which keeps your quilt edges from stretching out of shape.
How to Cut Your Corner Setting Triangles
Next, you need four corner triangles. These are smaller and finish the four corners of your quilt. The on point quilt math for these is a little different. For these, you will cut two smaller squares and then cut each one in half diagonally just once.
| What to Do | The Math | Our Example (7.5″ Block) |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Take your finished block size and divide by 1.414. | 7.5 / 1.414 = 5.3 |
| Step 2 | Add 0.875 inches (or 7/8″) for the seam allowances. | 5.3 + 0.875 = 6.175 |
| Step 3 | Round up to the next whole or half-inch number. | 6.175 rounds up to 6.5 inches |
So, we need to cut two 6.5-inch squares. Then, cut each square in half one time on the diagonal. This will give you the four corner triangles you need for your quilt.
Putting It All Together: Sewing Your Quilt
Now that you have all your pieces cut, the fun begins! This is where you see your beautiful on point quilt come to life.
Step 1: Lay Out Your Quilt
Before you sew a single stitch, lay all your pieces on a large table or the floor. Arrange your blocks, side triangles, and corner triangles exactly how they will look in the finished quilt. This helps you see how everything fits.
You will see that the quilt is made of diagonal rows. This is how we will sew it together: one sewing diagonal quilt row at a time.
Step 2: Sew the Rows Together
Start with your first diagonal row. This will likely be a corner triangle and a side triangle, or a corner triangle and a block. Place the pieces right sides together.
When sewing a triangle to a square block, line up the 90-degree corners of the triangle and the block. The pointy tip of the triangle will stick out past the block. That is correct! It’s supposed to look like that.
Carefully sew your quarter-inch seam. Continue this process for all your diagonal rows.
Step 3: Press and Join the Rows
Once all your diagonal rows are sewn, it’s time to press them. A good tip is to press the seams toward the main blocks. This helps the seams “nest” together later and gives you perfectly matched points.
Now, take your first two rows and place them right sides together. You will feel the seams from the blocks lock into each other. Pin them well to keep anything from shifting.
When you sew, start your stitch right in the little “V” where the triangles meet. Sew all the way across the row to the “V” on the other side. This ensures your points stay sharp. Repeat this to join all your rows.
FAQs
What is a setting block in quilting?
A setting block is a plain piece of fabric. It is used to separate your main quilt blocks. This creates space in your quilt’s design. Setting triangles are used for on-point quilts.
How to put together an on-point quilt?
First, you lay out your blocks like diamonds. Then you add triangles to the sides and corners. You sew everything together in diagonal rows. Finally, you sew the rows to each other.
What does set on point mean in quilting?
Set on point means to turn your square blocks. You turn them so they rest on their points. This makes them look like diamonds. It creates a beautiful diagonal look in your quilt.
What is the formula for setting triangles in quilting?
There are two main formulas. You use them to find the right size to cut. The article above explains them very simply. One is for side triangles and one is for corner triangles.
What is the method of block setting?
Block setting is how you arrange your blocks. A straight set uses simple rows and columns. An on-point set turns the blocks diagonally. The method you choose creates the final pattern.
Your Perfect On Point Quilt Top
And just like that, you’ve done it! Stand back and admire your work. You have a beautiful quilt top with perfectly set on point blocks.
Remember how the triangle tips stuck out? That extra bit of fabric is what gives you a quarter-inch seam allowance for adding your borders. Without it, you would cut the points right off your beautiful blocks. By following these steps, you’ve created a professional-looking quilt top.
You now know how to set blocks on point. You’ve faced the math and won. This skill opens up a whole new world of quilting patterns for you to try.
We would love to see what you create with this technique! Do you have a pattern in mind? Let us know in the comments below