How to make The Nebraska State Quilt Block – Journey of US State Quilt Blocks #17

This post is going to show you how to make the Nebraska State Quilt block with free templates and cutting directions.

Welcome to the 17th block in our Any Way You Want It – A 50 State Quilt Block Journey. We are introducing the Nebraksa quilt block! To see our other State blocks (click here – State Quilt Block Journey)

In 1912 Hearth and Home solicited quilters to submit a quilt block that they thought represented their State, and they then published them and I am recreating these blocks for us to make!

The Nebraska State Quilt block is beautiful and looks difficult. I wouldn’t say it is difficult, but there is a lot to do in this block! It is a skill builder in itself.

The inspiration for the colors of my block are from the State Flower – The Goldenrod. The colors of this flower and leaves lend themselves beautifully to this block.

Below I will show you how to put this block together and I have created a video tutorial for this block also. The video will show you how I assemble the smaller block and then the sections of the block to then put them all together to become the single 12 1/2″ square block.

How to make the Nebraska State Quilt block with free templates and cutting directions

Go grab the cutting directions and templates for this block below and let’s get started! The pattern includes cutting the templates and instructions on cutting the strips for your templates.

To Begin With

I have created a video on how to put this block together. This block isn’t difficult, there is just a lot to do and it takes some time. I chose my colors from my own stash of batiks because I am in two Batik of the Month clubs and I have a lot of Fat Quarters to choose from!

Tips for this block before we start

A 1/4 seam is used on this block, a quarter inch sewing foot works great for this!
Cut your pieces with the grain of the fabric. This will help prevent stretching the fabrics when sewing. We want the fabrics to keep their shape.
Use the rotary cutting instructions and the templates and replace your colors so you know which pieces to cut from each color. You DON’T need the templates to complete this block though.
I would suggest the templates to cut the notches out of all our your triangle pieces, the rotary cutting instructions will show you how to cut all of the pieces.
Cut your pieces by the color of the fabric.
Follow my instructions for ironing the seams and you will have all nested seams when you match up your blocks.

Step 1 -Choose Your Fabrics and Cut your Templates

The rotary cutter instructions that you have downloaded tell you how wide to cut your strips and to cut your triangles. If you don’t have a printer, you can use just the rotary cutter instructions, the templates are not needed.

I would suggest cutting your templates by color. It will help to keep your pieces together, and keep track of what pieces you have cut.

Step 2 – Assemble the small blocks within this block!

Now that we have all the pieces cut, we will put the pieces together to make the smaller blocks within this block.

Block #1 – Half square triangles

Assemble your Template A triangles and we will make 20 of these. Line up a triangle from each color along the long edges and sew 1/4″ seam and iron towards the dark color. You will have a 2″ square from these triangles. Set aside these 20 pieces for now.

Block #2 – Small stripe block

Grab the template D from each color. You should have 16 of the light color and 8 of the dark color. Line up 3 strips (2 light and 1 dark) on the long edges. Sandwich the dark between the two light colors. Sew the strips together and iron towards the dark strip. Your small block will be 2″ square.

Block #3 – Large stripe block

Grab the template E from all three colors. You should have 4 of each color that are 3 1/2″ x 1″ strips. Line up the three strips with the light and dark on the outside, and the medium color on the inside. Sew the strips together and iron towards the middle strip. Your block will be 3 1/2″ long x 2″ high.

Block #4 – Flying Geese block

Grab the template A’s that are left and the G templates. You should have at least 8 template A left and 4 template G. Line up the long edge of A to one of the short edges of G and sew at 1/4″ seam, and iron towards the small triangle. Repeat for the other triangle on the other side. Your block will be 3 1/2″ long x 2″ high.

Block #5 – Nine Patch Square

Grab templates C! This block will probably take you the longest to do, but you can do it! Line up the template colors according the pattern. There will be 5 dark and 4 light in each block. Sew the blocks in each row together and iron the outside rows towards the outside block, and the inside row will be ironed toward the inside block. Your block will be 2″ square.

Next we will put the rows together. Nest the seams to get perfect points and iron the rows towards the outside rows.

Step 3 – Lets assemble the larger pieces

At this point we are going to assemble the outside corner units, and the inner flying geese units. See below for reference of which blocks we will be assembling.

Unit #1 – Flying Geese Unit (Center block)

Grab the flying geese block and the template B. Line up template B along the top of the flying geese (where the point is) and sew at 1/4″, iron towards template B.

Grab the longer stripe block we did previously (3 1/2″ x 2″ block) and line that up on the bottom of the flying geese unit with the light color stripe next to the flying geese. Sew at 1/4″ and iron toward the striped block.

Your seams in the flying geese unit will both be ironed toward the outside blocks. Repeat for the other 3 flying geese units.

Unit #2 – Corner Unit

Grab the half square triangle blocks, the small strip blocks (2″ sq) and the 9 patch block.

We are going to be creating a nine patch unit with all these blocks. Use the pattern to see how to layout this unit. All 4 units can be put together in exactly the same way.

Now that you have your blocks laid out, we can start assembling the rows. The rows will be put together with a 1/4″ seam and the outside rows will be ironed towards the inner block, and the inside row will be ironed towards the outside block.

Once the rows are done, we will put the rows together to create the corner unit. Nest all seams on the rows as you put them together, and sew at a 1/4″ seam and iron the rows towards the center row.

Step 4 – Finish the Block!

We should now have 4 corner units, 4 center units and the middle square (template F).

Place your template F down and put the 4 corner units on all for sides with the stripe block towards template F. Please your corner units in the corners with the half square triangles pointing towards the inside of the block.

Sew your two of your center blocks to template F on opposite sides with a 1/4″ seam and iron towards the stripe blocks.

Sew your corners onto your center units, nesting all seams, sew at 1/4″ seam and iron towards the center unit.

We will now have 3 rows ready to assemble to finish the block! Place your outer row onto the center row, nesting all seams, sew at 1/4″ and iron in whatever direction your heart desires!! You finally get to choose which way to iron the seams. Repeat for the final row.

Iron your block flat, and make sure it is 12 1/2″ square and trim if necessary.

Step 5 – Your block is complete!

Congratulations! Your Nebraska State Block is now complete! Share your newly created block with your friends on Social Media! Use the #NebraskaQuiltBlockCC and see what other people are making!