Cups and Saucers Variation Quilt Block Tutorial: Easy, Versatile, and Perfect for Any Quilt!

I have done another tutorial for a block also called "Cups and Saucers". It is scrappy and the corner unit "cups" are turned around. It is a bit harder to sew together too.

 

• Using the Light/White 5" squares, the Blue Print 5" square, and the Pink Print 5" square, sew together four Half Square Triangle units like the ones shown in the picture below.
• Press the seam allowances of two the HSTs toward the White fabric (in my case the White/Blue HST).
• Press the seam allowances of the other two HSTs (in my case the White/Pink units) away from the White fabric.
• You can find my tutorial for making HST units at https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-a-basic-half-square-triangle-block

The Diagonal Stripe units are made in the same manner as a Flying Geese unit except that opposite corners are used instead of adjacent corners.

Using two Pink Print 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, and four Light/White 2.5" squares sew together two Diagonal Stripe units. In the picture below you can see the first two steps.

Note the orientation of the diagonal line. This is important!

• Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of the Light/White 2.5" squares.
• Sew a Light/White 2.5" square to the Pink Print rectangle along the marked line (top image). Note the orientation of the marked line. This is "snowballing" the upper left corner of the rectangle.
• Match the corners of the White square and press (second image).

Here are the next two steps:

• Open the small square up and trim the seam allowance (third image).
• Refold (bottom image).

Step 4:

Repeat Steps 2 through 3 on the opposite corner (lower right corner) of the Pink Print rectangle as shown in the picture below. Repeat for a total of two units.

Step 5:

Repeat Steps 2 - 4 on the remaining two Pink Print rectangles on the lower left and upper right corners. You will wind up with Pink Diagonal Stripe units that are mirror images of each other.

Step 6:

Repeat Steps 2 through 5 only using the Blue Print rectangles in place of the Pink Print rectangles. 

Corner Units:

Step 7:

Layout a Light/White 2.5" square, two opposing Pink Diagonal Stripe units, and a White/Pink Half Square Triangle unit as shown in the picture below.

Step 8:

Sew the units into two rows (left image) and press the seam allowances toward the Diagonal Stripe units (right image) as shown.

Step 9:

Sew the two rows together and press the seam allowance. As you can see in the picture below, I've used the tweak/twirl/furl method of pressing. Repeat for a total of two Pink Corner units.

Step 10:

Repeat Steps 7 through 9 only using the Blue Print units.

Putting It All Together:

Step 11:

Layout the four Corner units as shown in the picture below. 

Step 12:

Sew the units into two rows as shown.

Step 13:

Press the seam allowances in opposite directions so that the seams will nest nicely when sewn together.

Step 14:

Sew the two rows together to complete the block.

Step 15:

Press the seam allowances. Once again, I've used the tweak/twirl/furl method of pressing.

Layout Ideas:

This is an example of the basic 4 x 4 layout using colors similar to the tutorial.

And this is the same layout as above only with sashing and cornerstones added. I also rotated every other block 90 degrees.

This is what a two-color (light and dark) block could look like in 4 x 4 layout.

And here is what a scrappy version could look like.

This version uses a chain block in complimentary colors to create an interesting design. I think this one is my favorite.

This is an on-point layout using the same alternating block as above that also extends into the setting triangles.

This scrappy on-point version extends the blocks into the setting triangles.

And finally, this on-point layout uses a scrappy block with dark sashing and cornerstones and the background fabric is used for the setting triangles.

Conclusion: