Free Pattern - Interlocking O's Quilt Block

Today we're going to sew together this modern-looking traditional quilt block called Interlocking O's. The pattern is attributed to Doris Dace but I couldn't find any more information about it other than that. Let's get to it!

Fabric Requirements for a 16" Traditional Interlocking O's Quilt Block:

• Light/Yellow: 4 - 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles
• Medium/Blue: 4 - 2.5" squares, 2 - 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, 4 - 2.5" x 6.5" rectangles, and 2 - 2.5" x 8.5" rectangles
• Dark/Black: 4 - 2.5" squares, 2 - 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, 4 - 2.5" x 6.5" rectangles, and 2 - 2.5" x 8.5" rectangles

Sewing Directions:

Step 1:

Sew together a Light/Yellow 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles and a Medium/Blue 2.5" square and press the seam allowance toward the Medium/Blue fabric as shown in the picture below. Repeat to make 2 of these Step 1 units. If you are making a lot of these blocks, this step could be done with the strip-piecing method.

Step 2:

Repeat Step 1 using the Medium/Blue 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles and the Dark/Black 2.5" squares.

Step 3:

Sew together one Step 1 unit and one Step 2 unit as shown in the picture below. 

Press the seam allowance away from the Light/Yellow fabric as shown below. Repeat Step 3 for a total of two units.

Step 4:

Sew a Dark/Black 2.5" x 6.5" rectangle to both long sides of the Step 3 unit as shown in the picture below.

And press the seam allowances toward the Dark/Black fabric as shown below. Repeat Step 4 for a total of two units.

Step 5:

Sew a Dark/Black 2.5" x 8.5" rectangle to side of the Step 4 unit with the Medium/Blue fabric as shown in the picture below and press the seam allowance toward the center of the unit. (Forgot to take a picture of the back of this unit so you could see the pressing direction - sorry!) Repeat for a total of two units.

Step 6:

Repeat Steps 1 through 5 using the Light/Yellow 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles and Dark/Black 2.5" squares;

The Dark/Black 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles and the Medium/Blue 2.5" squares;

Sew together;

Add the Medium/Blue 2.5" x 6.5" rectangles; and

The Medium/Blue 2.5" x 8.5" rectangle.

Putting It All Together:

Step 7:

Lay out the four Step 6 units as shown in the picture below.

Step 8:

Now you can sew the units together like a simple Four Patch block. First sew the units into two rows as shown in the picture below.

Step 9:

And press the seam allowances in opposite directions as you can see in the picture below.

Step 10:

Sew the two rows together and you are done!

Step 11:

Press the seam allowance. I used the tweak/twirl/furl method as you can see in the picture below.

In Conclusion:

While this Interlocking O's quilt block is very easy to stitch, I got totally confused with the color placement! I highly recommend laying out all the pieces to make sure they are in the right spot. I think this is a great block for a guy's quilt or baby quilt. I used 2.5" strips and so the block turned out 16" square (finished) or 16.5" square (unfinished). If you wanted a smaller block, I would try using 2" strips and that would make a 12" block - just adjust the length of the rectangles accordingly.

So what do you think of this block? If you give it a try, I'd love to see a picture of it!

If you like this tutorial and want to see more, simply click HERE to sign up for my newsletter and get a free PDF quilt pattern called "Chained Weathervane".

Until next time,

Happy Quilting!

Elaine