How to Sew the Lost and Found Quilt Block - a 12" Diamond Frame Design Using Classic Components

By: Elaine Huff

Learn how to make the stunning Lost and Found quilt block with this step-by-step tutorial! This striking 12" block is perfect for confident beginners and experienced quilters alike, combining three classic units - half square triangles (HSTs), flying geese, and square-in-a-square - to create a bold, graphic diamond frame design.

 Whether you're building your piecing skills or adding a new favorite to your block library, the Lost and Found block delivers maximum visual impact with approachable construction. Grab your fabric and let's get started!

lost and found quilt block

Fabric Requirements for a 12" Finished Lost and Found Quilt Block:

  • Light/White: 1 - 4.5" square, 2 - 3" squares, and 16 - 2.5" squares
  • Medium/Blue: 4 - 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles
  • Medium/Purple: 2 - 3" squares, and 4 - 2.5" squares
  • Dark/Blue: 4 - 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, and 12 - 2.5" squares
lost and found fabric requirements

Sewing Directions:

Square in a Square Unit:

Step 1:

Using the Light/White 4.5" square and the four Medium/Purple 2.5" squares, "snowball" the corners of the Light/White square to create a Square in a Square unit. You can find my detailed tutorial for making a basic Square in a Square block at https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-a-basic-square-in-a-square-block
 
lost and found 1

Half Square Triangle Units:

Step 2:

Using a Light/White 3" square and a Medium/Purple 3" square, make Half Square Triangle (HST) units as shown in the picture below. 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
 
lost and found 2

Corner Units:

Step 3:

  • Lay out one of the Step 2 units, 2 Light/White 2.5" squares, and a Dark/Blue 2.5" square as shown below and sew the units into two rows (top left image).
  • Press the seam allowances toward the Light/White squares (top right image).
  • Sew the two rows together (bottom left image)
  • Press the seam allowance. As you can see in the bottom right image, I pressed the seam allowance using the tweak/twirl/furl method. However, when I got to the final seams of the block I realized I should have pressed the seam allowance toward the top row (the row with the HST unit). 
lost and found 3
This is how the final seam allowance should be pressed.
 
lost and found 3 b

Step 4:

Repeat Step 3 for a total of four units.

lost and found 4

Flying Geese Units:

Step 5:

Using eight Dark/Blue 2.5" squares and four Medium/Blue 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles, sew together four Flying Geese units. For a detailed tutorial of my no-trim method for making perfect Flying Geese blocks check out https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/how-to-sew-a-basic-flying-geese-block. The picture below shows the first steps.

  • Mark a diagonal line from corner to corner on the back of the Dark/Blue 2.5" squares.
  • Sew a Dark/Blue 2.5" square to a Medium/Blue rectangle along the marked line (top image). Note the orientation of the marked line. 
  • Match the corners of the Dark/Blue square and press (second image). 
  • Open the square up and trim the seam allowance (third image). 
  • Refold (bottom image).

Step 6:

Repeat Step 5 on the adjacent corner as shown in the picture below.
 
lost and found 6

Step 7:

Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for a total of four Dark Blue/Medium Blue Flying Geese units like the ones in the picture below.
 
lost and found 7

Step 8:

Repeat Steps 5 through 7 only using eight Light/White 2.5" squares and four Dark/Blue 2.5" x 4.5" rectangles.
 
lost and found 8
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Middle Units:

Step 9:

Lay out a Step 7 and a Step 8 Flying Geese unit as shown below.
 
lost and found 9

Step 10:

Sew the two units together and press the seam allowance toward the Step 7 unit as shown. 
 
lost and found 10

Step 11:

Repeat Steps 9 and 10 for a total of four Middle units.
 
lost and found 11

Putting It All Together:

Step 12:

Lay out the Corner units, the Middle units, and the center Square in a Square unit as shown in the picture below.
 
lost and found 12

Step 13:

Sew the units into three rows as shown below. 
 
lost and found 13

Step 14:

Press the seam allowances toward the Middle units as shown in the picture below.
 
lost and found 14

Step 15:

Sew the three rows together to complete the block.
 
lost and found 15

Step 16:

Press the seam allowances toward the center of the block as shown. All done!
 
lost and found 16

Layout Ideas:

Here is the basic 4 x 4 layout using colors similar to the tutorial. This makes a nice secondary design.
 
quilt 1
And this example is the same layout as above but with narrow (1") sashing and cornerstones added.
 
quilt 2
This is an alternating layout where every other block is a star block. 
 
quilt 3
This design uses a Snowball block for an alternating block.
 
quilt 4
Here is an on-point, alternating design that uses a large Hourglass block for the alternate block that also extends into the setting triangles.
 
quilt 5
Another alternating, on-point layout using a chain block for the alternate block.
 
quilt 6
This on-point design has narrow sashing and cornerstones in a complementary color that is also used in the setting triangles.
 
quilt 7

Conclusion:

This is a cute block that is fairly easy to sew together - basically just HSTs and snowballed squares/rectangles. I also like how it comes together in a quilt.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you like it and want to see more, just click HERE to sign up for my newsletter and receive a free PDF quilt pattern called "Chained Weathervane".

Happy Quilting!

Elaine

P.S. Looking for some star blocks? Take a look at these tutorials: https://fabric406.com/blogs/fabric406-blog/tagged/eight-pointed-star-blocks

P.P.S. Check out my Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/fabric406