So I saw this gorgeous quilt on Flickr, then read about it on filminthefridge‘s blog, then showed a friend, then HAD to write up instructions on the quilt. It has several names because I’m calling the quilt Criss Cross, filminthefridge is calling it Windmill Whimsy, and the “official” name of the block is Mosaic #10 (at least, that’s what EQ6 and Barbara Brackman’s BlockBase call it).

It works well scrappy or planned (or somewhere in between), and it can go light, dark, bright, pastel, batik, repro… basically anything you like. Here are some examples (thank you, EQ6):

This is such a simple block – it’s great for beginners because it’s a large block, and it’s a good introduction to half square triangles. You can adjust the size of the quilt simply by adjusting the size of the half square triangles.

The instructions I wrote are for a planned scrappy quilt, using a large assortment of colored fabrics and a single background fabric. I like to cut larger than necessary squares for half square triangle units, then trim the finished HST units to the correct size. It takes a little longer, but it’s more accurate and the block goes together easier. If you’re doing a more planned quilt, you could try half square triangle papers (Triangle Papers, Thangles, or Triangles on a Roll). Here’s a PDF of my instructions:

It includes yardage and cutting info for four sizes – a large throw, full, queen and king. It’s a single sheet, pretty straightforward. If anyone makes the quilt, I’d love to see photos!