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American Patchwork & Quilting

Coffee Time Quilt Block: Make the 6-Inch Coffee Cup Block

Learn how to piece the 6-inch Coffee Time Quilt Block: gather tan and blue scraps, build the handle, create the diagonal-corner saucer, check unit measurements, and distinguish this small block from Riley Blake’s larger panel quilt.

By ThatPainter Team Updated 7 min read
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The Coffee Time Quilt Block is a 6-inch traditional pieced coffee-cup motif made from light tan and blue print scraps. It includes a handle and saucer and is sized for samplers, mug rugs, table runners, and kitchen wall hangings. The key to a clean result is accurate small-piece cutting, a consistent 1/4-inch seam allowance, and checking each unit before final assembly.

The Coffee Time Quilt Block is a compact, traditionally pieced coffee-cup motif that finishes at 6 inches square. Published by American Patchwork & Quilting through AllPeopleQuilt on January 16, 2014, the free project uses light tan and blue print scraps to make a cup, handle, and saucer. It works well in a coffee-themed sampler, mug rug, table runner, kitchen wall hanging, or other small composition.

This is a single quilt-block project, not a complete quilt pattern. The original instructions provide the cutting list; use that list for the exact number and sizes of pieces before cutting. The construction sequence below explains how the units fit together and highlights the measurements that should be checked during assembly.

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Materials for the Coffee Time block

  • Light tan print scraps: for the cup, handle, and saucer-corner pieces.
  • Blue print scraps: for the cup, handle unit, and saucer strip.
  • Basic piecing thread and a sewing machine or preferred piecing method.
  • Rotary cutter, self-healing mat, and quilting ruler for the small rectangles and squares.
  • Fabric-marking pencil or pen for the diagonal sewing lines on the saucer pieces.
  • An accurate way to maintain a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

The most natural fabric-shopping phrase for this project is quilting cotton fabric scraps. A small bundle can be practical when you do not already have both color groups on hand, but check the contents: the pattern calls for light tan and blue prints, and not every scrap bundle will contain a suitable combination. The block is small, so coordinated leftovers are usually more useful than purchasing large cuts specifically for one block.

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Cutting overview

Follow the original Coffee Time Quilt Block cutting list for the complete inventory. It includes several small rectangles and squares, including 1-1/2-inch squares for the saucer corners and narrow rectangles used to build the handle. Because the finished block is only 6 inches square, accurate cutting matters more than fabric quantity.

Do not confuse a finished measurement with a cutting measurement. The source gives some intermediate unit sizes including seam allowances:

Unit Target measurement Measurement status
Completed block 6 inches square Finished size
Pieced cup unit 6-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches Includes seam allowances
Saucer unit 1-1/2 by 6-1/2 inches Includes seam allowances
Handle unit, before attachment 1-3/4 by 4-1/2 inches Includes seam allowances

For clean results, label the cut pieces by unit before sewing. Small pieces can be easy to rotate or mix up, especially when the prints have directional motifs.

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How to piece the Coffee Time Quilt Block

1. Build the handle unit

Join the narrow light tan and blue rectangles specified in the cutting list to form the handle unit. Press as directed by your preferred pressing method, keeping the unit flat and square.

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Before attaching the handle to the cup, measure it. The handle unit should be 1-3/4 by 4-1/2 inches including seam allowances. If it is off substantially, check the seam allowance and pressing before continuing. Correcting the unit now is easier than trying to compensate after it has been sewn into the cup.

2. Assemble the cup

Combine the handle unit with the main blue cup rectangle and the light tan border strips. The handle becomes the recognizable loop at the side of the cup, while the tan strips frame the blue cup area.

Work carefully at the handle connection. Match the edges and seam intersections rather than stretching the narrow unit into place. When this assembly is complete, the pieced cup unit should measure 6-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches including seam allowances.

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3. Make the saucer with diagonal corner seams

The saucer uses a simple corner-triangle technique:

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  1. Take the two light tan squares listed for the saucer corners.
  2. Mark a diagonal sewing line on the wrong side of each square.
  3. Place the marked squares on opposite ends of the blue saucer strip, with the marked lines positioned for the corner construction shown in the original instructions.
  4. Sew directly on the marked diagonal lines.
  5. Trim the excess seam allowance to 1/4 inch.
  6. Press the resulting tan triangles open.

A quilting ruler and quilting cutting tools are useful here, particularly for making accurate small cuts and checking the trimmed seam allowance. The marking tool is equally important: a visible, fine diagonal line helps keep the corner seams straight without adding bulk.

After pressing, check the saucer unit. It should measure 1-1/2 by 6-1/2 inches including seam allowances. If the unit is too short or too long, verify that the corner squares were positioned on opposite ends and that the diagonal seams were sewn accurately.

4. Join the cup and saucer

Place the saucer unit along the bottom of the pieced cup unit. Align the edges and seam intersections, then sew the units together with a consistent 1/4-inch seam allowance.

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At the final assembly stage, press the seam allowance toward the saucer unit, as specified by the source instructions. Give the block a final measurement check: it should finish at 6 inches square after the assembly seams are complete.

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Accuracy checks for a small block

  • Check the handle first: 1-3/4 by 4-1/2 inches including seam allowances.
  • Check the cup unit: 6-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches including seam allowances.
  • Check the saucer: 1-1/2 by 6-1/2 inches including seam allowances.
  • Trim corner seams to 1/4 inch before pressing them open.
  • Press without distorting: lift and press rather than dragging the iron across small bias-edged pieces.
  • Measure before joining: minor errors are easier to correct at the unit stage.

The source does not assign a difficulty rating or claim that the block has been independently tested for beginner use. It is best described as a small traditional piecing exercise with narrow pieces and diagonal corner seams. A confident beginner may find the techniques familiar, but careful cutting and seam control are still important.

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What can you make with one or more blocks?

Because the block finishes at only 6 inches square, it is especially useful as a component in a larger design rather than as a stand-alone quilt. Possible applications include:

  • a coffee-themed sampler quilt;
  • a mug rug or small table mat;
  • a kitchen wall hanging;
  • a table runner with alternating plain or coordinating blocks;
  • a small gift project for a coffee enthusiast; or
  • a mixed collection of cup, mug, coffee-pot, or café-themed blocks.

The original project does not prescribe a complete quilt layout, yardage, or finishing plan. If you are planning multiple blocks, make one sample first so you can decide how much spacing, sashing, or background fabric you want before calculating yardage.

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Do not confuse it with the Riley Blake Coffee Time Panel Quilt

There is another project with a very similar name: Riley Blake Designs’ Coffee Time panel quilt. It is a separate, much larger project that finishes at 46 by 55 inches. Rather than piecing this 6-inch cup block, it is built around a large coffee-themed panel with coordinating brown coffee-bean, swirl, and plaid fabrics.

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The Riley Blake instructions use a panel cut measuring 33-1/2 by 42-1/2 inches, along with additional fabric and batting. They also advise checking the actual panel size before cutting; coping strips may be needed if the panel motif does not reach the specified cut size. Fat Quarter Shop distributes that related project as a free PDF pattern and also lists the 46-by-55-inch finished dimensions. It should not be treated as the source or cutting plan for the American Patchwork & Quilting block.

Bottom line

The Coffee Time Quilt Block is a 6-inch traditional pieced coffee cup made from light tan and blue print scraps. Its key construction points are the narrow pieced handle, the saucer’s marked diagonal corner seams, the 1/4-inch trimming step, and the intermediate measurements that include seam allowances. Use the original cutting list for the exact pieces, measure each unit before assembly, and treat the block as a building piece for a sampler or small coffee-themed project—not as the larger Riley Blake panel quilt.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size is the finished Coffee Time Quilt Block?

The Coffee Time Quilt Block finishes at 6 inches square. Its pieced cup unit measures 6-1/2 by 5-1/2 inches including seam allowances, and the saucer unit measures 1-1/2 by 6-1/2 inches including seam allowances.

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Is Coffee Time Quilt Block a foundation-paper-pieced pattern?

No. The American Patchwork & Quilting project is a traditionally pieced 6-inch block made from rectangles and squares. Its instructions do not describe foundation-paper piecing.

What can I make with the Coffee Time block?

It can be used in a coffee-themed sampler, mug rug, kitchen wall hanging, table runner, or other small project. The source does not provide a complete quilt layout or yardage.

Is this the same as the Riley Blake Coffee Time Panel Quilt?

No. Riley Blake Designs’ Coffee Time Panel Quilt is a separate project that finishes at 46 by 55 inches and uses a large coffee-themed panel with coordinating fabrics.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line: The Coffee Time Quilt Block is a 6-inch traditional pieced coffee cup made from light tan and blue print scraps. Build the handle first, construct the saucer with marked diagonal corner seams, trim those seams to 1/4 inch, and verify the intermediate measurements before joining the units. It is suited to samplers, mug rugs, runners, and wall hangings; it is not the same project as Riley Blake Designs’ 46-by-55-inch Coffee Time Panel Quilt.

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