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“Double X” refers to more than one quilt-block design, so check the construction before cutting fabric. This guide distinguishes the four-patch-within-a-four-patch version from American Patchwork & Quilting’s 9-inch triangle-unit pattern, then gives the cutting and assembly details for the latter.
Which Double X block do you mean?
The name is not a guarantee of a single layout. Scissortail Quilting documents two versions: Version 1, whose X shapes its author says are not obvious, and Version 2, a four-patch within a four-patch made from squares and half-square triangles. American Patchwork & Quilting publishes another clearly specified pattern: a 9-inch finished block assembled from paired triangles in a nine-patch-style arrangement. These constructions are not interchangeable.
| Pattern | Construction | Size or setting information |
|---|---|---|
| American Patchwork & Quilting | Triangle units arranged in rows | Finishes at 9 inches square |
| Scissortail Quilting, Version 1 | Its own distinct layout | Straight-setting blocks create a secondary pattern; finished size not stated on the cited page |
| Scissortail Quilting, Version 2 | Four-patch within a four-patch, using squares and half-square triangles | Alternating blocks can suggest a star within a star; on-point setting emphasizes the double-X reading; finished size not stated on the cited page |
If you are following a pattern, use that pattern’s diagram and cutting chart throughout. The instructions below are only for the American Patchwork & Quilting 9-inch version.
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Materials and cutting for the 9-inch version
The American Patchwork & Quilting pattern uses white, blue-print, and red-print fabric. Scraps are suitable if you have enough fabric for the required cuts; a particular fabric brand is not specified.
- 3 white squares, each 3⅞ inches
- 3 blue-print squares, each 3⅞ inches
- 3 red-print squares, each 3⅞ inches
Cut each square diagonally once to create two triangles. The pattern pairs the resulting triangles into nine units: three white-and-blue, three blue-and-red, and three white-and-red.
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How to assemble the block
- Make the triangle units. Pair the triangles into the three color combinations specified above and sew each pair together. Press the seam allowances toward the print in the first units, following the pattern directions.
- Arrange the units in three rows. Use the American Patchwork & Quilting layout diagrams for the exact orientation of each color pair. Triangle placement determines the design, so a text-only description is not a safe substitute for the diagrams.
- Sew the rows. Join the units across each row, keeping the arrangement intact.
- Join the rows. Alternate the row seam directions as the pattern instructs, then sew the rows together to complete the block.
See the original diagrams and full instructions in American Patchwork & Quilting’s Double X Quilt Block pattern (published December 12, 2013). The diagrams are especially important for confirming triangle orientation.
How setting changes the overall design
How blocks meet at their edges affects the secondary pattern across a quilt top. Scissortail Quilting notes that straight-setting its Version 1 produces a secondary pattern. With Version 2, alternating blocks can create a star-within-a-star effect, while setting the blocks on point makes the double-X appearance clearer. These observations apply to the cited Scissortail versions, not automatically to every pattern called Double X.
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High-contrast fabrics can make the shapes easier to read, as recommended in TeresaDownUnder’s tutorial. That is a visual suggestion, not a construction requirement; the documented 9-inch pattern calls for three fabric colors but does not require a particular contrast level.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about the name?
The available records do not establish a definitive origin for “Double X.” Scissortail Quilting says the Xs are not apparent to its author in Version 1 and that the reason for the name is unclear. The Spencer Museum of Art catalogs a cotton Double X quilt block attributed to Carrie A. Hall and dated to the early 1900s. That collection record shows the name and a block design in an early-20th-century collection; it does not identify who coined the name, prove an invention date, or establish that the historic block uses the same construction as a modern pattern.
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The Gratiot County Quilt Trail offers a separate, local interpretation of a Double X block on Fulton Township Hall, relating it to Arnold Payne and settlement around 1855. That is the trail’s account of one place-specific block, not a general origin story for the pattern.
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Sources and pattern references
- American Patchwork & Quilting: Double X Quilt Block
- Scissortail Quilting: Double X Quilt Block (Version 1)
- Scissortail Quilting: Double X Quilt Block – Version 2
- Spencer Museum of Art: Double X quilt block, Carrie A. Hall
- Gratiot County Quilt Trail: Quilts 46–60
- TeresaDownUnder: Block 16 – Double X quilt block – Mysteries Down Under quilt
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