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The Double T quilt block is a pieced design built from half-square triangles, Flying Geese and a center square. The American Patchwork & Quilting pattern described here finishes at 12 inches and measures 12½ inches square before it is joined to other blocks. This is one construction method, not a single canonical pattern: other tutorials use different unit-making methods and offer multiple sizes.
Choose a construction method
Two published approaches make different trade-offs. The American Patchwork & Quilting instructions use cut squares and rectangles, diagonal stitching and trimming to build a 12-inch finished block. Generations Quilt Patterns uses paper-piecing templates for stacked Flying Geese pairs and supplies patterns in several finished sizes.
| Pattern | Finished size | Construction | Unfinished size |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Patchwork & Quilting | 12 inches | Half-square triangle units and stitch-and-flip Flying Geese | 12½ inches square |
| Generations Quilt Patterns | Several sizes, including 6 and 12 inches | Paper-pieced stacked Flying Geese pairs; the tutorial calls the skill level “Confident Beginner” | Not stated in the cited tutorial |
The instructions below follow the 12-inch American Patchwork & Quilting method. Use its cutting directions for that pattern rather than combining them with the Generations templates; their construction methods and sizes are not interchangeable.
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What you need for the 12-inch block
The pattern uses cream and white prints with quarter-inch seam allowances. Choose two fabrics with enough contrast for the T shapes to read clearly; quilting cotton or suitable scraps are practical options. Follow the pattern’s full cutting list and fabric assignments before cutting.
- Four half-square triangle units, made from cream and white 4⅞-inch squares.
- Eight Flying Geese units, made from 2½-by-4½-inch rectangles and 2½-inch squares.
- One center square, cut to the size specified in the pattern.
The exact center-square dimension and complete color-by-piece cutting assignments are available in the published pattern; check those directions rather than estimating a missing cut size.
Sew the Double T block
- Make four half-square triangle units. Pair the cream and white 4⅞-inch squares as directed. Mark a diagonal on the wrong side of one square in each pair, sew a quarter-inch seam on both sides of the line, then cut along the marked diagonal. Press and trim the resulting triangle-squares to the pattern’s specified size.
- Make eight Flying Geese units. Center a marked 2½-inch square at one end of a 2½-by-4½-inch rectangle, right sides together. Sew on the marked diagonal, trim away the excess fabric, and press the corner open. Repeat at the other end of each rectangle, following the pattern’s directions for orientation and fabric placement.
- Pair the Geese. Join two Flying Geese units to form each of four pairs. Keep their points and fabric orientation consistent with the block diagram.
- Lay out the rows. Arrange the four Flying Geese pairs and four triangle-square units in rows around the center square, matching the pattern diagram. Confirm the fabric placement and orientation before sewing.
- Join the block. Sew the pieces into rows, then sew the rows together. Press the row seams in the directions given in the pattern so adjoining seams can nest. The assembled block should measure 12½ inches square, including seam allowance, and finish at 12 inches when sewn into a quilt.
A ruler with quarter-inch markings can help maintain seam allowances and trim units accurately; no branded tool is required. The Generations paper-piecing tutorial also demonstrates ruler-guided trimming, but its template instructions are specific to that method.
Using the paper-piecing alternative
If you prefer templates or want a different block size, use the Generations Quilt Patterns tutorial as a separate method. It describes the block as suitable for a confident beginner and provides templates for several sizes, including 6 and 12 inches. Print its pattern at 100% and check the one-inch test square before sewing; a printer’s scaling can change the template size.
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What is known about the Double T’s history?
Surviving examples show that the design has a history, but they do not establish who first created it or where it originated. The International Quilt Museum lists a U.S. crib/doll Double T quilt dated 1890–1910, measuring 48 by 28½ inches and made with cotton calico using hand and machine piecing. The record is useful evidence of an early example, not proof of the block’s first appearance.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art records a cotton Double T quilt made by E. L. in Kalona, Iowa, in 1924. It measures 86 by 73½ inches. The Met’s discussion notes that Midwestern families moved among communities, complicating attempts to assign exact local origins to some quilting traditions. Neither this quilt nor its location proves where the Double T began.
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Was the block a temperance quilt?
Not on the basis of its T shape or color scheme alone. QuiltHistory reports that the first T block was documented in 1883 and cautions against treating T blocks as evidence of temperance fundraising. Its article says, “There is no indication that these fundraising quilts used the letter T or were drunkards’ path quilts, as commonly supposed.” This is QuiltHistory’s historical interpretation, not a museum finding. The article advises looking for firmer evidence, such as an inscription, documented maker, signatures or W.C.T.U. lettering; WCTU-associated colors alone do not establish the connection.
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