April Showers: Stitch a Scrappy Umbrella Quilt Block

This bright umbrella quilt block pattern will be sure to chase away the blues during those frequent April showers!

This block is 8 1/2″ and will be 8″ once it is sewn into a project. It is made almost entirely of 1 1/2″ strips just like the other month blocks (see the full list at the end of this post!)

Materials needed:

• From the background fabric cut: 2 strips 1 1/2″ x 6 1/2″, 2 strips 1 1/2″ x 8 1/2″, 1 square 1” x 1”, 1 square 5 1/2” cut once on the diagonal
• From the black for the handle fabric cut: 1 strip 1 1/2” x 5”
• From the scraps for the umbrella cut: 1 strip 1 1/2” x 9”, 1 strip 1 1/2” x 7”, 1 strip 1 1/2” x 5”, 1 strip 1 1/2” x 3”
• Always use a 1/4” seam allowance when sewing this block.

Step 1:

Arrange the blocks as shown below and sew the triangles to the handle strip. Press the seams toward the background triangles.

Step 2:

Fold the umbrella strips in half and finger press to find the center.

Step 3:

Sew the strips together matching the center crease. Press the seams away from the longest strip.

Step 4:

Sew the small background square to the center of the shortest strip and press the seams toward the square.

Step 5:

Sew the umbrella strip unit to the handle unit. Press the seam toward the umbrella.

Step 6:

Using a 6 1/2” square ruler, trim the block to exactly 6 1/2”. Line the 45-degree angle mark along the seam that joins the umbrella to the background. Please note that if you use a scant 1/4” seam allowance you may trim off almost all of the background 1” square.

Step 7:

Sew the top and bottom borders to the block. Press the seams toward the borders. Then sew the side borders to the block. Again, press the seams toward the borders. The block will be 8 1/2”. Trim if necessary.

If you missed any of the free scrappy block patterns, they can be found here: 

• January
• February
• March
• April
• May
• June
• July
• August
• September
• October
• November
• December