March 2020 NZP Block of the Month: Quarter-Circle Block

Nancy’s Red Elegance
2020 Block of the Month March: 1/4–Circle Block

Introducing the third of 12 FREE! Quit Block Tutorials in the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! The 1/4–Circle Block, also known as the Drunkard’s Path Block, is quickly made in multiples when cutting our Circle Blocks into quarters!

In January, Team Nancy Zieman introduced the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series. Join the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series, anytime, by viewing the Basic Supplies and Tools Listing in the January 1, 2020 NZP BoM20 Kick Off Blog Posting.

On the third Saturday of each month, we’ll feature one block design, and we’ll be stitching one or more blocks of the same design each month. The blocks are created using Our NEW! Red Elegance Fabric Collection by Riley Blake and the Carefree Curves Trace ‘n Create Template Set by Nancy Zieman for Clover. Follow along as we show step-by-step how to create the March 1/4–Circle Block.

March 1/4–Circle Block

NOTE: This block is 4-1/2″ square; 4″ finished square when sewn into finished quilt.

Block Fabrics

For the Nancy’s Red Elegance March 1/4–Circle Block, select the following four fat quarter fabrics from the NEW! Red Elegance Fat Quarter Bundle along with the “Circle” Template from the Carefree Curves Template Set.

Red Elegance Diamonds Cream, Red Elegance Lace Brick, Red Elegance Tonal Brick and Red Elegance Tonal Taupe

Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing, and steaming and pressing a second time. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with June Tailor’s Starch Savvy. Press and starch, press and starch.

Carefree Curves Trace ‘n Create Template by Nancy Zieman for Clover

  View the complete Basic Supplies and Tools Listing in the January 1, 2020 NZP BoM20 Kick Off Blog Posting, .

Cut Fabrics for the Block

Create super-simple 1/4–Circle Blocks with simple fabric squares and Pellon Sof-Shape squares!

Cut three 9″ background squares of Red Elegance Diamonds Cream .

Cut two 9″ background squares of Red Elegance Lace Brick .

Cut three 7″ square of  Red Elegance Tonal Brick – for center circles.

Cut two 7″ square of  Red Elegance Tonal Taupe – for center circles.

Cut five 7″ square Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing

For the NEW! 2020 Nancy Zieman Productions Nancy’s Red Elegance Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series, we’re sharing Nancy Zieman’s techniques for creating perfect circles – without ever cutting a circle!

Construct the Blocks

Create Center Circle Appliqués

Place one 7″ background square of Red Elegance Tonal Brick to one 7″ square Pellon Sof-Shape Fusible Interfacing – matching smooth side of fusible interfacing to right side of fabric. Pin .



Position the Circle Template on the glue-dot side of the interfacing , centering the template on the interfacing square.
With a fabric marking pen and Circle Template, trace a 6″ circle on the interfacing – tracing along the yellow lines at the die cut openings.

Using a Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needle, stitch directly on the marked line – using a slightly shorter stitch length.

It’s always easier to stitch smooth curves with a shorter stitch length – such as a 2.0 mm setting.


With a 45mm Rotary Cutting and Pinking Blade, trim away excess fabric, leaving about a 1/4″ seam allowance on the outside of stitching line.

Using a