May Block Tutorial in the 2026 NZP Block of the Month Patriotic Quilt Series

May Block Tutorial in the 2026 NZP Block of the Month Patriotic Quilt Series

Announcing the NEW! 2026 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! FREE to join, our NEW!  Plus, shop our Spring Sale and save 30% Off Crepe Knits and McCall’s Patterns!

2026 Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series features the NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fabric Collection by Kanvas Studio for Benartex Designer Fabrics, along with our No-Hassle Triangles Gauge & Ruler!

The NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fat Quarter Pack will be an easy BoM! We welcome everyone to join in, even if you’ve never before made a quilt!

Gather your supplies and get ready for this all-new NZP BoM 2026 FREE! Block Tutorial Series TODAY, right here at the NZP Blog!

The NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fabric Fat Quarter Bundle by Kanvas Studio for Benartex Designer Fabrics includes twenty-five 18″ x 21″ fabric rectangles. This stunning lineup is not just about color; it’s a tapestry of visual texture, featuring fireworks, vibrant dots, delightful swirls, patriotic stars, and classic basket weave patterns. These high-quality fabrics are carefully created in perfect colorful shades to evoke a sense of American pride and patriotism for this year’s Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series! Each month we will be alternating between two block designs.

Limited time! Purchase the Documentaries Patriotic Fat Quarter Bundle and receive an EXCLUSIVE FREE! USA 250 ShopNZP.com Sticker!

2026 NZP Mystery Block of the Month

Basic Supplies for NEW! 2026 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series!

All blocks will feature fabrics from the NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fabric Fat Quarter Bundle with EXCLUSIVE FREE! USA 250 ShopNZP.com Sticker! 

Finished quilt measures approximately 94” x 94″. For this quilt project, you will need: 

• One NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fabric Fat Quarter Bundle with EXCLUSIVE FREE! USA 250 ShopNZP.com Sticker!
• Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP
• No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Nancy Zieman for Clover
• 2-1/2 yds. Block Background Fabric: White Print such as: Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots White Fabric by the Yard
• 5/8 yds. Binding Fabric: Navy or Blue Fabric such as: Documentaries Patriotic Herringbone Navy Fabric by the Yard, OR Documentaries Patriotic Herringbone Denim Blue Fabric
  
• 7-3/4 yds. to 8 yds. of Backing Fabric: 43/44″ Wide Documentaries Fabric of your choice, OR  2-7/8 yds. to 3 yds. 108″ Wide Banner Celebration Wide Back Fabric by the Yard, OR Patriotic Starlight White Wide Back Fabric by the Yard, OR other 108″ Wide Back of your choice
• 7/8 yds. Sashing Fabric: True Red or Claret Red Fabric such as: Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots True Red Fabric, Documentaries Patriotic Diamond Calico Caret Red Fabric, Documentaries Patriotic Herringbone Claret Red Fabric, Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots Claret Red Fabric
• 1-1/4 yds. Borders Fabric: Blue or Navy such as: Documentaries Patriotic Herringbone Navy Fabric
• June Tailor’s Starch Savvy
• 45 mm Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat
• Scissors
• Frixion Marking Pen or Fine White Marking Pen by Clover
• Tailor’s Clapper 
• Fine Quilting Pins by Clover
• 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot or 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot with Guide
• Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needles
• Silk Finish Cotton Quilting Thread for piecing
• One Pellon Nature’s Touch Batting – Queen OR 2-7/8 yds. to 3 yds. Pellon Nature’s Touch Batting 120″ by the Yard
• Optional: June Tailor’s Quilt Basting Spray
• Optional: Quick Cut Thread Cutter by Team NZP for Clover for quilting
• Optional: Wonder Pins by Clover
• Optional: Ultimate Quilt ‘N Stitch Presser Foot by Team NZP for Clover for quilting
• Iron or LauraStar Ironing System

Sharpen Your Tools

Well, not really, but do make certain that you have a sharp blade in your rotary cutter, and gather your No-Hassle Triangles Ruler, rotary cutting mat and pressing notions. The main tools for our 2026 Block of the Month are our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP and the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Nancy Zieman for Clover. You may have already guessed the blocks will be made with triangles! Great News! Half-Square Triangles are easy to create with our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler and No-Hassle Triangles Gauge!

Get Started Today

Prepare for the NEW! 2026 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series by gathering and organizing your supplies. Organize your sewing space, and as soon as you have your fabrics, press & starch all Fat Quarters.

Hint from the Stitch it! Sisters: Pre-shrink quilt fabrics by steaming and pressing, and steaming and pressing a second time, and then press one more time using June Tailors Quilter’s Starch Savvy.

• 2026 NZP Mystery Block of the Month Sewing Tutorials began on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
• As always, there’s no cost to join and no need to formally sign up.
• On the third Saturday of each month in 2026, we will be posting a new quilt block tutorial.
• Block designs will be stitched each month. Each month we will be alternating between two block designs.
  
• 2026 NZP Block of the Month is fat quarter friendly.
• 2026 NZP Block of the Month project lasts 12 months.
• 2026 NZP Block of the Month features 16-1/2″ square blocks; 16″ finished squares.
• The Approx. Finished 2026 NZP Mystery Block of the Month Quilt Size: 94″ x 94″

Did you follow along with one or more of our previous NZP Block of the Month Series? If you finished part of all of the quilt blocks or the entire project, please share photos. We’d love to see and share them! Email your finished BoM quilt or quilt top photos to [email protected].

Find all the Supplies for NEW! 2026 Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series at Nancy Zieman Productions at ShopNZP.com!

All blocks will feature fabrics from the NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fat Quarter Fabric Bundle EXCLUSIVE FREE! USA 250 ShopNZP.com Sticker! along with our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP and Nancy’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Clover. Follow along as we share step-by-step how to create the May Quilt Blocks.

May Quilt Blocks 

Keep your fabric choices sorted using this handy May Sawtooth Star Quilt Block Planner, above. Download the planner, make notes, and/or pin cut block elements to the planner to remind you of the fabric placements.

Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with Quilter’s Starch Savvy.

May 2026 NZP Block of the Month Quilt Blocks

Assembled block is 16-1/2″ square; 16″ finished square.

This month we’re sharing our step-by-step tutorial for ONE Sawtooth Star Quilt Block A. Then repeating the steps with different hues of blue and red fabrics, from the NEW! Documentaries Patriotic Fat Quarter Fabric Pack, to create a total of two May blocks. Follow along as we demonstrate how to create the May Quilt Blocks.

This month’s BoM26 block tutorial illustrations feature the following Documentaries Patriotic Fabrics: Starburst Dots True Red, Starburst Dots Navy & White, Lots of Dots White, Mini Stars White, Starlight White, and Starburst Dots White as one corner block and the block background fabrics.

Using the Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP, cut block squares, below.

• Cut ONE 4-7/8″ Crosswise Fabric Strip from Block Background Fabric, shown above in Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots White Fabric.
• From crosswise fabric strip, sub-cut 4-7/8″ squares from Block Background Fabric, for a total of FOUR squares. Set aside blocks and reserve remaining fabric for upcoming blocks.

• Cut ONE 6-1/8″ square from reserved Documentaries Patriotic Starlight Red  Fat Quarter, as shown above. Set aside square and reserve remaining fabric for upcoming blocks.

• Cut FOUR 4-7/8″ squares from reserved Documentaries Starburst Dots Navy & White Fat Quarter, as shown above. Set aside squares and reserve remaining fabric for upcoming blocks.

• Use one of the two remaining 4-1/2″ Fabric Squares from Documentaries Patriotic Lots of Dots White Fat Quarter cut in April, as shown above. Reserve the remaining square for the second block this month.

• Use one of the two remaining 4-1/2″ Fabric Squares from Documentaries Patriotic Mini Stars White Fat Quarter, cut in April, as shown above. Reserve the remaining square for the second block this month.

• Use one of the two remaining 4-1/2″ Fabric Squares from Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots White Fat Quarter, cut in March, as shown above. Reserve the remaining square for the second block this month.

• Use one of the two remaining 4-1/2″ Fabric Squares from Documentaries Patriotic Starlight White Fat Quarter, cut in March, as shown above. Reserve the remaining square for the second block this month.

Construct SQUARE-IN-A-SQUARE for May BLOCK A

All seam allowances are scant 1/4″ unless otherwise stated.

• Insert a new Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needle and attach 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot to sewing machine.

• Sub-cut TWO 4-7/8″ Starburst Dots White block background squares in half diagonally, as shown above, to create a total of FOUR Starburst Dots White half-square triangles.

• Layout two Starburst Dots White half-square triangles, and one 6-1/8″ Starburst Dots True Red square, as shown above.

• Place one Starburst Dots White half-square triangle to Starburst Dots True Red square edge, right sides together, as shown above. Pin.

• Align right edge of 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot to edge of fabrics, as shown above. Stitch.

• • Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, press seam flat to set the stitching, as shown above, pressing the seam allowance towards the center square.

• Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, on fabric right side, press half-square triangle away from center block, as shown above.

• Rotate block assembly 180 degrees. Place one Starburst Dots White half-square triangle to Starburst Dots True Red square opposite edge, right sides together, as shown above. Pin.

• Align right edge of 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot to edge of block assembly, as shown above. Stitch.

• Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, press seam flat to set the stitching, as shown above, pressing the seam allowance towards the center square.

• Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, on fabric right side, press half-square triangle away from center block, as shown above.

• Rotate block assembly 180 degrees and repeat steps above, stitching two remaining Starburst Dots White half-square triangles to Starburst Dots True Red square assembly opposite edges, as shown above.
• You’ve create ONE 8-1/2″ Center “Square-in-a-Square” Block.

Construct HALF-SQUARE TRIANGLES

All seam allowances are scant 1/4″ unless otherwise stated.

Create EIGHT Half-Square Triangle Blocks from Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots Navy & White 4-7/8″ Squares and Documentaries Patriotic Starburst Dots White 4-7/8″ Squares  following the steps below.

• Align 4-7/8″ squares right sides together, in pairs of: One Square Starburst Dots Navy & White (darker fabric) and One Square Starburst Dots White Block Background Fabric (light fabric), as shown above. Create EIGHT block set pairs.
• Mark block set pairs using Clover’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge, and Clover’s Fine Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen, using the directions below.

• The left side of the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge is designated to create Half-Square Triangle quilt blocks. Depress button on sliding portion of the gauge, and move to 4-1/2″ Half-Square Triangle setting.

• Place Clover’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge on the block set pairs, corner to corner, as shown above. Match corner marks of gauge with corners of block set pairs. Mark fabric through center die cut openings on gauge, with Clover’s Fine Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen.

• Using marking pen and ruler, connect marked lines on block pair sets to create one solid line center mark, as shown above.
• Repeat steps, marking all EIGHT 4-7/8″ Half-Square triangle block set pairs.

Stitch Blocks

• Align the right edge of the 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot along one side of center marking on the block pair set, stitch, as shown above.
• “Kiss” the next block set to the stitched block and chain stitch (stitching continually) from one block pair set to the next.

• Rotate block pair sets 180 degrees, as shown above. Stitch along the opposite side of center marked lines. Remove Pins.

• Using a scissors or Quick Cut Thread Cutter, cut threads between chain stitched block pair sets, as shown above.

• Cut block pair sets in half, along center marked lines, with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat, as shown above.

• Using an iron and Tailor’s Clapper press seams flat, to set the stitching, as shown above.

• Using an iron and Tailor’s Clapper press seam allowances towards dark fabric, as shown above.

• You’ve created EIGHT 4-1/2″ Half-Square Triangle Blocks with the fabrics as shown above.

Construct BLOCK A

• Layout EIGHT 4-1/2″ Half-Square Triangle Blocks, FOUR 4-1/2″ Block Corner Squares, and ONE 8-1/2″ Center Block Square-in-a-Square assembly, ensuring blocks are positioned as shown above. Rotate blocks as needed.

• Place two 4-1/2″ Half-Square Triangle Blocks, right sides together–matching light fabrics, as shown above. Pin.
• Align right edge of 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot to right edge of block, as shown above. Stitch block pairs together along edge of light fabric.

• Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, press seam flat to set the stitching, as shown above.

• Open block set. Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, on fabric wrong side, press seam open and towards one side, as shown above.

• Turn block set right side up. Using Tailor’s Clapper and iron, on right side, press seam open and towards one side, as shown above.
• Create FOUR half-square triangle pairs–also known as “flying geese” quilt blocks, with the fabrics as shown above.

• Layout Block A rows, as shown above.

• Row 1: Place Corner Squares to Half-Square Triangle Block assembly, right sides together. Pin. Stitch.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side–using an iron and Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.
• Repeat steps above and stitch row 1, and row 3.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side–using an iron and Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

• Layout Block A rows, as shown above.
• Place Row 1 to Row 2, right sides together. Pin. Stitch.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side–using an iron and Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.
• Place Row 1-2-3 assembly to Row 4, right sides together. Pin. Stitch.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side–using a, iron and Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.
• The May BLOCK A: Starlight Red, Starlight White, Wave Geo Denim Blue, Mini Stars White, Lots of Dots White, and Starburst Dots White Sawtooth Star Quilt Block is complete!

Construct May BLOCK B

May Block B features the following Documentaries Patriotic Fabrics: Diamond Calico Caret Red, Diamond Calico Navy, Lots of Dots White, Mini Stars White, Starlight White, and Starburst Dots White as one corner block and the block background fabrics. NOTE: Several block components were already cut in the above steps!

• Cut ONE 6-1/8″ Fabric Square from Diamond Calico Red Fat Quarter, as shown above. Set aside square and reserve remaining fabric for upcoming blocks.

• Cut FOUR 4-7/8″ Fabric Squares from Diamond Calico Navy Fat Quarter, as shown above. Set aside squares and reserve remaining fabric for upcoming blocks.

• Repeat steps above from Block A and create ONE May BLOCK B: Sawtooth Star Quilt Block as shown with Documentaries Patriotic Diamond Calico Caret Red, Diamond Calico Navy, Lots of Dots White, Mini Stars White, Starlight White, and Starburst Dots White.

The May Blocks are now complete! Stay tuned for next month’s April Mystery blocks!

Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 118 No-Hassle Triangles in Quilts

Watch Stitch it! Sisters Program 118 No-Hassle Triangles in Quilts! Join Deanna as she demonstrates Nancy Zieman’s No-Hassle methods of cutting, marking, and stitching 1/2-square or 1/4-square triangles – without ever cutting a triangle, or guessing at the sizes! Plus see a gallery of quilt blocks and find inspiration for your next quilting project.

1/2 -Square and ¼-Square Triangle Quilt Blocks are the foundation elements of many popular quilt blocks including Night Vision, Weather Vane, Sawtooth Star, Shoo Fly, Square Dance, May Basket, Kings Crown, Windmill, and Nancy’s Spool. 

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