Super Easy Hourglass Quilt Tutorial: Jenny Doan's Charm Pack Shortcut

🧵 4 packs of 5-inch squares (charm packs) — Jenny used Northwoods by Kate Spain for Moda. Choose prints with good contrast between lights and darks. Shop charm packs.

📏 ½ yard of fabric for inner border — a solid or small print that complements your charm packs. Shop fabric.

📐 1¼ yards for outer border — this creates the wider frame around your quilt

✂️ Rotary cutter, ruler & cutting mat — essential for precise diagonal cuts. Shop rotary cutters.

🪡 Sewing machine with a ¼-inch presser foot

📌 Pins — for holding layers together before cutting. Shop pins & clips.

🔥 Iron and pressing board — pressing is key for crisp blocks

Step 1: Sort Your Charm Squares by Value

Open your charm packs and begin sorting your 5-inch squares into groups. You don't need to match exact fabrics — instead, think in terms of light, medium, and dark values. Each four-patch block will use four squares: two that read as one value and two that read as another.

The contrast between your squares is what will make the hourglass shape pop. If your squares are too similar in value, the pattern will blur together. When in doubt, squint at your fabrics — if you can't tell them apart when squinting, they're too similar.

Step 2: Sew Four-Patch Blocks

Take four squares — two of one fabric/value and two of another — and arrange them in a checkerboard pattern: contrasting fabrics diagonal from each other. Sew the two top squares together with a ¼-inch seam, then sew the two bottom squares together. Finally, sew these two pairs together to complete your four patch.

Press your seams so the block lays flat. You'll need to make two matching four-patch blocks for each hourglass — so for every combination you choose, make a pair.

Step 3: Layer and Sew Two Four Patches Together

Here's where Jenny's shortcut really shines. Take your two matching four-patch blocks and place them right sides together, making sure the same colors are facing the same direction (both dark fabrics on top, both lights on bottom).

Now sew all the way around the outside edge with a ¼-inch seam — just like you would for half-square triangles. Sew around all four sides, creating a sealed "pillow."

Step 4: Cut Diagonally Both Ways

This is the magic moment! Take your sewn four-patch pair to the cutting mat. Using your ruler, cut diagonally from corner to corner in both directions, making an X through the center. You'll end up with four triangle units — and when you open them up, each one is a perfect hourglass block!

Press your blocks open and admire the result. From just two four-patch blocks, you've created four hourglass blocks. That's incredibly efficient.

The diagonal cuts transform four-patch blocks into beautiful hourglasses

Step 5: Square Up Your Blocks

Your hourglass blocks should come out to approximately 4½ inches square. If they're a little uneven (and some will be — that's normal), use your ruler and rotary cutter to trim them all to the same size. Squaring up ensures your blocks will fit together perfectly when you start assembling the quilt top.

Make sure the center point of each hourglass stays centered in the block. Trim evenly from all sides.

Step 6: Arrange and Sew the Quilt Top

Lay out all your hourglass blocks on a design wall or flat surface. Play with the arrangement — you can create secondary patterns by rotating blocks, grouping similar colors, or alternating light and dark. The beauty of this pattern is that it looks different depending on how you arrange the blocks.

Once you're happy with the layout, sew the blocks into rows, pressing seams in alternating directions for each row. Then sew the rows together, nesting the seams for a perfectly flat quilt top.

Step 7: Add Borders and Finish

Jenny's quilt features a slim inner border (cut from your ½ yard) that frames the blocks, followed by a wider outer border (5 inches wide, cut from your 1¼ yards) that completes the look. Measure through the center of your quilt (not along the edges) to determine your border strip lengths — this prevents wavy borders.

After adding borders, layer your quilt top with batting and backing, quilt as desired, and add your binding. You've got a gorgeous hourglass quilt!

🎯 Contrast is king: The hourglass pattern relies on contrast between the four triangles. Sort your charms by light/dark value before pairing them up. The more contrast, the more dramatic the finished block.

📐 Accurate ¼-inch seams matter: Since you're sewing around the outside and then cutting diagonally, a consistent seam allowance ensures your blocks come out the right size and your points line up.

🔥 Press, don't push: When pressing your four patches and hourglass blocks, lift and set your iron down rather than sliding it across the fabric. This prevents stretching bias edges.

🎨 Audition your layout: Before sewing rows together, step back (or take a phone photo) to see how the overall pattern reads. Small rotations can create pinwheels, diamonds, or zigzag effects.

✂️ Chain piece for speed: Feed your four-patch pairs through the sewing machine one right after the other without cutting the thread. It saves time and thread!

The finished Super Easy Hourglass Quilt — all from charm packs!