How to Make a Card Trick Quilt Block (Step by Step)

The card trick block looks like a puzzle, with overlapping "cards" pieced from simple triangles. It is easier to make than it looks.

Follow these steps to piece your own card trick quilt block.

What’s In This Post:

How Do You Make a Card Trick Quilt Block?

How Do You Make a Card Trick Quilt Block?

Let’s break down the construction of this block into four sections. One section per block type, and the last section will be how to sew the blocks together to make the card trick quilt block. This tutorial will show you how to make a 10 ½” square card trick quilt block.

Fabric Requirements

Fabric 1: 3- 5” squares
Fabric 2: 3- 5” squares
Fabric 3: 3- 5” squares
Fabric 4: 3- 5” squares
Fabric 5: 4- 5” squares

Section 1: Half-Square Triangles

To make the HSTs (half square triangles), we will take one square from each Fabric 1-4 and place them right sides together with a square from Fabric 5.

Mark a line diagonally on each square stack and stitch ¼” away on either side of the marked line.

Cut the marked line to create two HSTs from each stack. Press the seam towards the dark side on each HSTs. Set aside one HST from each group for the next section. Take the remaining four HSTs and trim them to 4” squares.

Section 2: Y Blocks

Take a square from Fabrics 1-4. Place the fabric squares over the HSTs from the last section in the order below.

Fabric 1 Square with Fabric 2 HST
Fabric 2 Square with Fabric 3 HST
Fabric 3 Square with Fabric 4 HST
Fabric 4 Square with Fabric 1 HST

Draw a diagonal line from the top right corner to the bottom left corner and follow the steps from Section 1 to make two HSTs at a time. You will make eight Y blocks, but we only need four for this block. Trim the four blocks to 4” squares. Set the extra four Y blocks to the side.