It’s time. 

You’ve nailed down your basic blocks, half square triangles no longer scare you, and you’re ready to dip your toes into some really awesome looking quilt blocks. 

If you are still new to quilting, you might be hesitant to get in too far over your head though. 

Wouldn’t you know it, quilting has this cool thing where many of the complicated blocks that exist are really just a combination of really easy blocks that you are already comfortable with. 

You are just arranging them differently to create a bigger design. 

So easy quilt blocks that look difficult are todays topic and we’ve got 13 of them, each one perfect for impressing your friends and family in your next quilt.

13 Easy Quilt Blocks That Look Difficult

Card trick

The card trick block gets its name from it’s design that looks like four playing cards laid on top of one another. 

The block itself looks difficult because it reminds you of folding up a cardboard box where you weave the parts together, but in actuality, the card trick block is made up of smaller simpler blocks that work together to create an illusion. 

The card trick quilt block is only built out of a combination of half square triangles, quarter split triangles, and hourglass blocks.

If you have gotten comfortable with the half square triangle, a card trick is a great next step to practice quarter split and hourglass blocks while making an impressive design at the same time.

Is the half square triangle actually your biggest enemy in the sewing room? Check out our easy quick piecing tutorial to get your half square triangles done fast here.

Monkey wrench

If you look up the history of the monkey wrench quilt block, you’ll find that it is often sited as one of the most popular quilt blocks in history because it is an easy first block for beginners to make. 

It is made up of a few half square triangles with some pieced sashing between to create this traditional design. 

The fun of this design comes with playing with the proportions of the half square triangles to the sashing pieces. 

By making them more equal in dimensions, you created a thinner look to the design, but by making the sashing smaller in size, you create a chunkier look to the design. 

Super easy to modify to fit your preferences, this simple block gives a complicated but classic look to any quilt!

Interested in a tutorial? We have a free pattern for the monkey wrench quilt block in a 6” and 12” size here!

Spinning star

The spinning star is a fantastic beginner block because it is comprised of only half square triangles!

Although this block is only made up of one simple block, the pattern it creates makes a super pretty spinning star design that will make most people think you’ve been quilting for decades!

The half square triangle is a natural first step to more complicated designs so practicing them by making some really cool blocks at the same time is a great way to learn. 

Cathedral window

Many people will have you believe that the cathedral window quilt block is difficult because it has a 3D look to it. 

It’s 3D so it MUST be difficult! But when you actually go to create this block, you realize there is only 3 seams in the whole block! 

The cathedral window block is made by folding a fabric block in a way that reminds you of those paper fortune tellers you made as a kid. 

So while it is definitely different than a typical pieced quilt block, it is actually incredibly simple to make and a fantastic block for a beginner, and the 3D look to it will have people impressed for ages trying to figure out how you accomplished it. 

Want to learn more about how a cathedral window block is made? Check out the step-by-step process here!

Woven star

Star blocks are a common theme in the quilting world because they are very angular, and straight seams that make angular designs naturally go well together. 

This woven star quilt block takes a typical star quilt block and makes it look super complicated by giving you the illusion of woven ribbon creating a star pattern. 

Made up of half square triangles and quarter split triangles, this is another complicated looking block that is really easily accomplished by breaking it down into basic building blocks. 

Any paper pieced block ever

Paper piecing quite literally gives you endless opportunities to create the most complex looking blocks with ease. 

When you see super complicated blocks that are pictures of animals or objects made out of pieced fabric, you are likely looking at a paper pieced quilt block. 

Why does this look complicated? Not only are you creating an identifiable real-life object simply by sewing fabric together, but the individual pieces you would have to cut out in order to achieve that block through traditional methods would be incredibly complicated to do. 

But by using a paper pieced template, you by-pass the aspects that would typically make that pattern unobtainable to most sane people – no super complicated templates but perfectly executed blocks!

Paper piecing is a fantastic way to get the ultimate wow factor in your quilt blocks.

Never paper pieced before? Get an idea of how and Intro to Foundation Paper Piecing can totally change your quilting here.

Twisted Blocks

Giving the illusion that fabric is twisting in the middle of a block is a great way to make a simple block look difficult. 

Go figure, half square triangles make another appearance, this look is easily accomplished with this one block. 

Using a twisted look in your next quilt block will keep everyone guessing about how you made such a difficult looking block, when in reality, its actually super simple!

Dresden plates

One of the things in quilting that is often considered “difficult looking” is a block that has odd angles. 

Anyone that has done even a small amount of sewing recognizes that straight lines that line up with each other are doable. They can wrap their brain around how the block was accomplished. 

But when a block has odd angles, curves, or many converging seams, it’s common for family members and people outside the quilting community to consider it a hard block. 

Dresdens are a phenomenal way of accomplishing this goal.

Many people don’t realize that a dresden is sewn separately and then appliquéd on to the quilt block. 

This often means that people sit there in awe trying to figure out how you sewed something round on to the fabric without any seams. 

Or maybe that was just 12 year old me trying to figure out my mom’s antique dresden quilt. I like to think I wasn’t the only one thinking this was a complicated block.

Dresdens are super easy, quick to make, and give a really complicated look, because, well, round things in sewing always look impressive. 

Find out how to make a dresden plate in 7 easy steps here.

Contrary Wife

The contrary wife looks complicated because of all of the points around the outside of the block. More detail = more complicated right?

Fortunately for us thats not necessarily the case. 

This block pairs a diamond in a square with some half square triangles around the edges to transform two simple components into a much more complicated looking block. 

Sawtooth star

Even in it’s simplest form, a sawtooth star is interesting to look at, but the magic of most star blocks, and especially the sawtooth star, is when you start trading out the simple components for more pieced components. 

A sawtooth star generally has a large solid square block in the center, but what if you traded that large square out for a 4 half square triangles? 

Now you’ve a pinwheel in the center and a super complicated looking block that was no harder to accomplish than your original sawtooth block. 

This same idea can be reproduced on almost any block. Take its basic form, and just start substituting half square triangles wherever you can fit them! You’ll quickly find that you have a fancy block that was no more difficult than the good ol’ HST.

Mosaic number 18

At least that’s the only name I can find for it haha – if you know the true name for this block, be sure to add it in the comments and I’ll be sure to update it 🙂 

Its amazing what pure half square triangle blocks can make! One simple block that gives you so many different options.

All you need to start impressing people with this block is half square triangles so if you’ve got that essential basic block nailed down, you’ll be making this simple but complicated looking block in no time. 

School Girl’s Puzzle

This one is a fun version that uses regular squares of background mixed with half square triangles 🙂

We have quite a few blocks made of just half square triangles on this list, but this is the first one that really plays with half square triangle’s inside other half square triangles.

Playing with scale of a block is a great way to make a simple technique look way more difficult than it actually is.

HST’s inside HST’s, who knew!

Spining Star Variation

Okay so maybe the earlier variation was a few too many half square triangles to commit to, this second spinning star block cuts out a few of the half square triangles to make it go by a bit quicker.

I played a bit with the fabric placement in this one too to get this fun pinwheel pattern in the center.

Playing with the fabric placements is another easy way to make your blocks look more complicated without actually adding difficulty to the stitching.

Mashing up these two blocks could make a super fun star quilt that your loved ones will be ooo-ing and ahh-ing over every time they open it up to use, and its no harder than a one seam HST.

What is the most popular quilt block 

If you haven’t guessed it already…

Although the answer will be different depending on who you ask, it is a safe bet that the most popular quilt block out there is a half square triangle. 

The same quilt made of half square triangles can look radically different based on where your colors are placed in the block. 

In addition to being a single seam block with many hacks to making them quickly, knowing how to make half square triangles is an essential in any quilter’s toolbox. 

This one quilt block gives you so much versatility to make many easy quilt blocks that look difficult that it’s no wonder it shows up so often. Why make difficult quilt blocks that are actually difficult to make?

Occasionally challenging yourself with more complicated quilt blocks is definitely great for expanding your skills, however sometimes just sticking to easier blocks is more fun since you don’t have to put so much thought into each seam.

What is the easiest quilt pattern for a beginner

Any quilt pattern that uses just a half square triangle. 

I know, I know, at this point I feel like a broken record. But they are that easy and are used in so many different ways, that you can’t help but love ‘em. 

There are plenty of quilt patterns out there that a beginner can easily take on without getting in over their heads. 

All while branching out from a basic checker board pattern at the same time. 

Half square triangles are a perfect first pieced block to tackle, and the list of quilt blocks that exist that are solely made from half square triangles is absolutely endless. 

If you are looking for some good easy quilt blocks that look difficult, half square triangles will become your new best friend. 

Here are a few of my favorite quilt patterns featuring almost all half square triangles:

• Triangle jitters by Suzy Quilts
• Vintage lace – Lo & Behold Stitchery
• Playful Zag (a FREE pattern!) – Quilting Wemple

What are the hardest quilt patterns

In my mind there are no “hard” quilt patterns, just quilt patterns that require learning new techniques before tackling. 

As long as you know your basics – how to cut fabric accurately, how to keep a 1/4” seam allowance, and you are are willing to learn the new technique, it doesn’t matter how long you have been quilting.

You can honestly handle any quilt that’s out there. 

Learning a new technique one at a time is the best way to expand your quilting repertoire any way.

As long as we are all on the same page, here are our three picks for the “hardest” quilt patterns:

• Hexagons – you’ll have to tackle Y-seam
• Double wedding ring – learning curved piecing
• Lone star – seam matching at its trickiest

Easy and free quilt patterns

Now that you know 13 easy quilt blocks that look difficult, it’s time to put sewing machine to fabric and get started on the next big project!

If you are ready to get started on your next project and want a great free project to use, be sure to grab my free quilt pattern Vichy below!