I feel like I’m sharing lots of simple designs lately, but I still find them fun – and isn’t that what it’s all about??

I started off using the same colour in the middles as in the background – I like to include a bit of background in each block, so the whole layout doesn’t feel too crowded.

But since the blocks have plenty of the background shade around their outsides, I felt fairly sure that using different colours in the middles wouldn’t be too overwhelming. I don’t think I got the placement perfect here – it’s not a Sudoku arrangement across rows and columns – but close enough is good enough for me.

I also think a ‘new’ colour works in the middles too. Just a pop of consistency across all the blocks.

I think there are two ways you could make this design into a quilt. Half of the blocks – the ones with horizontal and vertical arms – are just four quarter-circles, a bit of sashing, and a centre square. Easy peasy. The other blocks – with their arms on the diagonals – would each require four rectangles, a square, and curves using a template.

Or… I think you could make all the blocks with horizontal and vertical arms (so, 25 blocks for a 5 × 5 layout), then set half of them (ok, 13) aside. With the other 12 blocks, you’d rotate them 45 degrees, add a bit of background fabric to extend each of the arms, then trim the blocks back to a square that matches the size of the 13 blocks you set aside. (Actually, the triangles you’d lop off the sides might be the right size for adding to extend the arms… if that worked, that would avoid a bit of waste! I’ll have to test that….)

I’ve used a five-colour palette here, but I think this sketch could work with fewer or more colours. You’ll just have to try and see!