Fish Blocks

Fish Blocks
Over the years I've made three different fish blocks. None of them have ever been posted here on my web page. I've decided to rectify that now and show you all three different kinds of fish blocks, all on one page. I hope you enjoy them.

You probably notice that these blocks are a diagonal set blocks. Don't panic, it's not that hard to assemble and you can find directions here. The blocks are all quite easy, just a bunch of diagonal half squares all put together with a few squares and rectangles.

If you are making a whole quilt of fish you will need some water looking fabric, and a variety of colors for the fins, tails, bodies. Have fun with this and make a colorful bunch of fish if you want, or go more calm if that is your style. (You will notice my first fish quilt all the fins and tails were black, blah.)

The very first fish I made back in 1995 is what I'll be showing your first. It's the one in the upper right hand corner of the four block quilt above.
For each fish you will need:
Three 2 7/8 inch squares of water
Three 2 7/8 inch squares of fin
Two strips 2 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch strips of the water fabric
One 4 7/8 inch square of each water and fin for the tail (this will make two tail sections)
One 6 1/2 inch square of body fabric
And a 3 by 24 inch strip of water fabric for finishing off the block.

For the fins, you will need three 2 7/8 inch squares of the water fabric and your fin fabric. Placing a water and a fin block, right sides together, mark a diagonal line through the center of the block. (Diagramed Here ) Sew 1/4 inch on either side of that line, cut on the line, and you have two diagonal half squares. Finish making your fins, you will need six.

Sew three sets of fin squares together to form top and side fins, paying close attention to the direction of the fin sections, as they must go in opposite directions. Press the seam allowances all in one direction.

Add a 2 1/2 by 6 1/2 inch water strips to the top of each fin set.

For the tail, you will need one 4 1/2 inch diagonal half square of your tail fabric and the water fabric. Following the same directions as above for the fin sections, sew together your 4 7/8 inch blocks of water and fin fabrics. (Remember this will make two tail sections, you can save the extra tail for another fish.) Add the tail to the end of one of the units you just completed, making sure the fins are going in the same direction as the diagram shows here.

Sew the remaining fin section to the body.

And then add the fish tail unit to the body unit.

Complete the block by adding the 3 inch strips of water to the outside edges and trim as needed. Your finished block should measure 12 1/2 inches.

And here is a whole school of fish I made in 1995. It was a windy day when we took that picture.

closeup

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fish #2 I presented as a Mystery For Relay in 2009, and is the one in the upper left hand corner of the quilt at the top of the page. You have all the instructions already, the sizes are just a little different.

For each pair of fish #2 you will need:
Five 4 7/8 inch squares of water
Five 4 7/8 inch squares of fin fabrics
And two 8 1/2 inch squares of fish body fabrics

Each fish needs five diagonal half squares, so you will need three 4 7/8 inch squares of water and three 4 7/8 inch squares of your bright fish color. You will have one left over fin for each set you make. You can make two alike or you could always use your leftovers in one very colorful fish. Or if you really like this little guy, you could make them all that way! It's your quilt, do what you want with it.

First you need to make all those diagonal half squares folliing the same directions at the top of the page and shown here.) This time you will be using 4 7/8 inch squares to make your diagonal half squares which should measure 4 1/2 inches when finished.

Sew two sets of fin squares together to form top fins.
They need to point in the same direction as the ones
shown here, with the sky on the top.

Attach to the top of a matching 8 1/2 inch square.

(Did you notice these diagrams are almost like the first ones? Guess what, the next ones are smililar to these. All the fish go together pretty much the same way, just different sizes!)

Sew together three more fin units, paying close attention to the direction of the fin sections, as they must go in opposite directions. Press the seam allowances all in one direction. Attach these to your fish unit. And guess what, that fish is finished. It should measure 12 1/2 inches.

Here is a quilt I made as a sample for that mystery, which includes a few of our next fish. That quilt is now owned by my youngest grandson.
And next to it is a diagram of a quilt You could make with the fish I've shown you how to make.

What size will it be? Well that will depend on which size blocks you have made. And if you have made all different sizes, good for you! You've been creative and now you will have a quilt unlike anyone else's. You can add water to the sides to make them all the same size, or just add to some and make it truly your quilt by piecing it all togther your own way! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Moving on to our third fish, in this case two. These are the two little fish in the lower right hand corner of the quilt at the top of the page. These are put together exactly the same as the others were, just the measurements are slightly different.
For each pair of fish you will need:
Five 2 7/8 inch squares of water fabric
Five 2 7/8 inch squares of fish fabrics
Two 4 1/2 inch squares of body fabrics
And two 6 1/2 inch squares of water fabric
Of course that gives you two identical fish, which is fine if you are making a bigger quilt. But if you only want two fish and you don't want them to look alike, then you need to cut the following:
Three 2 7/8 inch squares of water
Three 2 7/8 inch squares of fish fabrics
And one 4 1/2 inch square of body fabrics
And three 6 1/2 inch squares of water fabric
When you make your diagonal half squares, you will have one extra, to make one of those colorful little fish that I showed you above.

Same directions as above, satrt by making your diagonal half squares using your 2 7/8 inch fish and water fabrics. They should measure 2 1/2 inches when finished.

Put two together fins pointing right with the water on top, and three together with the fins pointing left and the water also on top. Next place the two fins on the top of a body piece and finally the three fins on the left side of the body piece and your little fish is finished.The finished fish should measure 6 1/2 inches

Repeat the same steps for your second fish
regardless if it's the same fabrics or different.

When you have both your little fish finished, you need to make them into a 12 1/2 inch block to go with your other 12 1/2 inch blocks. Simply sew each fish to a 6 1/2 inch water fabric as shown, then sew those two pieces together to make your 12 1/2 inch block.

You can even have single fish in a block, swimming in which ever direction they want to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you are worried about setting these fish diagonally, relax, it really isn't that hard. I have a page showing you how to put your fish quilt together, or any other diagonally set quilt for that matter. You can find it here, and be sure to bookmark it in case you need it in the future.

This pattern can be used for personal use only and can not be used commercially without the owner's permission. No copies may be made
without the owner's permission. This includes the patterns as well as any graphics and/or instructions that are associated with a pattern.
The content on these pages, including text and images are the sole property of the Delaware Quilts and may not be used in any manner without consent. All Rights Reserved. Fish Blocks © Delaware Quilts July 1995

Updated October 1, 2025

|Home| Quilts| Email|