Clay’s Choice Quilt Block: A Free Tutorial

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The Clay’s Choice Quilt Block is a basic combination of simple squares and Half-Square Triangles to create an elongated pinwheel with an inner pinwheel.

It’s a great design element to add vibracy to a quilt and when grouped together in a quilt, the Clay’s Choice Quilt Block creates interesting secondary patterns of squares and Jewels.

In this article we explain exactly how to make a 12.5 inch Clay’s Choice Quilt Block.

Clay’s Choice Quilt Block History

The Clay’s Choice Quilt Block honors the civil war era politican Henry Clay (1777-1852), who enjoyed a 30 year state and national politics in the early years of the United States.

Clay’s colorful career as a politician and presidential aspirant made him a well-known public figure during the turbulent times prior to the Civil War. And his strong stance against slavery only increased in profile and has ensured his legacy lives on, in part via the Clay’ Choice Quilt Block.

Clay’s Choice Quilt Block: aka Harry’s Star, Clay’s Star or Henry of the West

The Clays Choice Quilt Block is known by a variety of other names including Clay’s Favorite, Clay’s Star, Henry of the West, and Harry’s Star. Among pioneer families, this block is better known as the Star of the West.

Clay’s Choice: Fabric requirements

(minimum amounts of each required)

  • 9” x 14” piece of white (to cut into 4” squares)
  • 8” x 8” medium value color A
  • 5 “ 9” dark color 
  • 9” x 9” medium value color B

A simple tutorial on making the Clay’s Choice Quilt Block

Step 1: Cutting and marking instructions

From white:
4 squares 3 ½” each                                                 
2 squares  4 ½” each (mark with diagonal line)

From dark color: 
2 squares 4 ½” each (mark with diagonal line)

From medium color A:      
4 squares 3 ½” each                                        

From medium color B:
4 squares 4 ½” each (mark with diagonal line)

Step 2: Forming Half Square Triangle Units

Place a color B square right sides together with a white square. Sew a seam ¼” either side of the drawn diagonal line. Repeat with the other white square.

Place a color B square right sides together with a dark square. Sew a seam ¼” either side of the drawn diagonal line. Repeat with the other dark square.

Step 3: Squaring up the HST units

Trim all block units to 3 ½” square.

Step 4: Block Assembly

Using the picture as a guideline, sew the rows. Press so seams go in opposite directions.

Final Step: Joining the rows

Join rows together to form the quilt block.