Stitching the Beggars Block with Cat Artistry Fabric

This blog post introduces the Beggar’s Block quilt pattern, a simple and beginner-friendly design rooted in quilting tradition. Using strips of print and background fabric from Benartex’s Cat Artistry collection, the block comes together quickly with no triangles or complex piecing. The post highlights how easy the construction and layout are, making this a perfect project for new quilters or anyone looking for a fast, satisfying quilt block with beautiful results.

This charming little quilt block is known as the Beggar’s Block, and it comes with a bit of quilting folklore. Legend has it that quilters would once go door to door, collecting small scraps of fabric from friends and neighbors to piece together these blocks. Thankfully, there is no need to beg these days when we have access to beautiful fabric collections like Cat Artistry from Benartex.

The Beggar’s Block is both interesting and incredibly simple to make. There are no triangles, no half square triangles, and no complicated piecing, which makes it especially appealing. I chose to demonstrate this block using just one print fabric paired with a white background, but you can absolutely use multiple fabrics if you prefer. Keeping it simple makes the process easy to follow, especially for beginners.

To start, cut both your print fabric and background fabric into strips that are 1 and a half inches wide. Stitch the strips together with right sides facing, using a quarter inch seam, and press them open. Repeat this process to create a long strip made up of alternating print and background fabric. At this point, most of the work is already done.

Next, measure the width of your strip. In my case, it measured 3 and a quarter inches, so I cut the strip into segments that were also 3 and a quarter inches long, creating perfect squares. You will also need a center square cut to the same size, which I made from solid white fabric.

Arranging the block is wonderfully straightforward. Place the center square first, then position the surrounding squares so the strip pattern runs horizontally through the center top and bottom. On the four corner squares, rotate the strips so the pattern runs vertically. This simple rotation is what gives the block its distinctive look.

When it comes time to sew, treat the layout as rows. Sew the pieces together row by row, then join the rows to complete the block. That is all there is to it. This was one of the quickest and easiest quilt blocks I have ever prepared, making it a fantastic choice for new quilters or anyone looking for a fast, satisfying project.

The Beggar’s Block proves that beautiful results do not require complicated techniques. I hope you will give it a try, follow us on Facebook, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and as always, happy sewing.