Courthouse steps quilt: free pattern, examples, tutorial, and more!

[ Last updated October 6, 2022 ] Sometimes, it’s the most simple block that has the greatest sophistication. When talking about modern quilting, there aren’t many 300-year-old block patterns being used today to create a $300 bedspread for Pottery Barn. But, that’s the case with courthouse steps quilt.

What’s covered in this article ...

In this blog post, I cover everything you need to know about the timeless-yet-trendy courthouse steps quilt block so you’ll feel comfortable creating your own version. Plus, as part of this guide, I’ve also included:

• free courthouse steps quilt pattern (and links to other projects)
• beginner-friendly, step-by-step videos
• additional answers to FAQs about courthouse steps quilts

Keep reading for specific fabric selection info, cutting tips, piecing techniques, layout ideas, binding advice, and more.

Free courthouse steps quilt pattern

To get your complimentary copy of True Cotton Co.’s table topper pattern featuring the courthouse steps quilt block, head over to our website.

Once there, just add the item to your shopping cart and check out. There’s no charge, but you’ll be asked to share your email with us. We need that to send you a pdf version of the table topper pattern.

10 additional no-cost projects that use the courthouse steps quilt block

Already made True Cotton Co.’s table runner? Want to try a little something different? We have you covered. Here is a round-up of some of the best courthouse steps quilt patterns and tutorials online.

1.  Aunt Em’s Steps (style: low-volume courthouse steps inspiration; finished size: N/A)
2.  By Hand Serial (style: monochromatic courthouse steps quilt; finished size: 52” x 52”)
3.  FaveQuilts (style: patriotic courthouse steps pattern; finished size: 14.5" x 14.5")
4.  Moda (style: “Courtyard Treats” quilt pattern; finished size: 67"x78")
5.  New Quilters (style: 9 1/2" courthouse steps blocks; finished size: N/A)
6.  Robert Kaufman (style: neutral courthouse steps quilt; finished size: 67" x 67")
7.  Quiltville: (style: scrappy courthouse steps quilt; finished size: 70" x 90")
8.  Sewn Up: (style: sliced courthouse steps inspiration; finished size: N/A)
9.  Sizzix (style: traditional courthouse steps pattern; finished size: 48" x 60")
10.  Stitched in Color (style: courthouse steps potholder pattern; finished size: 7.5" x 7.5")

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5 videos showing how to quilt courthouse steps

Video #001: Cutting & pressing

Video #002: Make the blocks

Video #003: Tops & borders

Video #004: Basting & walking foot quilting

• Check back soon—This installment of the series goes live October 13, 2022.

Video #005: Bind & square up your quilt

• Check back soon—This installment of the series goes live October 20, 2022.

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FAQs about the courthouse steps quilt

What is a courthouse steps quilt?

A courthouse steps quilt is a variation of the traditional log cabin quilt block. Instead of arranging the strips around a central square, for a courthouse steps quilt block you arrange bars of fabric in a stepped pattern from the center square out. Depending on the value and pattern of your fabric choices, its simple layout offers many variation possibilities.

Is the courthouse steps quilt block good for beginners?

The courthouse steps quilt block is a great choice for beginners because it is one of the easiest quilt blocks to sew. The stepped pattern is simple to create. The finished block is symmetrical (with no curves!), making it a more forgiving pattern option for quilters that are just starting out.

What’s the history of the courthouse steps quilt block?

The courthouse steps quilt block is a pre-Civil War era variation on the classic log cabin block.

Is it easy to quilt courthouse steps? How are the blocks constructed?

A courthouse steps quilt block typically has a stepped pattern, with light and dark fabrics pieced together in opposite pairs. It features perfectly symmetrical strips on alternate sides of the center square, which is typically called the “hearth.”

This pattern creates a stepped look, reminiscent of the stairs of a courthouse.

Do you need any special rulers to make a courthouse steps quilt block?

Nope! You can sew a courthouse steps quilt block with just basic sewing supplies.

What should you keep in mind when choosing and prepping your fabrics before sewing a courthouse steps quilt block?

TBD

What makes the best fabrics for a courthouse steps quilt block?

When choosing fabric

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Courthouse steps quilt video transcripts

Video #001: Cutting & pressing

Hi, all you wonderful quilters—

This is Cathy from True Cotton Co. in Carmel, Indiana.

You can find the location of the store and get directions on Google. Love for you to check us out if you’re in the area. If not, look at the website and see if you find anything that you love.

Today we’re going to make this courthouse steps table runner or table topper. The pattern is down in the description box and free. You can get the free table topper quilt pattern that I’ve got ready for it on the website.

. . .

If you watched the shop tour, you might remember some of what you’re seeing now.

I’ve picked out what I think I’m going to use in this version of the courthouse steps quilt. I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time. I’ve been wanting to work with this dark green from grunge, and I thought I’d make that the background shade. Then, I’m going to work with these white shades to give us subtle variation for the other color.

Let’s go upstairs, and I’ll show you how to cut all of this out and iron.

We’re upstairs to the cutting table. We’re going to make the courthouse steps quilt table topper. It’s a free pattern available on our website. I’ve written it up.

The courthouse steps block has been available since the 1800s. It’s a very traditional quilting block.

It’s a really fun one for a beginner to make. You do have a lot of seams you’re sewing and practicing your quarter inch, but not a lot that you have to nest together and match up in this project.

I’ve got all of the fabric needs and requirements here. As we’re cutting, I’ll go through everything if you like to hear the directions more than read them.

. . .

For the background—this Christmas green from Moda grunge—I need half a yard. What I like to do is, with the fabric folded, is line the one-inch line right up with the seam.

I like to use Quilters Select rulers because it has some grippy stuff on the back. I like that they slide less. If you’re working with a ruler that slides more, I’d recommend that you move your fingers pretty close to the edge you’re going to cut for a little bit to add some stability. That’ll help keep everything really straight so you get this nice cut.

After you’ve made your cut, you need to press before you cut this into the pieces you need. Let me set this one off to the side.

Now I’m going to cut the white. I know I’m working with an inch and a half strips so I’m going to go ahead and cut a quarter yard of these. I’m doing that same thing as before where I line up right along the bottom and then I make that straight cut. Like before, I’m using this Quilter Select ruler because I like that it is so grippy and slides a lot less.

Next, I’m going to start working with the Moda Grunge, starting with “Clear Water.” I’m going to start by just lining it up.

I think that all of these different white fabrics are going to make a fun, subtle variation. Now I’m going to finish cutting the rest of these whites out. Today I’m cutting out just a quarter yard of each one.

Now I’m going to show you how I go about pressing all of the fabric I’ve cut for this free courthouse steps quilt pattern. Seeing it all laid out, I like how these Christmas greens and whites look together.

I’m at the iron because I’ve got all these deep creases in the fabric. To get rid of them, I like to spray the fabric pieces with just some water spray. I add the water pretty evenly over the fabric. You don’t want to heavily spray. You just want to make sure it’s as even as you can across the whole thing.

When you’re pressing, you want a nice hot iron. When you’re pressing, you just want to let the weight of the iron do the work. I’m not pressing hard. I’m just letting the weight and heat do all of the work.

It takes a lot of time so this is a part where I will speed up the video.

. . .

When you make a quilt, if you want to have everything come out really square, it makes a difference if you take your time to press. This step can really help with that sewing process.

You can see how much flatter the fabric gets by just pressing using a hot iron.

I have a tendency to do a death grip on my iron. I have to try hard to remember to be really gentle with the fabric. It doesn’t really need to be manipulated at this point.

I am fortunate to be working here in the store today where we have this nice big ironing board. At home I don’t have this big of an ironing board, so there I have to move my fabric around more when pressing.

I like to let the fabric cool after pressing. That helps it stay in the flattened position. Fabric has a tendency—if you move it while it’s still hot from pressing—to return to the position from before.

Quilting is a slower process, but we’re rewarded when we take our time.

We should enjoy the work. There’s no such thing as no five-minute quilts. Enjoy all the steps along the way because while you won’t find me at home too often ironing clothes, I do iron all my fabrics. It is a step I think is really important for successful quilting.

I know pressing adds time to everything you do but it really just does set you up for more success with this courthouse steps quilt pattern if you’ve done the prep properly now.

If you like to use a lot of starch when quilting, this is a good time to use starch. I just usually use water but I know some quilters like to use starch of Best Press.

I cut a quarter yard of each of my white fabrics, but you really just need an eighth of a yard. I don’t mind having a little extra of fabric for a project, like this free courthouse steps quilt pattern.

Also, I think these are so pretty so I know it will be great to have little extra bits of all of these whites for other projects.

As I iron, you can see how beautiful the fabrics look once pressed. All I’m using is a really hot iron and some water. You can see how much smoother the fabric gets versus how it was straight off the bolt.

Having these brighter whites with touches of creams and grays should look really nice. I do all of this with each cut fabric.

. . .

Now we’re back at the cutting table with the nicely pressed pieces of fabric. I’m going to show you how I line everything up to get straight seams.

I like to work using the two salvage edges. I'm going to put them together so that they’re lined up. I look at the bottom edge and make sure it's laying really straight. I make sure everything’s lined up.

To get the fabric nice and lined up, I started practicing my left-hand cutting so I can cut both right-handed and left-handed. I have noticed that since my left hand is my less dominant hand I need to be a little slower and have a firmer grip when I cut with it. If you don’t like to cut with your less dominant hand, you could trim off this edge here, flip the fabric around, or just rotate the mat around so that you’re in your preferred position.

I know a lot of people use their lines on their mat as well as the ruler. I just kind of ignore the lines on my mat unless I’m wanting a straight line to put the fabric on.

We’re cutting one-and-a-half-inch strips, and so I line up at the one-and-a-half mark. This is going to be easier to see when we get to the white fabric. Every three to four cuts, you’re going to want to straighten back up again.

That’s because your ruler and fabric may start sliding ever so slightly—even at the best of times. I will cut a three-inch because two one-and-a-half strips can come from a three-inch strip. That’s really commonly how I cut at home.

. . .

Now I’m going to show you now my new favorite tool: the Stripology ruler!

With the Stripology ruler, the cutting goes the same way. You’re going to do a second fold lining the salvage edge up with the fold at the top. You want that to lay really straight and even.

Here, I will use my lines on my ruler to kind of make sure I’m pretty straight along these two edges because that’s going to let me know that I have a nice straight line. Then, I bring this ruler over I’m going to use this—not the black zero line. Instead, I’m going to use the white line that’s a half inch that way with the dark fabric I like to line up on a white line here, just making a cut right at the zero.

Now we’re going to do more one-and-a-half-inch cuts. Those are actually marked with stars at the bottom of your Stripology ruler. So you’re just going to come across and do those one-and-a-half-inch cuts. Then, you’re going to want to cut at the three.

Then, you’ll go to your next and start another cut at the four-and-a-half-inch mark. After that, then the six-inch mark, seven-and-a-half-inch mark, nine-inch mark, and ten-and-a-half-inch mark.

Make sure you have a nice sharp blade as you’re cutting. This will help you make good, clean cuts along the way.

These one-and-a-half-inch strips look good. You can see how quickly the Stripology ruler works. It does take a little time and practice [to get used to], but it has become an absolute favorite tool of mine.

. . .

This whole quilt is one-and-a-half-inch strips. Here, I’m lining up that top and the bottom again so the fabric is really even. Then, I’m going to be using the Stripology ruler. I’ll do that second fold now to make sure everything’s quick and easy to cut out.

I’ll cut one with the regular ruler first so you can see that. Then, I’ll use the Stripology ruler for the rest because this will be a little easier.

Okay, now let me flip this around the way. I like it to have it with the fold at the bottom and I just go to that one-inch line to make sure we’re getting all this fabric off here on the edge. I’ve unfortunately put my rotary cutter way over there. I will use my left hand and come along, just trimming that away. Then, I’ll do an inch and a half, which is lining right up that inch and a half line the whole way down.

I certainly hope that you’re having a great day. Be kind to yourself—and, I hope you win that next game of bobbin chicken. Keep having fun, and see you next week!