Here is another block that has been around for years.  It is another easy 9-patch block.  It is made from squares and half square triangles.  I think the reason we see so many of these type blocks in vintage quilts is that they are so easy to make. 

To the left you can see the 9 grids of this block.  All you need to do is figure out the size of your patches and make your half square triangles.  Then cut your squares to match.  Sew them together, and you are done.

You could also make this block by cutting rectangles for the top and bottom and then using the snowball method to make the half square triangles. This would eliminate 4 of the seams, but would take away the scrappy look.

The traditional layout for this block is to alternate the direction of the spools.  As you can see from the picture above, this block has been constructed with batik fabric.  The mark of a good quilt block is that it looks just as good in a modern fabric as in a vintage print.