Dakota Gold
Free Quilt Block Pattern
The Dakota Gold quilt block is a five patch style block, so that makes the math easy. It contains only simple patches -- squares, rectangles and half square triangles -- which as you probably already know -- are the first pieced patches you learn as a beginner quiltmaker.
I generally choose to design the construction of five patch blocks as an uneven nine patch, because I feel that the sewing is easier to work in "chunks" rather than row by row. (This is a personal choice, so please feel free to sew in rows if that is your preference.)