Variable Star - February's Block

Variable Star
(Flying Geese technique)

Cutting
Traditional Piecing
Background
1 3 ½ x 14 (4-3 ½” squares)
1 7 ¼ square (cut diagonally twice)

Fabric 4
1 3 7/8 x 15 ½ ( 4-3 7/8 squares cut diagonally once)
4 3 7/8 squares
(I would cut 4 x 16 & 4” squares)

Fabric 5
1 6 ½” square

Speed Piecing
Background
1 3 ½ x 14 (4- 3 ½” squares)
1 3 ½ x 26 (4- 3 ½ x 6 ½)

Fabric 4
1 7 x 14 square
8 3 ½” squares

Fabric 5
1 6 ½” square


Making Flying Geese
Traditional Method
1. Line up the long side of a Fabric 4 triangle with a short side of a background triangle.
2. Sew ¼” seam.
3. Press toward Fabric 4.
4. Repeat process for the other short side of the background triangle.
5. One Flying Geese unit completed.
6. Repeat to make three more Flying Geese units.

Speed Piecing Method
1. Draw a line diagonally across the back of each of Fabric 4’s 3 ½” squares.
2. To make one flying geese unit, place a Fabric 4 square right sides together atop a Background rectangle, with outer edges aligned.
3. Sew on the drawn line.
4. Trim ¼” from sewn line.
5. Press towards Fabric 4.
6. Repeat this with another Fabric 4 square on the other end of the rectangle.
7. Repeat to make three more Flying Geese units.

Whichever method you choose to make, you need to make four of these units...

Block Assembly
1. Lay your block out according to the picture provided.
2. Sew 1 3 ½” square to each end of 2 of the flying geese.
3. Press toward background square.
4. Sew a Flying geese unit to each side of the Fabric 5 - 6 ½” square.
5. Press toward Fabric 5 square.
6. Sew top row to middle row. (Nuzzle seams so it lines up nice).
7. Press toward middle row.
8. Sew bottom row to other side of middle row. (Nuzzle seams so it lines up nice)
9. Press toward middle row.

Done!

Which Way Paper Piecing Block - April's Block

Paper Piecing Pattern

Need 4 patterns - Double-click the pictures and Print at 110% to get the right sized pattern. Mark one pattern with A and another with B to make the four patterns.

Pattern C
Pattern D

Cutting - Pos = Position on the pattern

Background - 8 - 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" (Pos 2 & 3) AND 4 - 4 3/4" squares cut diagonally once (Pos 5 & 6)

Fabrid 9 (Light) - 2 - 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" (Pos 1) and 1 - 8" square cut diagonally twice (Pos 4) Only use two of these triangles

Fabric 10 (Dark) - 2 - 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" (Pos 1) and 1 - 8 " square cut diagonally twice (Pos 4) Only use two of these triangles

Contruction

1. Set your sewing machine stitch length to a small stitch...about 12-18 per inch. This will aid in perforation (and later removal) of the paper foundation. The side with the
   numbers and squares will be the BACK side of your block.
2. Pick up the piece of fabric cut for position 1 (Pos 1). Center this fabric, right side up, on the RIGHT (unprinted) side on the foundation paper.
3. Flip the paper over and hold it up to a light to see if you have it covering the "1" space, plus at least 1/4" beyond each side.
4. Pin in place.
5. Pick up the position 2 (Pos 2) fabric. Place this right sides together with the position 1 fabric.
6. Flip the paper over and hold it up to a light to see if you have it covering the "2" space, plus at least1/4" beyond each side.
7. Hold this in place.
8. Flip the paper and fabric over.
9. Stitch on the line between Position 1 and Position 2 with a short backstitch at the beginning and end.
10. Fold the paper back at the line just sewn.
11. Trim the seam allowances back to just 1/4", being careful not to cut the paper off.
12. Flip it all back over.
13. Press out the Position 2 fabric, using a dry iron and gentle pressure.
14. Fold the paper back at the line between Positions 1 and 3.
15. Trim to a 1/4" seam allowance.
16. Pick up the Position 3 fabric.
17. Lay the fabric, right side over the Position 1 fabric.
18. Flip the paper over and hold it up to a light to position Position 3 fabric over Position 3 and ensure there is 1/4" fabric all the way around.
19. Hold the fabric in place and flip over again.
20. Stitch on the line between Positions 1 and 3, making sure to backstitch at the beginning and end.
21. Fold back the paper, trim to a 1/4" without cutting the paper.
22. Flip the square over again.
23. Press out the Position 3 fabric, using a dry iron and gentle pressure.
24. Fold the paper back at the line between Positions 1, 2, 3, and 4. Trim the seam allowance.
25. Pick up the Position 4 fabric.
26. Lay this over Position 4 with right side of frabric over the edge just trimmed.
    Make sure the fabric covers Position 4 with 1/4" extra to cover the edges.
27. If needed, check the position of the fabric by flipping the paper over and holding it in front of a light.
28. Stitch on the line between Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 backstitching at the beginning and ending.
29. Fold the paper at the line just sewn.
30. Trim the seam allowances, being careful to not cut the paper.
31. Flip the paper over again.
32. Press out the Position 4 fabric with a dry iron and gentle pressure.
33. Fold the paper back at the line between Positions 4 and 5.
34. Trim to a 1/4" seam allowance.
35. Pick up the Position 5 fabric.
36. Lay the Position 5 fabric right sides toghether over the Position 4 fabric. The Position 5 fabric should cover the Position with 1/4 " left all the way around. Check the fabrics using a light before sewing if necessary.
37. Stitch on the line between Positions 4 and 5, backstitching at the beginning and ending.
38. Fold the paper back.
39. Trim the seam allowance.
40. Flip the paper over.
41. Press out the Position 5 fabric with a dry iron using gentle pressure.
42. Pick up the Position 6 fabric.
43. Lay the Position 6 fabric right sides together wover Position 4 fabric. The Position 6 fabric should cover the Position with 1/4" left all the way around. Check the position in the light before sewing if necessary.
44. Stitch on the line between Positions 4 and 6, backstitching at the beginning and ending.
45. Fold the paper back at the line just sewn.
46. Trim the seam allowance.
47. Press out the Position 6 fabric with a dry iron using gentle pressure.
48. Make three more following steps 1-47.
49. Once all four squares are made, trim each square along the 1/4" seam along the outer edges of the paper piecing pattern.
50. Remove the paper.
51. Layout the 4 squares according to the picture.
52. Sew the 2 top squares together with a 1/4" seam.
53. Sew the 2 bottom squares together with a 1/4" seam.
54. Press to one side, opposite of each other, to nestle the seams.
55. Sew the two rows together.

Block Complete!
If you would like the full size pattern, email Heritage Quilters

Rail Fence - March Block

Strip Piecing Technique

Cut:
Background 1 - 1 ½” x Width Of Fabric (WOF)
Fabric 6 (light) 1 - 1 ½” x WOF
Fabric 7 (medium) 1 - 1 ½” x WOF
Fabric 8 (dark) 1 - 1 ½” x WOF

Piece

1. Use ¼” seam.
2. Sew the Background fabric strip along the right side of the Fabric 6 (light) fabric strip.
3. Sew the Fabric 7 (medium) fabric strip along the right side of the Fabric 8 (dark) fabric strip.
4. Sew the Background/Fabric 6 strips along the right side of the Fabric 7/ Fabric 8 strips.
5. Press all seam toward the dark strip.
   
   This creates our Strip Set. This should measure 4 ½” across.
   
6. Cross cut the strip set into NINE 4 ½” squares.
   
7. Now layout the squares in 9-patch fashion according to the picture. Turn your squares until your layout looks like the picture.
   
8. Now we are going to sew the block together:
   The top center square to the top right square,
   The middle center square to the middle right square
   The bottom center square to the bottom right square
   
9. Press making sure that the middle row is pressed the opposite direction as the top and bottom rows.
   Top left to the top unit
   Middle left to the middle unit
   Bottom left to the bottom unit
   
10. Press making sure the middle row is pressed the opposite direction as the top and bottom rows
11. Sew the top row to the middle row
12. Press to one side
13. Sew the bottom row to the unit just sewn.
14. Press to one side
    
    Block is complete!!
    

Traditional Manner

Background 9 - 1 ½” x 4 ½”
Fabric 6 (light) 9 - 1 ½” x 4 ½”
Fabric 7 (medium) 9 - 1 ½” x 4 ½”
Fabric 8 (dark) 9 - 1 ½” x 4 ½”

Sew together as stated in the strip piecing method, you just have to do it 9 times to create the 9 squares for the block.