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!

January 2010 Quilt Workshop - Hourglass - Pinwheel Block

In January, we work with Quarter Square Triangles to add the Hourglass or Pinwheel block to our group. Here are the instructions.

Cutting
Background 2 7 1/4” squares (I usually cut a little larger 7 1/2”)
Fabric 3 on list 2 7 1/4” squares (I usually cut a little larger 7 1/2”)

Cut one of the Background squares and one of the Fabric 3 squares diagonally twice.
Draw a line diagonally across the other background square.

Traditional Method
1. Layout 4 of the triangles as shown.

2. With right sides together, sew top background triangle to right Fabric 3 triangle.
3. With right sides together, sew bottom background triangle to left Fabric 3 triangle.
4. Press toward Fabric 3.
5. With right sides together nuzzle the seams and sew ¼” seam along long side of triangles.
6. Press one direction.
7. Repeat steps 1 - 6.
8. You should have 2 quarter square triangles created the traditional way.

Speed Method
1. Pair the other background square with the other Fabric 3 square, right sides together.
2. Sew 1/4” on each side of the drawn line.
3. Cut on the drawn line.
4. Press toward Fabric 3.
5. Draw a line diagonally so it crosses the seam just sewn across one of the half square triangles just created.
6. Pair the two half square triangles just created, right sides together, nuzzling seams.
7. Sew 1/4” on each side of the drawn line.
8. Cut on the drawn line.
9. Press one direction.
10. You should have 2 quarter square triangles created the speed method way.
(If you cut your squares larger then you will need to trim the squares down to 6 ½” square)

Block assembly
1. Layout the 4 triangles out according to the picture of the block.
2. With right sides together sew the top two squares together.
3. With right sides together sew the bottom two squares together.
4. Press seams opposite.
5. With right sides together sew the top row to the bottom row (nuzzle seams).
6. Press seam one direction.

Block complete!

December 2009 - Friendship Star

Cutting:
Background 4 4 ½” squares
2 4 7/8” squares (I usually cut 5” squares)

Fabric 2 1 4 ½” square
2 4 7/8” squares (I usually cut 5” squares)

Assembly:
1. Cut 1 of the background 4 7/8” squares in half diagonally once.
2. Cut 1 of the Fabric 2 - 4 7/8” squares in half diagonally once.
3. Draw a line diagonally across the remaining background 4 7/8” square.

Triangle method:
a. Match a background triangle with a fabric 2 triangle.
b. Sew ¼” seam along the diagonal cut.
c. Press toward darker fabric.
d. Repeat with remaining triangles.
e. Trim squares to 4 ½” .

Speed Piece method:
a. Match the background 4 7/8” square with the fabric 2 - 4 7/8” square.
b. Sew ¼” seam on each side of the line drawn diagonally across the
background 4 7/8” square.
c. Cut diagonally on the drawn line.
d. Press toward darker fabric
e. Trim squares to 4 ½” .

4. Following the block picture layout all the 4 ½” squares.
5. Sew the block together as you did the 9-patch block.
(making sure the half-square triangles are going the right direction)



Block Complete!!!!

November 2009 - 9-Patch Block

Nine-Patch Block

Cutting:
Background - 4 4 ½” squares Fabric 1 - 5 4 ½” squares

Assembly:
1. Layout squares as in block
2. Starting at right side, match up each square along right side with the adjacent square of the middle column. Sew ¼” seam along one side of each of the 3 sets.
3. Press toward Fabric 1.
4. Place pressed units back in layout as in picture above.
5. Match each unit with the left most square of each row. Sew ¼” seam.
6. Press toward Fabric 1.
7. You will now have 3 rows. Lay the top row right-side down on top of the middle row.
8. Nestle the seams together and pin at the seams along the top. Sew ¼” seam.
9. Press toward middle row.
10. Lay the top row right-side down on top of middle row.
11. Nestle the seams together and pin at the seams. Sew ¼” seam.
12 Press toward middle row.


Block complete!