Block 10 will be a chance for you to learn the stitch and flip method of making flying geese.
You will need 16 light 2 1/2″ squares and four dark 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ rectangles and four med light rectangles.
You will use two 2 1/2″ squares on each rectangle. Draw a diagonal line on the back of each of the 16 squares.
Place a rectangle with long edge facing you. Next lay a square on the left edge of the rectangle RST with the marked diagonal line in the lower left corner. You will sew a scant 1/4″ along the top side of the line. Sew then fold lower triangle of the square up and confirm it matches the fabrics below it. If it does, you have correctly matched the fabrics, drawn a straight line corner to corner, and sewed one thread width on the left top of the diagonal. Provided the fabrics matched when you folded up the corner, you now cut off 1/4″ above the line and press the corner up with the iron. You will do the exact same thing on the right, again placing the line at the lower corner and the upper corner will be 2 1/2″ to the left of the upper corner. Once you feel the seam allows the square fabric to fold up and match the ones beneath, you may then cut the bottom two fabrics 1/4″ from the stitching. Do this same process for all eight flying geese units.
Sew 4 identical units with a med light goose and a dark goose, light goose being followed by the dark one. Set up row ! with left pair of geese pointing away from you; right pair pointing to your right; row 2 right pair pointing down toward you, left pair pointing to the left. If you are seeing a dark fabric pinwheel, you have properly placed your geese and may see the units together and then the rows.
So, what do you think of the stitch and flip method of doing flying geese? If you want to try a different way of marking the diagonal you can fold the squares on the diagonal, WST, finger press or with an iron, and sew following the crease when you open it and place it on the rectangle. If you fold and press with the right sides together, you will be stitching near the top of the incline which is more difficult for precision stitching. There will come a time if you use the stitch and flip method that you will not have to mark the square and still be able to stitch a perfect line. I am working on a quilt that requires over 400 – 2 1/2″ half square triangles. No way am I going to draw that many lines!
Just 2 more blocks and sashing will begin. Next week after the blocks, I will give you instruction for squaring up your blocks so all are the same size. Then I’ll give you cutting instructions for the sashings and corner stones so they will be ready the following week.
So close to being done! We will sew on the sashings and corner stones, have fun placing the blocks in a 3 across – 4 down pattern that is most pleasing to you. Once you have a layout you like, you will sew blocks into rows and then rows together.
If you like it the way it looks, you don’t have to put on borders. For those who want to, I will be doing a post on how to measure, cut and attach the borders. The next step for everyone, bordered and borderless, is making your backing and quilt sandwich.
I will do a separate post with directions on how to make a quilt sandwich with backing, batting, and your pieced top. Likewise, I will do another post on how to attach binding once the quilting is completed. These will be posted under the Sampler Quilt-a-Long for easy reference for this quilt and others you make.
I’d love to see what you have made. Feel free to post a photo in the comment section or send it to me via email at stitcher@sewingwithstitcher.com if you don’t want the world to see how great you did on this fun project.