Month 7 - Bonus Block - Forest Flakes

General description of block: This is a nine patch block with Quilty Friend’s signature corners, flying geese, and a nine patch center. The block was inspired by the Indians & Pilgrims block I designed for November and suggests four trees radiating from the center of the block. It might also be viewed as a four sided snow flake. It uses 4 of the 5 selected fabrics.

Cutting directions: (42 pieces)

FQG - There are NO kits for this block. It will NOT be made as part of our monthly block lottery.

Corner fabrics:

• From dark - cut 1, 5 1/4 inch square. Sub-cut this square diagonally into 4 small triangles.
• From light - cut 1, 5 1/4 inch square. Sub-cut this square diagonally into 4 small triangles.

Body fabrics: (background, contrast 1 and contrast 2)

• From darkest fabric
• cut 8, 4 ½ x 2 ½ inch rectangles for middle edge blocks
• cut 4, 1 7/8 inch squares for center block
• From lightest fabric
• cut 2, 5 1/4 inch squares; sub cut them on the diagonal into 4 large triangles for corner blocks.
• cut 5, 1 7/8 inch square for center block
• cut 16, 2 ½ inch squares for middle edge blocks.

Piecing directions:

Corners -

• Sew one dark and one light small triangle together to make one large triangle.
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, iron seams open.
• Make 4 identical large triangles.
• Using the right angle to align the pieces, sew each two colored triangle to a large lightest color triangle.
• Trim the excess seam allowance (this should be lightest fabric.)
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, iron seams toward the lightest fabric.
• Make 4 identical squares.
• Trim squares to 4 ½ inches.

 

Middle Edge block - Each edge block is made of two flying goose blocks

• Draw a diagonal line on wrong side of all lightest 2 ½ inch squares. (There should be 16)
• Align 2 ½ square with a corner of a rectangle of darkest fabric with right sides together and the drawn line parallel to the corner.
• Sew on diagonal line.
• Fold lightest fabric back so piece is a 2 ½ x 4 ½ inch rectangle with a light corner. There should be three pieces of fabric meeting in one corner. Iron.
• Do this a second time on the corner adjacent along the long edge of the rectangle.
• Leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance, trim excess fabric from back of block.
• Ta-da! You just made a goose. Now make 7 more.
• Sew two goose blocks together, with dark triangles pointing in the same direction (Point to long edge.) This completes one edge block.  Make 3 more.

Center Block - Nine patch

Piece together the 9 1 7/8 inch squares to make a nine patch block as shown. Trim square to 4 1/2".

Block -

• row 1& 3 - corner square with light & dark side on the outside edge; middle edge block with geese pointing up; corner square with light & dark side on the outside edge.
• row 2 - middle edge block with geese pointing to the left; background square; middle edge block with geese pointing to the right.
• Assemble rows so that same fabrics are touching to make one 12 ½ inch block (actual size, including future seam allowances.)