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.)

Merry Christmas!

Wow!  Did you hear that one?!  Thunderstorms are not the norm for Christmas time in North Texas.  I hope your sleighs are all safely packed in the garage and that you don't wake up in Kansas....unless of course that is where you expect to be.

I want to remind you that we will NOT be doing the block of the month swap at the December meeting of the Frisco Quilt Guild.  You have until our January meeting to finish the blocks you have.

Sometime between now and Christmas I will sit down and post directions for your bonus blocks....you don't have to make them...I'm just being OCD and giving you a twelfth block. 

Have a spectacular holiday.

God bless,

Cindy 

Month 7 - Bonus Block - Forest Flakes

The votes are in....after some slight discussion at the Guild meeting last night it was decided to skip a month.

FQG - the December block, Dancing Tulips will be turned in at our January meeting.  There will be NO BOM swap at the Christmas party in December.

Everyone else - I have decided that I am a little OCD.  It bothers me to skip a month.  It shouldn't...but it is a "block of the month" not a "block of the when I feel like it."  No judgement, just sayin', my issues.  So look for a new pattern toward the end of December.  You can call it my gift to you.

(same block, different color placement)

Month 7?

Hello Quilty Friends,

I have a problem.  My son... that is him in the picture, his name is John... turns 16 on December 20.  (That's not the problem.)  That is also the night of our Christmas party and the date I would release the next block in our series.  (Problem.)

This is the quilt that I have in mind.  Doesn't it look cold?!  Imagine black and white corners with blues and purples in the center....oh yeah....and now imagine silver or blue metallic thread quilting cozy layers together with snow flakes or mittens.  Go light the fire and put on some hot chocolate.

The pattern is the same as Month 5 - November 2011, only the center block is changed to a nine patch.  I've named it Forest Flakes because I can't decide if it is a cold dark forest or a blizard of giant snow flakes.

Here's my question....wanna make it?....wanna chance to win all of the blocks, and free quilting?  Can we provide our own black and white fabric for the corners this time?  (Then I won't have to be at the meeting for this to work....not that I won't, but a boy only turns 16 once and I'd like the option to be with him.)

Leave me a comment - yes you can provide your own fabric for this, no you can not.  (Like that subtle print change hoping to influence your vote?  Sneaky huh.  I'll let you know how the vote goes.