Summer Scrap Elimination 2020: Week 2
Good morning Scrappers!
Welcome to week 2! This week we have some fun with flying geese and some fun settings in two different block options. We're also going to have a video on using a partial seam and a free motion idea for quilting one of your projects!
Cutting for One 16" block:
Cut 6 squares of your chosen color 5 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Cut 8 squares of your chosen color 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
Cut 2 squares of your background 5 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Cut 24 squares of your background 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
We are going to be making Flying Geese using the 4 at a time method. These will finish 2" x 4". Now if you have made this version of Flying Geese before, you already know what to do with all of the squares in the cut list, but if you haven't, we're going to walk through the process together.
Ok, quick confession. I made pillows for our couch when my husband and I were first out of undergrad which was 20 years ago and bought our first living room set. We have those same aged pillows on our couch today (different couch thank goodness). Last fall my husband mentioned for the umpteenth time that our pillows were looking a little run down. Trust me friends, he's being kind. They look awful. So I promised to turn at least one of the Summer Scrap Elimination projects into something that would result in new couch pillows to go with the couch we just bought in December.
I had a large piece of left over grey from a quilt back, a lot of navy (also from a quilt back), and a few pieces of a pretty reddish fabric and that's where this week's projects come from.
Making Flying Geese 4 at a time
Step 1: Cut the necessary squares of color and background. The larger square will be the "goose" and the smaller squares will be the wings. For this block, 8 of the Geese will be in the background color and 24 of the Geese will be in the focal color.
Step 2. Layer two of the smaller squares on
top of one of the large squares, overlapping the corners of the smaller squares just a little as you see in the adjacent image.
Step 3. Draw a diagonal line across both layered small squares from corner to corner.
Step 4. Stitch 1/4" on either side of the drawn
line and then cut apart on the drawn line.
If you use a seam guide like I do and you trust yourself to deal with a bias seam, you can skip drawing the line and just cut as shown here.
Then stitch with the aid of your seam guide. I prefer this method because keeping track of my perfect seam requires no effort at all. As you can see in this image, I'm a fan of the Ideal Seam Guide from Sew Very Smooth. They really are fantastic and I'm often complimented on perfectly sized blocks and excellent seams.
If you visit Sew Very Smooth and purchase a seam guide, I suggest the Student Edition seam guide set. It's perfect for everything!
Step 4: I like to press towards the wings of my
Goose. In this case, I'm pressing towards the background. You can press towards the goose itself if you like.
Your pieces will now look a little like two pointy hearts.
Step 5: Add another small square to each
heart as shown here. Again, draw a diagonal line from the center corner of the new square to the bottom point of the "heart".
Stitch on either side of the diagonal line and then cut apart on the line.
Press towards the same fabric you chose the first time. In my case, I have pressed toward the background wing.
Or, if using a seam guide, go ahead and cut where you would have drawn the line. Stitch, both sides. Press as recommended above.
Voila! You have made 4 Flying Geese in record time! Repeat this process with all your Geese. I used to make the first four to remind myself how the process works and then make them in a sort of assembly line. Now I'm brave and I make them with as many as will fit on my little round mat at a time.
Here's a peak at what my sewing table looks like when I'm in Geese production.
Then I cut them all and stitch, so I can chain my pieces and work more quickly.
I also like to use a stiletto while working with bias edges so I can control the small points.
If this is the first time you have used this method, you may want to pin your pieces together before you stitch. Obviously I've gotten pretty confident and I save some time by not pinning. If you're a confident piecer, you might like to try this method without pinning and see if you like it.
Create 32 Geese. 24 with the focal as the Goose and 8 with the background as the Goose.
Step 5: Organize your Block
As you can see in this image, laying out your whole block can be super helpful in staying organized as you complete construction. I really love this design. This block is variation on a traditional block I saw in an antique quilt once upon a time. When I redrew the block, I realized I could change the coloration and mirror portions of the block to get this appearance of "blossoms" on the outside corners and a sort of triple diamond in the center.
I went ahead and started with piecing all of the Geese in the center of the Block organization. Stitching the long sides of the Geese together first.
Step 6:
Start final block construction by connecting the two Geese in the middle by their long edge and press toward the darker Goose.
Connect the two on the right side on the short side and press toward the lower Goose.
Step 7: Continue Assembly
Stitch the two geese to either side of the middle section to create the "blossom" shape. Press toward the darker Geese.
Finally attach the two Geese you see at the top of this image and press toward them.
Step 8: Check the organization of your
block one more time and complete the construction.
If you like to nest your seams you may wish to alternate the direction of the final pressing in Step 7 in two of the sections so you can align them successfully.
I admit, I'm totally in love with this block.
Make three of them and stitch them end to end for a great table runner.
Make 4 of them and add a border for a perfect crib quilt.
Add borders and turn them into 20" pillows (I'll have photos of mine by the end of the Summer Scrap Elimination).
Or make a bunch of them and create a bed quilt. The sub pattern you get from this block is pretty fun!
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10" Block Cutting
Cut 2 squares of your chosen color 5 1/4" x 5 1/4"
Cut 8 squares of your background 2 7/8" x 2 7/8"
Cut 1 square of your background 2 1/2" x 2 1/2"
Cut 4 rectangles of your background 2 1/2" x 4 1/2"
Step 1: Follow the directions in the first section to make 8 Flying Geese with your 5 1/4" squares of color and your 2 7/8" squares of background. Press toward the background in all instances.
Step 2: Organize your pieces
This block employs a partial seam and if your familiar with partial seaming, you'll loo at this layout and know exactly what you're supposed to do.
If you haven't used a partial seam before and this looks worrisome, I have made this great little 6 minute video and posted it on my YourTube channel to show you how to assemble this block.
I added borders to mine to make it large enough to create a 14" finish pillow. This is not a normal size, but apparently when I made couch pillows 20 years ago, I was just as abnormal as I am now.
To see how I quilted this pillow using my Dr. Suess Stipple Design, watch this little free motion video on my YouTUbe channel!
This week we're offering you a fun little giveaway opportunity! Everyone loves a giveaway! We'll hold a drawing at 6pm this Sunday, June 28, to choose a lucky winner of a pair of my Amity Gloves like you see me using in the video. To be entered in the drawing, visit my Swan Amity Studios Facebook page or my Instagram @SwanAmity and comment on the post about this week's Blog!
I hope you're enjoying the Summer Scrap Elimination! We have 4 more weeks coming at you! Next week we'll be looking at a log cabin variation that just chews through scraps. I liked it so much I might have to make 2! Until next week, keep on that scrap elimination diet and cut those scrap piles into beautiful new projects!
