Rhonda

Here is this weeks block. It is a version of Flying Geese. I make my geese with 2 HSTs. Of course you are welcome to make yours any way you like.

this week's quilt block uses a 2 1/2" quilt block

Here are my HST tutorials
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ks-t37915.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...rs-t46365.html
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ts-t23252.html

This is the version I use alot. I like to vary the reds and the blues etc. You can make each one diff where here I paired up 2 the same in each color group.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]391185[/ATTACH]

You could also do them all scrappy with no controlled look. I did use the same color in the center as I think it allows the geese to show up better.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]391186[/ATTACH]

Or you can do the geese scrappy and use a solid background.
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Here is the layout. You can just use whatever color way above you like. the layout will be the same.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]391191[/ATTACH]

Hope you all have fun with this one!

Foxflower

Well, I got the first 2 weeks done (after completing my UFO goal, yeah!)......
[ATTACH=CONFIG]391204[/ATTACH]

I cheated on the corners of the star, but I really wanted the star to be the most obvious part of the block. I'm trying to used these 12.5"scrap blocks to go into a quilt for which I already have blue/yellow/white starts collected.

Foxflower

Rhonda, this week's block is lovely. I have to confess; I'm one of those people who rarely makes a recipe exactly the way it is written. I find I'm having that tendency with these scrappy blocks. So, even though I think you're blocks are great, I find myself unable to resist altering them a tiny bit to suit me or the quilt I think they need to go in. I hope that doesn't offend, it certainly isn't intended to.

Muse&Sew

I like your blocks foxflower!

Rhonda

You're blocks are great! I'm not offended. I am the same way. I like to put my own touch on what I do. I love to share my methods and when I am teaching it is more important to me to get across the method of making hte Boston blocks or any other of my shortcut blocks.

Foxflower

Oh good. I've been using the template you sent (thanks again!). I haven't had much trouble with the bias either. The trouble I have had is with that stretch denim I used....too thick. Thanks for the fun new method. I think my blue and yellow scraps are going to get used.

Thank you Bbemerald

vickig626

Rhonda - have a question -- when you use your cut down method, do you typically use "close to similar" sizes for the strips or doesn't it matter?

Also, if you have some "wider" strips that you're sewing together for this method, would you make the HSTs the largest size you can? or do you stick with typically 2-1/2" HSTs.

reason I ask -- I'm using Bonnie Hunter's Leaders and Enders method to get some of these strips sewn up but don't want to bother with making specific cut strips first. I just pulled a bunch of light and dark scraps and making a straight line for stitching together. If I need to make everything specific sizes, I might not and end up with even more scraps.

thanks for any tips .... love your cut down method and want to utilize it as much as possible.

Rhonda

I'm basically lazy so for me I don't go to any more work than I have to. I would use what you have and don't cut to any specific size for the strips. I rough cut mine which means I look at the fabric and just cut off a piece without measuring. I tend to cut wider than I think I need and my strips are never cut precisely to a size. I worry more about not having it wide enough and less about having any leftovers.

as to the size of the template. I start out planning to make a certain size HSTs. so if I need 2 1/2" then that is what I cut my strips for. I dont' measure I eye the fabric and just cut wide so it will not be less than I need. If you have scraps already then just use them how they come but make sure they are wider than the template you are going to use. If my scrap is too small for a 2 1/2 then I use it for a 1 1/2" etc.

If you are doing a scrappy I like to lay them in two piles and I can then pull from the top of each pile and sew those two together and continue doing that til I have the piles all sewn together.

Rhonda

BTW I am a dump cook too LOL I never follow a recipe exactly. I just put in what I want to put in! LOL

vickig626

Rhonda - thanks for the tips. My scraps can be up to a FQ but usually just leftover pieces from projects. So, I have different wide strips and odd sizes. I'm also doing the quilt-along and the BOM here on the board so between your scrap blocks and these, I should destash quite a bit this year....at least that's my plan :-)

Oh, and I guess I'm a dump cook too. That's how my mom taught me to cook -- "just put some of this, some of that". After years of practice, I figured out what "some of" is LOL