101 Patchwork Patterns Block 11

The schedule for The Road Home Row Along will be published on Monday at www.seamstobesew.com. I am very excited to be participating in this for the first time. This will continue to Row by Row Experience we've all been doing this summer, with no travel involved. Every Tuesday and Thursday starting September 6 bloggers will share their row pattern for free on their blog. There will be lots of prizes, too. My post will be September 8th. I hope you can visit me, and others during The Road Home.

Block 11 Corn and Beans

Download a pdf pattern for Corn and Beans

This week's block has a lot of pieces but is fairly easy. I'm going to show you a new way to make flying geese units, too.

First you will make 4 half square triangle blocks using 2 yellow and 2 beige 2-3/8" squares. Then  the remaining 4 yellow squares get cut in half, diagonally. These pieces are sewn onto the half square triangle piece one at a time. In this photo I sewed the top triangle, then the bottom. Note that the diagonal edges of the triangles face the same way, away from the half square triangle unit.

Next, using 2 beige 3-7/8" squares cut on the diagonal, add to the unit made above. This will give you the 4 corners of the block.

Flying Geese x 4

This is a method of making flying geese where you don't have to cut and sew half square triangles. I'm always worried I'll stretch the diagonal cut bias edge and make a wonky block. By using this method you won't have the cut edges to deal with.

Using the 4-1/4" green square and 4, 2-3/8" beige squares, do the following steps:

Place 2 of the beige squares right sides together with the green square, aligned as shown. Draw a line across the center of the beige squares and sew 1/4" to either side. Or, in the photo above, I used the Fons & Porter Quarter Inch Seam Ruler and drew the 2 sewing lines. 

I've had the rulers for a while and never tried them. I'm happy with the results - I think I was more consistent sewing on lines rather than using the foot to guide me along a center line. These are available anywhere that sells sewing notions. If you are like me and have them lying in a drawer, give them a try.

After sewing the two lines, cut the diagonal between the sewing lines.

 Press the attached half square triangles away from the green goose fabric. Place a single 2-3/8" beige square on each half, and sew either side of the diagonal.

Cut on the diagonal between the sewn lines; press. You now have 4 flying geese units for your block.

Make 1 4 patch using the 2" green and beige squares.

Make 2 of each

Make 4 half square triangle units using 2, 2-3/8" green and 2, 2-3/8" beige squares. These are then oriented as shown here, and a 2" beige square added. These are then sewn to the flying geese, making 2 of each arrangement shown.

Now you are ready to assemble your block. I always place all of the pieces of the block in their respective positions, and then it's simply sewing a 9 patch together. The corner units and the flying geese units are easy to position wrong and I hate to have to rip out seams.

Thanks for visiting today. I hope you all have time to quilt!

Mary