Comforts of Home Scrap Quilt Block Pattern

Comforts of Home Quilt Block Pattern
12-inch Finished Quilt Block

The colors and fabrics depicted in this patchwork quilt block remind me of cozy winter evenings in front of the fireplace, but you can change its character entirely by sewing with juvenile fabrics, depression era reproductions, watercolor prints, batiks -- the list is endless and the choice is yours.

The instructions make three identical blocks. Repeat all steps to make as many blocks as needed for your quilt, varying the fabrics in each set of three to keep things scrappy.

Fabric Choices

A - Medium Value, Cool

B - Dark Value, Warm

C - Dark Value, Cool

D - Light Value, Neutral

E - Med-Light Value, Cool

**Fabric Cutting Chart**
Fabric	Qty	Size
A	6 1	3-1/2" Squares 2-1/2" x 17" strip
B	6 1	3-1/2" Squares 2-1/2" x 17" strip
C	12 1	3-1/2" x 6-1/2" rectangles 2-1/2" x 9" strip
D	24	3-1/2" Squares
E	1 2	2-1/2" x 17" strip 2-1/2" x 9" strips

*Cut all pieces so the fabric's straight grain runs parallel to the outer edges.

*Use an exact 1/4" seam allowance for all seams.

Make the 9-Patch Centers

1. Sew the three 2-1/2" x 17" strips together into a strip set as shown, with the med-light cool fabric in the center. Carefully press seam allowances away from the center strip.

2. Use Rotary equipment to square-up one end of the strip set. Cut six 2-1/2" segments from it. Check the leading edge often to make sure it remains at a 90 degree angle with the long edge.

3. Sew the three shorter strips together, with the dark-cool strip in the center. Press seam allowances toward the center strip. Square up one end of the strip set and cut three 2-1/2" segments from it.

4. Arrange two segments from Step 2 and one segment from Step 3 to form a nine-patch unit, flipping one outer unit around so that like-fabrics are arranged diagonally from each other as shown.

Sew units together, matching seams carefully. Press new seam allowances in any direction. Make a total of three nine-patch units.

Make the Quick-Pieced Flying Geese Units

1. Select a dark-cool rectangle and two light neutral squares. Draw a line from corner to corner on the back side of each square.

2. Align a marked square with the end of a dark rectangle, right sides together and diagonal line as shown below. Sew on the line. Trim away the excess fabric that extends past the seam, leaving a 1/4" seam allowance. Press to set the seam. Flip the light triangle right side up. Press open.

3. Repeat to sew another square to the opposite side, taking care to position the second square as shown. Make a total of 12 "geese" units.

Did You Know
Breifly setting the iron straight down on aligned units helps keep them stuck together for sewing. A big help for chain piecing.

Assemble the Block

1. Position the flying geese unit with its dark triangle pointing down. Sew a dark-warm square to the left end and a medium-cool square to the right end. Press seam allowances towards the squares. Make twelve identical narrow rows.

2. Sew a flying geese unit to each side of a nine-patch unit.

The dark triangles in the geese units should point outward.
The dark-warm squares should be in the upper right and lower left positions as shown below.

Press seam allowances toward the nine patch unit. Assemble three identical units.

3. Sew a narrow row to each side of the block, matching seams carefully. Dark triangles should again point outward. Press the block and make two more.

Variations

You can change this block dramatically by altering the placement of the flying geese and other units.

A shift in value placement will do even more to create an entirely different block. Use the drawing above to experiment with placement of light and dark fabrics.

Layouts

There are endless ways to assemble the blocks into a quilt. The example below illustrates nine (identical) blocks arranged on-point. Oversized setting triangles around the quilt's edges make the blocks appear to "float." A border completes the layout.

Quilt Guilds: You may use this pattern in your Guild classes provided the instructions are marked with the copyright information above. Copying the graphics and instructions to other Web sites is not allowed.

e-mail Janet Wickell