Patchwork Auditions #2: Shoofly

I'm having so much fun making these beginner blocks for Patchwork Auditions.  Here is the next block in the series.  In case you missed my first Patchwork Auditions post, this series will look at some classic blocks and expose some alternate colorings.  My goal is to simply think about other ways to color a quilt block I have looked at hundreds of times.  Then I'll make one.  Or two. Eventually, I'll put them together into a scrappy quilt.  Find all the details here.

Join me on this laid back adventure if you like!  Below you'll find a cutting list for the basic blocks in 12" and 16" finished blocks, but not a tutorial.  Use the coloring sheet to generate your own ideas.  I hope that you'll audition other color arrangements and play as I am. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shoofly (Traditional)
The Shoofly block is another popular quilt block - it crops up again and again.  I've actually used this block in two of my BOMs.  It's a simple twist on a nine-patch block and looks great no matter how you color it.  Pictured below is the most common way to make it.

Shoofly Coloring Sheet  Download the PDF here.

Block Structure
This block is constructed with (4) half-square triangles (HSTs).  The HSTs are in each corner of the block.  The B and C blocks form a center cross.

Cutting List.  I have listed cuts for HST methods for both 12" and 16" blocks.  For the 16" blocks, the B units become rectangles to make the math work out cleanly.  16" does not divide nicely into three rows.  You can see how the rectangles look in my 2nd sample block below.

For 12" blocks.

• Cut (5) 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" squares.  (B & C)
• Cut (2) 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #1.  (A)
• Cut (2) 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #2.  (A)

Make (4) HSTs.  Square them up to 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" unfinished.  See HST tutorial here.

For 16" blocks.

• Cut (4) 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles.  (B)
• Cut (1) 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square for center.  (C)
• Cut (2) 7 1/4" x 7 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #1.  (A)
• Cut (2) 7 1/4" x 7 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #2.  (A)

Make (4) HSTs.  Square them up to 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" unfinished.   See HST tutorial here.

Alternate Coloring Options

There are many ways to recolor this block.  Granted, with only nine patches in this block, we don't have as many options as we did for Block #1.  In this exercise, I simply am recoloring the block without changing it's basic construction.  These are just a few of the options I found.  This is a good place to begin with the coloring sheet.

A	B	C
D	E	F
G	H	I

My Sample Blocks

letter G in the table above (12" block)

letter E in the table above (16" block)

There are many fun things to do with this basic block!  Share any past or present Shoofly blocks you've made with us to show how you colored it using #patchworkauditions #shoofly.  Enjoy!

Patchwork Auditions #1: Sawtooth Star

Here's the first Patchwork Auditions post!  Patchwork Auditions will look at some classic blocks and expose some alternate colorings.  My goal is to simply think about other ways to color a quilt block I have looked at hundreds of times.  Then I'll make one.  Or two. Eventually, I'll put them together into a scrappy quilt.

Join me on this laid back adventure if you like!  Below you'll find a cutting list for the basic blocks in 12" and 16" finished blocks, but not a tutorial.  Use the coloring sheet to generate your own ideas.  I hope that you'll audition other color arrangements and play as I am. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sawtooth Star (Traditional)
I'm starting this series with probably a very well known quilt block - the Sawtooth Star.  Everybody loves a star.  And pictured below is the most common way to make it.

Sawtooth Star Coloring Sheet  Download the PDF here.

Block Structure
This block can be constructed using either Flying Geese units or Half Square Triangles (HSTs) to make the star points.  It is really up to you.  Personally, I switch between the methods.  Flying Geese units have more waste, but can be a time saver.  If I want to use a lot of colors, HSTs are very helpful and have significantly less waste.  The block has a large center square, either (4) Flying Geese or (8) HSTs, and (4) corner squares.

Cutting List.  I have listed cuts for Flying Geese and HST methods for both 12" and 16" blocks.  

For 12" blocks. (Flying Geese method)

• Cut (4) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares for corners.
• Cut (1) 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" square for center.
• Cut (4) 6 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles for Geese.
• Cut (8) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares for Geese.

Make (4) Flying Geese units. Geese are 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" unfinished.  See Flying Geese tutorial here.

For 12" blocks. (HST method)

• Cut (4) 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" squares for corners.
• Cut (1) 6 1/2" x 6 1/2" square for center.
• Cut (4) 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #1.
• Cut (4) 4 1/4" x 4 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #2.

Make (8) HSTs.  Square them up to 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" unfinished.  See HST tutorial here.

For 16" blocks. (Flying Geese method)

• Cut (4) 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" squares for corners.
• Cut (1) 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" square for center.
• Cut (4) 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangles for Geese.
• Cut (8) 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" squares for Geese.

Make (4) Flying Geese units. Geese are 4 1/2" x 8 1/2" unfinished.  See Flying Geese tutorial here.

For 16" blocks. (HST method)

• Cut (4) 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" squares for corners.
• Cut (1) 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" square for center.
• Cut (4) 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #1.
• Cut (4) 5 1/4" x 5 1/4" squares for HSTs of Fabric #2.

Make (8) HSTs.  Square them up to 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" unfinished.   See HST tutorial here.

Alternate Coloring Options

There are many ways to chop up this block and rework it.  Often that makes it more difficult with more pieces to sew back together.  In this exercise, I simply want to recolor the block without changing it's basic construction.  These are just a few of the options I came up with.  I'm sure there are tons more!  Hopefully, this is a good starting point.

A	B	C
D	E	F
G	H	I

My Sample Blocks

letter F in the table above (used Geese method)

letter E in the table above (used HST method)

There are many fun things to do with this basic block!  Share any past or present Sawtooth Stars you've made with us to show how you colored it using #patchworkauditions #sawtoothstar.  Enjoy!

Patchwork Auditions

This is the official announcement of something unofficial.  What on earth does that mean?

I've been thinking for a while that I would love to explore different coloring options for classic quilt blocks.  So many times, we become ingrained to see blocks colored a certain way.  Our brain only sees it that one way.

I began thinking about this while designing the Vice Versa blocks.  For those blocks, we made 2 of the same block - only reversed the colors.  One block was made the traditional way, the second block put the color in the background and inverted itself.  That was so much fun to do, it made me think that we are constantly missing a million other ways to color popular blocks.

I'm introducing a new series, called Patchwork Auditions, that will look at some classic blocks and expose some alternate colorings.  I want to look at the structure of the block and re-imagine color placements.   I'm going to focus on some great beginner blocks.

So what's the unofficial part?
I'm going to do this casually, which is a little out of character for my type A personality.  I don't have a plan, a schedule, a list of blocks, or a layout designed for a quilt.  I simply want to think about the blocks and make one.

Eventually, I'll put them together into a scrappy quilt.

You are certainly welcome to join me!  I'll be giving cutting instructions for the basic block in 12" and 16" finished blocks, but not a tutorial.  I hope that you'll audition other color arrangements as I am.  Or maybe make a ton of variations of the same block.  I'll keep a log of the Patchwork Audition blocks here.