Page 89 - Patchwork & Quilting - UK (February 2020)

TECHNIQUE // in a nutshell

Nine Patch Flying Geese
Hand piecing Machine piecing a
a unit unit dia. 5a
dia. 8a sky fabric
goose fabric
dia. 5b reverse of
sky fabric

dia. 2a dia. 2b
dia. 5c

Chain piecing dia. 8b
Half square triangles

dia. 3.
dia. 6a dia. 6b
dia. 8c
Four Patch Quarter square triangles

dia. 4a dia. 4b
dia. 7a dia. 7b
PIECING ŏ ŏ with ¼" seam allowance and press seam Quarter SquareĿTrianglesĿ
By hand towards darker fabric. Cross cut the joined Cut one square from two differentbfabrics
Place two patches rightbsides together and strips into sections the same width as the 1¼" larger than the finished size of the
pin at right angles to the seam. Sew the original strips,bdia. 4a. Take two of these unit. Place squares right sides together
seam through your drawn lines using a cut units, rotate one so that the central and draw bothbdiagonal lines on wrong
short running stitch. Begin and end each seams lock together, place right sides side of one square. Stitch ¼" seam each
seam at the seam line (not at the edge of together and stitch seam,bdia. 4b. side of one diagonal line. Cut apart along
the fabric) with 2 or 3 backstitches,bdia. 2a.b bothbdiagonal lines,bdia. 7a. Pressbtowards
To piece a Nine Patch block,btwo different the darker fabric.bJoin these pieced
By machine sets of three strips are required: triangles togetherbin pairs to form two
As patches already have ¼" seam • Set 1 twobsets of dark, light andbdark piecedbsquares,bdia. 7b.b
allowance added, it is necessary to stitch strips,bdia 5a.b
with an accurate ¼" seam. This can be • Set 2 one setbof light, dark and light Quick Pieced Flying GeeseĿ
achieved by adjusting the needle position strips,bdia 5b.b These instructions will produce a strip of
to give ¼" with a normal sewing foot, by After joining strips together and pressing Flying Geese blocks measuring 4" x 8",b
using a special ¼" foot or by sticking a strip seams towardsbthe dark fabric, cut apart dia. 8a. Cut one, 5¼" square of ‘goose’
of masking tape to the throat plate ¼" asbdescribed for Four Patch block.bArrange fabric and four, 2 7 ⁄8" squares of ‘sky’ fabric.
away from the needle. Align patches and cross cut units and join together to make Draw diagonal line on wrong side of each
pin together at right angles. Stitch all the the block,bdia. 5c.b of ‘sky’ square. Place ‘goose’ fabric square
way from edge to edge,bdia. 2b.b right side up on work surface. Pin one sky
Half SquareĿTrianglesĿ square, right side down, onto one corner
Chain piecing Cut one square from two and a second sky square on opposite
Pairs of fabric pieces can be sewn differentbfabricsb ⁄8" larger than thebfinished corner,bdia. 8b. Trim off corners where
7
together, one after the other, without lifting size of the unit. Place squares right sides they meet in the centre. Stitch ¼" seam
the presser foot on the machine or cutting together and draw diagonal line on wrong each side of diagonal line from corner to
the threads. They are cut apart later. This side of one square. Stitch ¼" seam each corner. Cut apart along the drawn line.
saves time and thread,bdia. 3.b side of this line,b Take one of the halves and place another
dia. 6a.bCut squares apart along the drawn sky square onto remaining corner, noting
QUICK PIECINGŏ line,bopen out each pieced square and diagonal line on square is perpendicular to
ChequerboardĿ press seam allowance towards the darker existing diagonal seams,b
To piece a Four Patch block with alternate of thebtwo fabrics,bdia. 6b.b dia. 8c. Finger press the two sewn triangles
coloured squares, cut two strips of out of the way. Stitch as before each side
contrasting fabrics. Place strips right sides of line. Cut apart on drawn line to make
together with long raw edges matching. two Flying Geese blocks. Repeat with other
Join strips together along one long edge half to make four blocks in total.

87