This week we are going to look at the Ohio Star block and the Star in the Star block. I reworked my Flying Dutchman block to show another version of it. When I made the 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches flying geese I made enough at one time for the 3 blocks. Only when I put the Flying Dutchman together I used just 2 fabrics. I should of used 4 fabrics which makes a prettier block in my opinion. So I went back and corrected that in order to do the next two blocks.
Flying Dutchman Block in four fabrics
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Flying geese block can be hard for a new quilter to learn to make. There are many templates and rulers now on the market to help make this block. When you visit museums you always see a quilt that is made of flying geese blocks. It was a very early block designed in the second quarter of the nineteenth century. The makers would line the geese up in a straight line in a strip. These quilts are usually called strippies because the the strips of geese was alternated with a strip of fabric. After the country began making domestic muslin in 1815 fabric became inexpensive compared to the imported fabrics from Europe. The fabric was only about 22 inches wide and coarse compared to later muslin. The fabric was not printed or dyed until 15 years later. But women bought it and used it for bedding, underwear, curtains and home dyed it for garments. They couldn't get enough of it because it freed them up from the task of spinning and weaving. And for the first time they could decorate their homes following the fashion of the well to do homes. At the time stripes was very popular in home furnishing. Wealthy people would paint strips on their walls and covered their chairs with striped fabric. The ladies would wear cloths that was made with striped fabric that was imported. So all the women tried to dress up their home with strips and they did that with quilts made from scraps of fabric pieced together in strips. The block they created often was the flying geese and they made them beautifully with just cutting them free hand and stitching them together. Some may have used paper templates to help them make them all the same size.
Today we have plenty of tools to help us make perfect blocks. In part two I went over how to make a flying geese block.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Here is a wonderful picture tutorial from V and Co. that show the Ohio star that is in these blocks that I have made.
http://www.vanessachristenson.com/...
Connecting Threads has a great picture tutorial on perfect points. This goes over how to line up your blocks and sew them so you don't cut off your points or have them not touching. I like this tutorial because it is hard to do this kind of photography with out help. This is very well done. I suggest that you explore the site because there is lots of excellent information there. There are discussion groups you can join that you can learn from in quilting.
http://quiltwithus.connectingthreads.com/...
In order to make a simple Ohio Star for a 12 1/2 square inches block you will need:
Make four flying geese blocks that are 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches. Instruction for that is in part 2 of the quilt along. You will cut one 9 inch square of medium and one 7 1/2 inch square of dark to follow the Quilt in a Day method.
Four 3 1/2 inches square blocks for the corners of the same dark fabric used in flying geese
One 6 1/2 inches square block for the center in light fabric.
I fussy cut my center in a light fabric to give the simple block some interest and also give me a space to free motion some quilting.
The picture below shows how to sew the block together.
This is the finished 12 1/2 inches square block. It still needs squared up but I did check it and it will square up nicely.
Star in a Star Block
This will challenge you more by making a 6 1/2 inches simple Ohio Star for the center. It is a good scrappy block that will use up small scraps and that is why I chose it. I lots of small reproduction fabrics to use up for this quilt. This is what my finished block looks like.
In order to make the 6 1/2 inches square center star you will need:
Cut one 6 inch square of light color and one 4 1/2 inch square of dark color. This is for the four the 2 inch by 3 1/2 unfinished flying geese blocks. It will sew in as finished size of 1 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches. This is for the method of making flying geese that is shown in part 2. You can use what ever method that works for you.
Cut one 4 1/2 inches square block from light fabric for center.
Cut four 2 inches squares in the same light fabric used in the fly geese block.
Sew together the same way as the following picture.
For the outer star you will need:
Cut one 9 inches square from light fabric and one 7 1/2 inches from dark fabric to make four 3 1/2 inches by 6 1/2 inches flying geese the finishes up to 3 inches by 6 inches block.
Cut four 3 1/2 inches squares of dark fabric used in flying geese for corners.
Sew together like in the following picture.
Next Sunday I will show you how to layer your blocks with batting and backing. We will also begin our machine quilting. I am planning on sashing my blocks so I don't need as many for my quilt and also it makes it easier to bind together. I will explain that as we go along. I will also give you some more traditional block to make for your sampler.
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DKQG Diary Schedule:
02/09 -- trkingmomoe~ Sampler Quilt Along
02/16 -- wininfred3
02/23 -- Sara R
03/02 -- OPEN
03/09 -- trkingmomoe~Sampler Quilt Along
03/16 -- OPEN
03/23 -- trkingmomoe~Sampler Quilt Along
03/30 -- OPEN