River Country Quilters’ Block of the Month
June 2007
Summer Winds
NOW Summer finds her perfect prime;
Sweet blows the wind from western calms;
On every bower red roses climb;
The meadows sleep in mingled balms.
Nor stream, nor bank the wayside by,
But lilies float and daisies throng;
Nor space of blue and sunny sky
That is not cleft with soaring song.
O flowery morns, O tuneful eves,
Fly swift! my soul ye cannot fill!
~Excerpt of Heaven, O Lord, I Cannot Lose
By Edna Dean Proctor
The unfinished dimensions of this block are 12 ½ inches square. A scant ¼ inch seam is
assumed unless otherwise stated.
Contents of the Kit
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ten 3 inch squares of white fabric ( 6 for half-square triangles and 4 for the geese)
four 4 ½ inch by 2 ½ inch rectangles of white fabric
one 4 ½ inch square of blue
six 3 inch squares of blue fabric
four 2 ½ inch squares of red fabric
 one 5 ¼ inch square of patriotic stripe
(Note: Due to an error in planning for this block we miscut some of the kits contents. As
a result some of the kits have eight 3 inch squares of white fabric instead of the required 4
½ by2 ½ inch rectangles. Those with these kits will need to sew the squares together and
trim them to 4 ½ by 2 ½ rectangles, you will need a total of four. Or they can substitute a
white from their stash and cut four 4 ½ by 2 ½ inch rectangles. We apologize for the
inconvenience. Mistakes happen no matter how careful we try to be.)
Assemble Flying Geese Units
To assemble the flying geese units you will need four 3 inch squares of white fabric, and
the 5 ¼ inch square of patriotic stripe fabric. Trim the 3 inch squares to 2 7/8 inch
squares. Draw a diagonal line across the back of the four 2 7/8 inch squares.
Place two of the 2 7/8 inch squares on opposite corners of the 5 ¼ inch square of
the patriotic stripe fabric, right sides together. (Note the picture to the right has
reversed values but demonstrates this step.) Sew a scant quarter inch seam on
either side of the drawn line. Cut along the drawn line. Open the seams and
press.
Take one of the resulting units and place another 2 7/8 inch white square against
the larger triangle, right sides together. Sew a scant quarter
inch seam along either side of the drawn line. Cut along the drawn line. Open the seams
and press. The resulting flying geese units should measure 2 ½ inches by 4 ½ inches.
Repeat with the remaining unit and square. You should have four flying geese units when
done.
Assemble Half-square Triangle Sub-units
To assemble the half-square triangle units you will need six 3 inch squares of the white
fabric and six 3 inch squares of the blue fabric.
Take a white background square and pair it with a blue square, right sides together. Draw
a line diagonally across the back of the white square. Sew a quarter inch seam on either
side of the diagonal line. (In the figure to the right, the solid line represents the drawn
line and the line on which you will cut. The dashed lines represent the seams sewn a
quarter of an inch on either side of the line.) Trim across the block along the drawn line.
Press both half-square triangle units open and trim to 2 ½ inches square. Repeat to create
a total of twelve half-square triangle units.
Assemble Center Row
The center row consists of two white rectangles, two flying geese sub-units, and the 4 ½
inch square of blue fabric.
Place a 4 ½ inch by 2 ½ inch rectangle on top of a flying geese unit, right sides together.
Sew a scant quarter of an inch along the length of the units, across the point of the flying
geese unit. Make sure the seam intersects the sewing lines of the flying geese unit so that
you have a nice sharp point, repeat with the other flying geese unit and 4 ½ inches by 2 ½
inch rectangle. Press the seams away from the flying geese units. The units should
measure 4 ½ inches square.
Sew the resulting units on either side of the blue square as shown. The
row should measure 4 ½ inches by 12 ½ inches. Press the seams away
from the center.
Assemble Inner Border Rows
The inner border rows consist of four half-square triangle sub-units, the four 2 ½ inch red
squares, and the two remaining flying geese units.
Assemble the first inner border strip by sewing the red squares to the ends of the
flying geese units. Press the seams inward toward the flying geese sub-unit.
Sew two half-square triangle units onto either end of the strip as shown.
(Note how the half-square triangle units are oriented.) Press the seams
inward toward the flying geese unit. The strip should measure 2 ½
inches by 12 ½ inches.
Repeat to form a second inner border strip.
Sew the inner border strips to the center strip being careful that the flying geese units
point outward. Press the seams outward. The resulting strip should measure 8 ½ inches
by 12 ½ inches.
Assemble Outer Border Rows
The outer border rows consist of eight half square triangle sub-units and two 4 ½ inch by
2 ½ inch white rectangles.
Assemble the first outer border strip by sewing a half-square triangle sub-unit to the
ends of the white rectangle. (Note how the half-square triangle sub-units are
oriented.) Press the seams outwards, away from the rectangle.
Sew two half-square triangle units onto either end of the strip as shown. (Note
how the half-square triangle units are oriented.) Press the seams outward, away
from the rectangle. The strip should measure 2 ½ inches by 12 ½ inches.
Repeat to form a second outer border strip.
Sew the outer border strips to the center strip being careful to match the
appropriate seams. Press the seams outward. The block should measure 12 ½
inches square.
Yay! You’ve finished.
If you have any questions, etc. Please contact:
BOM Coordinator
Teresa Rarick
804-642-1181
[email protected]