Block of the Month: Block 1

Designer: Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

Get fabric requirements for the entire Block of the Month quilt here.

9×22" piece (fat eighth) each of light print, medium print, and dark print

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Finished block: 9" square

From light print, cut:

• 1--4-1⁄4" square
• 10--2-3⁄8" squares
• 4--2" squares

From medium print, cut:

• 4--2×3-1⁄2" rectangles
• 8--2-3⁄8" squares

From dark print, cut:

• 1--4-1⁄4" square
• 2--2-3⁄8" squares
• 8--2" squares

1.  Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of light print 4-1⁄4" and 2-3⁄8" squares and dark print 2" squares.

2. Place a marked light print 41⁄4" square atop dark print 4-1⁄4" square. Sew 1⁄4" from each side of drawn line (Diagram 1). Cut pair apart on drawn line to make two triangle units. Press each triangle unit open, pressing seam toward darker print, to make two large triangle-squares. Each should be 3-7⁄8" square including seam allowances.

3.  Mark a diagonal line perpendicular to seam line on wrong side of one large triangle-square.

4.  Layer marked triangle-square atop unmarked large triangle-square; each light triangle should be opposite a dark triangle (Diagram 2). Sew pair together 1⁄4" from each side of drawn line. Cut pair apart on drawn line. Press each unit open to make two hourglass units. Each should be 3-1⁄2" square including seam allowances. Set one hourglass unit aside for another project.

5.  Using two marked light print 2-3⁄8" squares and two dark print 2-3⁄8" squares, repeat Step 2 to make four small A triangle-squares. Each should be 2" square including seam allowances. In same manner, use remaining marked light print 2-3⁄8" squares and medium print 2-3⁄8" squares to make 16 small B triangle-squares.

6.  Position a marked dark print 2" square on one end of a medium print 2×3-1⁄2" rectangle (Diagram 3; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line, then trim, leaving 1⁄4" seam allowances. Press open attached triangle. In same manner, add a second marked dark print 2" square to remaining end of medium print rectangle to make a Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 3-1⁄2×2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Flying Geese units total.

7.  Referring to Diagram 4, sew together four small A triangle-squares, four Flying Geese units, and one hourglass unit in three horizontal rows. Press seams away from Flying Geese units. Join rows to make a block center. Press seams away from center row. The block center should be 6-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.

8.  Join four small B triangle-squares to make a triangle-square row. Press seams as shown in Diagram 5. Repeat to make four triangle-square rows total.

9.  Referring to Diagram 6, join triangle-square rows, light print 2" squares, and block center in three rows. Press seams away from triangle-square rows. Join rows to make a block. Press seams away from center row. The block should be 9-1⁄2" square including seam allowances.