Yankee Puzzle – Quilt Block Tutorial

Yankee Puzzle

This block combines half-square triangles and flying geese. It's not too hard, and it's a good time to review how to use the Quilt in a Day Flying Geese ruler.

Step 1: Cutting the Fabric.

Fabric A: Background Fabric

• A1: four 3" squares
• A2: one 7" squares

Fabric B: Medium (grey dot)

• B1: one 5 1/2" square
• B2: two 3" squares

Fabric C: Dark (red)

• C: two 3" squares

Step 2: Making the Half-square Triangles

Draw a diagonal line on each A1 (background) square.
Also draw a line on the back of the B1 (medium) square.
Place each of the four A1 (background) square right sides together on both B2 and C squares. Pin the squares together so they don't shift while you're sewing.
Center the B1 (grey dot) right sides together on the A2 (background) square.
Pin in place and set aside. 

Sew a 1/4" seam on each side of the drawn diagonal line.

Cut along the drawn diagonal line.

Press seams open, and trim each half-square triangle to 2 1/2" square
using your favorite squaring ruler.

Step 3: Making Four Flying Geese

Sew a 1/4" seam on either side of the drawn diagonal line of the A2/B1 squares.
Cut along the diagonal line.

Press the seams open.
Draw another diagonal line bisecting one half.

Match the corners of the triangles making sure that the A fabric is right sides together
with the B fabric.
DO NOT match the seams!

This is what it should look like when you are ready to take it to the sewing machine.

Sew a 1/4" seam on both sides of the drawn diagonal line.

Cut along the drawn line.

Press the seams open.

I really like these Quilt in a Day Flying Geese rulers. This one is from the mini set that includes a 2" x 4" finished Flying Geese block.
On my ruler I used a felt furniture protector to keep it from slipping on the fabric.

Line your ruler up with the B (grey) fabric triangle.

Cut along all four sides.
Your piece is now exactly the right size with very little waste fabric.

Cut the other three Flying Geese units from the remaining fabric.

Step 4: Putting the Block Together

Lay out your pieces like the pieces in the photo.
Follow the next few steps closely because you can't sew this block together in rows and columns.

Sew the half-square triangles together.
Press the seams open.

The set in the lower right corner is what the half-square triangles look like on the back.
Sew each of the four corners together (one set of half-square triangle units to one flying geese unit).

Press the seams open.
Sew each square to another square.
Then sew the pairs together through the center.

Hopefully your sewing is so accurate that you won't have any (or very much) to trim off. Your square should measure 8 1/2" square.

Yankee Puzzle
8 1/2" unfinished
8" finished

Here are Jaime's blocks:

Double Pinwheel – Quilt Block Tutorial

Double Pinwheel

 Again, I'm sorry about the poor lighting. I'm still working on learning how to take decent pictures in the depths of the basement. It's my woman cave, really, there's no windows where I sew!

Step 1: Cutting the Fabric

Fabric A: Background fabric

• A1: four 3" squares
• A2: four 2 1/2" squares

Fabric B: Dark (blue)

• B1: two 3" squares
• B2: four 2 1/2" squares

Fabric C: Medium (grey dot)

• C: two 3" squares

Step 2: Sewing the Half-square Triangles

Draw a line through all four A1 background squares.
Pin each A1 square, right sides together, with the both B1 (blue) and both C (grey dot) squares.

Sew 1/4" on either side of the drawn line.

Cut along the drawn line.

Photo of the other side after cutting apart the A1/B1 and A1/C squares.

Press open, and trim the half-square triangles to 2 1/2" using your favorite trimming ruler.
I like the Precision Trimmer 6" ruler.

Step 3: Sewing the Block Together

Set up your half-square triangles and your A2 (background 2 1/2" squares) and B2 (blue 2 1/2" squares) like the photo above.

Sew the rows together using a 1/4" seam.
Press the seams open.
Remember, this is my experiment quilt to see if I like pressing seams open.

Sew the columns together using a 1/4" seam. Press the seams open.

Hopefully you will have little or nothing to trim on your block. It should measure 8 1/2" square.

Double Pinwheel
8 1/2" unfinished
8" finished

Here are Jaime's blocks:

Jaime has been making two of every block! I love the fun colors and modern fabrics she's using!