Windmill Quilt from Material Girl

While I enjoy watching quilting videos, I'm not always moved to make the quilt demonstrated.  Amanda Castor of Material Girl Quilts has posted two videos of quilts that I was inspired enough to make.  It was the perfect intersect of material that I had on hand with a pattern that I could use it with.

I first made Amanda's "Prairie Quilt" you can read about that here.

The second quilt,  Amanda's "Windmill Quilt", I'm in the process of making.  It is from this video:

Amanda's pattern can be found at her download page here. Here are the highlights of her pattern:

• Written for a 10" layer cake.  
• Pattern makes 16" blocks in 5 rows of 4 blocks.
  
• Uses the eight at a time HST's to make the individual pieces.  
• As opposed to the Four-at-a time HST, which has bias on the outside and is not a method that I use, it has straight of grain on all outside edges.  That means no stretch. Use this method with confidence.
• Sewn together, each HST makes a Flying Goose Unit.  
• Joined the units make hour glass units of whites and print and of prints.
• The pattern is the perfect balance of background and prints which makes it very harmonic to my eye.
  

We can all agree that it is a charming pattern.

While I knew that I wanted to make the pattern,  my preference is never to use two blocks where 1 will do.  I modified the pattern for my construction to make flying geese units.  Flying geese units are comprised of a goose (middle triangle) and sky (flanking, smaller triangles).  

Each 10" square in your layer cake will yield the following:

• 4 Flying Geese when paired with background fabric
• 4 Sky Units
• This pattern requires 160 Flying Geese units in two different configurations
• FGU1:  80 units where the Featured Fabric (FF) is the Goose and the Background Fabric (BF) is the Sky
• FGU2:  80 units where the FF is the Sky and the BF is the Goose.  
• Each block is composed of 4 x FGU1 and 4 x FGU2.  
• Each unit is FGU1 + FGU2 sewn where the points face out (HST created in the middle).  Each block is rotated 1 turn to create the white square in the middle and the blades in the middle.
  

Yes, it is 2 large flocks of geese. Therefore, this pattern lends itself perfectly to the 4x  now waste method (and frankly I would never make geese otherwise unless forced to).  It will allow you to make geese quickly and accurately. Accordingly, do yourself a favor and procure Deb Tucker's Wing Clipper Ruler.  You can find it here. (no I'm not an affiliate). It will be the best $21.20 you spent! 

Watch her video here.  Deb Tucker makes many rulers to help quilter's accelerate their learning curve and achieve frustration-free perfect results.

I used the Wing Clipper and followed the cutting requirements to make 4" x  8" FGU's.  These cuts may differ from other instructions.  These cuts make slightly oversized so that you are trimming them down with just a whisper of fabric as waste.  I don't make any bias-seamed units without using a slightly oversized method and trimming down.  Why?  Even with the most careful of handling/sewing, you can end up a little out of square/short.

•  FGU1 [Featured Fabric is Goose]
  
• (20) 9.5" squares from FF  (Trim your 10" layer cake down to this size)
  
• (40)  5" squares from BF
•  FGU2 [Featured Fabric is Sky]
  
• (20) 9.5" squares from BF 
• (40)  5" squares from FF  (Trim your 10" layer cake down to this size-- cut squares not QST's) 

Here's what each of your 4 units of 2 FGU1 + FGU2 should look like:

 

The above would be the block in the lower right quadrant.  Each of the FGU2 units are on the OUTSIDE of the block.  Now, I confess, that my points are not lining up quite perfectly.  I fixed this issue (although with the last remaining blocks) by employing the following technique of pressing my FG'units.  I'm going to insert the video from Carolyn Gibbs...which is quite excellent.

I employed the technique of pressing one seam in and one seam out.  My blocks nestled perfectly.  Alternatively, you could also snip to the seam line the last quarter of the seam and fold it back to create same. 

Below are a few blocks that I have already made and placed on my design wall.  Once I have all my blocks done, I will disburse colors throughout the quilt.

When I first saw Amanda's pattern, I thought I would rummage around my fat quarters as well as yardage to see what I had.  I had purchase a mystery batik package from Hancock's of Paducah. I had more than enough fabric to complete the quilt top.  The package and all of the pieces you see above. They were generally about a yard or more.  The burgundy, blue, brown, purple hues all worked together.  I had Kona Silver yardage that I used as my background.

My Construction Hacks:   I would like to share with you a couple of hacks that I used to speed the process of making these flying geese units without sacrificing any accuracy. As always, I suggest that you MAKE A TEST BLOCK (on any pattern whether you are using a hack or not) before you cut all of your material or sew all units together.  Why?  Your test block provides immediate, objective feedback that solidifies that (1) cutting of pieces is accurate (right measure and square/true); (2) units are pieced together for the block; (3) seam allowance (scant v. true) is appropriate for your application; (4) finished unit is trimmed correctly; (5) finished unit measures expected unfinished size. Any problems among any of these steps will ensure that you will NOT ACHIEVE expected outcomes or have to resort to short cuts to fix.

I'm a serial glue baster.  The "traditional" way of making 4@time Flying Geese is to set your squares in the corner (nudged slightly in for Deb's method).  I have always put some glue to keep the squares in place without any distortion. (Whether you decide to do the rest of my suggestions here, I would highly encourage you try a little dab will do you glue.

 After making a few of these I had a time saving idea.

 ⏳💡  First Pass:  I drizzled a wavy line of glue across the diagonal of each 9.5" block.

•     Your glue needs to be inside the seam allowance our your block will not open up fully if you've glued outside the lines. 
• You can mark your diagonal using your favorite tool or simply creasing.  I just ran a pencil line on the diagonal.
•   No need to mark two more lines...a spritz of water will easily unset the glue if you get over-zealous. But if you are not feeling fearless, you can mark two lines until you feel confident.
• If you do not have, get a quarter inch ruler.  I have this one .  I like the 2 sizes.  I consider these a must-have time-saver.
  
• Set the two squares by pressing with hot iron. Your small squares should be securely attached and perfectly aligned on the diagonal.  If not, redo.  
• Note that if you do not cut a perfect 5" or 9.5" square you will immediately see this at this time.  
• Take your favorite ruler (that is grippy on the back), and slice a perfect diagonal by aligning the ruler with the corner of the large square which should by rights go straight through your small squares. 
• If your small squares are out of alignment, square them up!  You will have problems later
• Stack up your half-sliced geese until all cut.  Now it is time to set your seam gauge for a perfect quarter inch because you are going to production chain stitch.  A stiletto is your friend here:
  
• Ensure that your first tip of your diagonal is started true.
• Enure that the last tip ends true.
  

Second Pass:   Once you have sewn the half-sliced geese, it is time to add an additional square to each of the halves.  If you are marking a diagonal on the large square for your glue, do it now.

• Set each of the seams by pressing iron on each seam.
• Press this second seam in (as the first pass was pressed out).  (See video above).  This will allow the two geese for this pattern to nestle beautifully in the corner.  It makes a huge difference--or did for me.
• When joining two blocks, I pressed the seam toward the dark goose.  
• When joining pairs of geese to each other (pair 1 to pair 2, pair 3 to pair 4): Take some care here. You may need a seam hopper (foot shim) to go over the points.  Using a shim will minimize distortion.I  pressed the seams open. Joining two pairs of lying geese the points and seams should match (as best you can).
  

 What does this hack achieve?  Manifold benefits

• Squares do not shift (you don't even have to slice them like I did).  Consider glue for this even if you dare not slice.
• Once cut, the squares are now triangles and are firmly attached the the larger triangle unit.
• Sew the edge with a perfect 1/4" seam (no need for scant as you are trimming down).  You can do this twice as fast and more accurately as you can by sewing on a line which does not have a hard backstop (your seam guide)
  
• Each piece can be fed through like a machine gun belt which spits out units not bullets.
• No need for further cutting you've done that already--just set the seam seam and press toward the sky (even if it is lighter).  You could press open, but I avoid that extra step if I can.