Conestoga Crossing Month 4: Waiting for Spring Block

Pieces to sew: 49 (plus 58)

Blocks to make: 1 (plus your first two baskets... we'll get to those!)

waste HST's: 24 (plus 5 per basket)

Making the block:

While this block is a bit more excited than last month, it is just as straight forward.

Just like in month 1 (I know it was like, foreeeeever ago, try to remember...) piece your square in a square unit for the block center (don't forget your waste HST's!)

Next, referring to the General Directions section of the pattern, piece together your flying geese units (and of course the waste-ies!)

Ok, so help me decide here........ Since the pressing instructions on the geese here don't really matter that much for the final assembly of this block, I decided to try them two different ways. One is pressed in, the other out.  I feel like the ones pressed in lay better in the end....Anyone else??

let me know which you prefer.

Once you have the geese made, go ahead and assemble them into their units:

A quick "tip" here about getting good points.....  (ha ha ha... I couldn't help it... sorry!)

When you sew these units together, if you have the bottom piece showing you can make sure that your 1/4" seam line intersects with the point intersection on your flying goose unit.  This will help you get a crisp point.  If your seam line is below this intersection, your point will be chopped off.  If you are going cheat either direction, use a scant 1/4" seam and cheat above the point!

Ok, next assemble your Half Square Triangle units as shown in the pattern... Same thing, pay attention to your intersections.

A quick note of encouragement... This piece is not perfect (GAAAAASP!)

That's ok.  Am I going to rip this and try to make it so?? Heck no.  We are moving on.. See look, when I zoom out you can't even tell anymore!

We are our own worst critics. So everyone, take a breath and cut yourself some slack on these!

Alrighty, so now that you have your units, assemble them into your block!

Voila!

Total pieces in the quilt so far: 407

Life's Blessings Basket Blocks:

So from here on out to month 12 there will also be instructions and materials for completing 2 basket blocks every month along with the unique block for the quilt center.  

These blocks are all assembled the same and use the same background fabric.  However, the main and accent fabrics are different for every.... single..... basket.....!  Each block is assigned a number for placement in the final assembly step.

Month 4 includes the instructions for Baskets numbers 2 and 8

Cut out your pieces needed and lay them out according to which color goes with which.

PAY ATTENTION to the cutting here.... The cutting instructions are for TWO baskets.  Make sure you are not cutting two of the same blocks.... There are two different main and accent basket fabrics to consider.

I like to lay out my pieces according to what goes together first... This is my queue, if you will, of stuff to piece.  When I run out of stuff in the queue, I have my secondary project ready to step in!

Since drawing lines is for sissies (I just know that's gonna come back to bite me later...)
jump right in and begin piecing using your handy dandy angle thingy.

Next, draw lines LIKE A BOSS!! (what, I can't own it now!?)

for your waste triangles.

 Mind your color matching.... I'm pretty sure some kind of cosmic powers in the universe will be disrupted if you get these mixed up.

Ok, so this is where it gets fun.  We are going to start building these blocks ON POINT.  Most of the blocks in this quilt end up being set into the final quilt assembly on point, but these are the first that we are actually assembling on point.

Most blocks are assembled in rows as we've done so far.  These are "built" more in a procedural way.

Don't freak out.  This just means that we are working with a few more triangles than usual and these triangles may "hang over" a bit when we line up our pieces for assembly.

These rogue points are your seam allowance... no worries.

Line up the flat edges for reference.

In the cases when you do not have a flat edge for reference I like to finger press my triangle in half so that I know where the center is. 

You can then line up your center mark with the center seam intersection of the piece underneath.

In the next steps you will have two points that are right on top of each other.

If all these intersections are scary, give em a pin.... or if you're like me, eyeball it and keep rolling!

Keep building step by step.... In this step below, press in toward the center to make it lay better. (the pattern shows all pieces pressed out.

Keep building

border, then done!

Number these as designated in the pattern for later.... or chuck em in the pile.... either way!

If you are sad these are over, don't be!  You get to make 14 more of these!!!! yay!

total pieces sewn this month: 107

total pieces in the quilt so far: 465

total waste HST's so far: 66