Hive 6 May Tutorial

Hello All!  I'm Carolyn and I blog over at Sweet Boater Chick .  You can find me on instagram at sweet_boater_chick.  The name comes from my crazy whitewater kayaking days.  

So, for this year in Stash Bee I was going back and forth on what I wanted to do for my block.  I pinned more blocks on pinterest then I will ever be able to create, but I didn't know what I wanted to do.  Well, I had an idea...  Last year I asked my hive 3 bee mates to make me a Migration Bee Block by Charlotte at Displacement Activity.  (Last year's post) I made a number of blocks also, but I would love to create a queen size quilt and this is the perfect way to add to my blocks.  I will apologize to Sylvia now since she had to make this block last year, too.  I hope you all love flying geese as much as I do :)

There is a tutorial on her webpage, but I changed up how to create the 2.5" x 4.5" flying geese using the 4 at a time method.  It makes it easier and faster.  

For the geese I would like the colors to be lime, turquoise, chartreuse, teal, and dark gray.   For the background I would like you to use a variety of light gray prints with a white base.  There is a section of 4 mini geese and I will make that optional for you.  With the 4 at a time method to make the geese you make enough to fill the space where the mini geese are, otherwise you have one extra goose.

You will need

Background Fabrics

3 pairs – 4.5” x 4.5” squares

5 sets of 4 – 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” squares

*optional 4 pairs – 1.5” x 1.5” squares

Geese fabrics

3 - 4.5” x 8.5” rectangles

5 - 5.25” x 5.25” squares

*optional 4 - 1.5” x 2.5” rectangles

I would love the geese to be different fabrics.  I would also love a scrappy background, but would like the sets and pairs to be the same fabrics so the geese don’t have different background in the individual blocks.  (I hope I explained this well)

I started by drawing a line on the diagonal on the back of all the gray background squares.  I used a number 2 pencil

The first of two methods for the block is the stitch and flip.  Using the 4.5” x 8.5” rectangles and the 4.5” x 4.5” squares we will create the large geese (they measure 8.5" x 4.5" when sewn).    Place one background fabric on top of the rectangle with right sides together, lining up on one side.  Stitch on top of the drawn line.  Trim .25” from the stitch line and press the background out.  Then add the next background square, sew, trim, and press.  This is the same method if you choose to make the optional mini geese. (measuring 1.5" x 2.5")

Since you cut the corners of the large geese after you made them, I would love it if you would create one corner into a half square triangle and sign the block with your name and where you are from in the background fabric so I can add it to the back of the quilt.  I love having everyone that created it be a part of the quilt.  

For the four at a time method, take one goose square (5.25” x 5.25”) and two background squares, 2 7/8” x 2 7/8”, (keep the sets together).  Put them face down on the diagonal.  Pin in place.  Stitch on either side of the pencil line, .25” away.   

After they are sewn, cut the block in half along the pencil line.  Press the background squares out, they will look like a heart.

Now take the same background squares and place on the goose fabric corner of the heart with right sides together.  Again, stitch on either side of the pencil line .25” away

Cut on the pencil line and press out.  Each section creates 2 geese that are 2.5" x 4.5"

 With all our geese made we sort them in to the 4 quadrants.

A:

 B:

 C: *This is where the optional mini geese are.

Optional 

  D:

I normally press open, but with the geese I pressed to the point of the geese.  I did press the 4 main joining seams of the quadrants open.

This is how the layout should go together.   The 4 quadrants are each 8.5" x 8.5", so the final block should be 16.5" x 16.5".  If you switch one up a goose placement accidentally, don't worry about it.  Once in the quilt, it will not be noticeable.

Here are a couple photos of the blocks from last year along with a number of my own.  I think I will have the motivation now to finish the stack of half done blocks sitting in a bin for this quilt.  I can't wait to see what you create and add to my quilt!