Instructions on Birds of the Air Quilt Blocks

The birds of the air quilt resembles birds in flight.

A birds of the air quilt creates a pleasing image of movement with an abstract vision of a flock of birds in flight. This charming quilt is often made with just two different fabrics and the geometric nature of the patchwork is not difficult to piece. Each piece of the 8 1/2-inch birds of the air patchwork block is a half-square triangle. It is best to cut out the triangles for the entire quilt in advance with a rotary cutter on a self-healing cutting mat.

Things You'll Need

• 1 yard of light-colored cotton fabric
• 1 yard of dark-colored cotton fabric
• Self-healing cutting mat
• Transparent ruler
• Rotary cutter
• Sewing machine or needle and thread

Instructions

1. Cut out two 3 1/2-inch squares each of the dark- and light-colored fabrics by placing the fabrics on the mat, lining up the measurements with the ruler and cutting through the fabric with the rotary cutter. Cut out one 8 7/8-inch square of the dark-colored fabric.

2. Cut all the squares in half on the diagonal, from one corner to the opposite, using the rotary cutter and mat to create half-square triangles.

3. Sew together three squares composed of one dark and one light triangle by stacking the triangles on top of each other, right sides of the fabric together, and sewing a straight seam 1/4-inch from the diagonal edge with the sewing machine or needle and thread.

4. Stack two light-and-dark squares on top of each other, right sides of the fabric together and matching the color triangles. Position the light-colored triangles on the left side of the squares and sew the squares together to make a rectangular strip Sew a light-colored triangle to the dark bottom edge of the strip, lining up the top light edge with the strip bottom.

5. Sew a light-colored triangle to the bottom edge of the remaining light-and-dark square, lining up the light edge with the dark bottom of the strip and positioning the light-colored triangles on the left sides to make a second strip. Sew the two strips together along the long dark-and-light fabric edges.

6. Sew a light-colored triangle to the left edge of the combined strips to create one large patched triangle. All light-colored triangles are positioned on the left sides of the large patched triangle.

7. Sew the patched triangle to one large dark-colored triangle along the diagonal to complete the bird of the air quilt block.

References

• "Sylvia's Bridal Sampler from Elm Creek Quilts"; Jennifer Chiaverini; 2009
• How to Quilt: Birds in the Air