Squash Blossom

The Squash Blossom Block? What? Are we talking food?

No, that's the name of the block and it appears in my Quilter's New Perpetual Block a Day Calendar. (Click that link for 15% off!) And the Sewalong is featuring selected fabrics from the Benartex Superior Solids Collection. Here are the six I chose (and only used 4 in my block).

Superior Solids by Benartex Fabrics

They heard that they were going to star in a block and insisted on being photographed with the popular new calendar. I had to comply!

THIS IS A PHOTO HEAVY POST - SCROLL THROUGH AND YOU WILL GET ALL THE DETAILS YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS SIMPLE BLOCK WITH A FEW STITCHING TRICKS!

Link to the 3 page pdf: Squash Blossom Block

Let's get going on how I created this simple block. Here's the calendar image and then you'll understand the cutting and piecing a little better.

Squash Blossom block in calendar (on sale until May 31!)

Rectangles, triangles and yes - I FORGOT TO LABEL FOR THE SQUARES! Yikes! But, I'll tell you what to cut.

1. From the light yellow (3000B-03), we cut:

• 4  C rectangles 2-1/2" x 4-1/2"
• 4 squares 2-1/2" (let's call them D)
• 4 B squares 2-7/8" (for the small triangles)
• 1 A square 5-1/4"

2. From the orange (3000B-31), we cut:

• 4  C rectangles 2-1/2" x 4-1/2"
• 4 B squares 2-7/8" (for the small triangles)
• 1 A square 5-1/4" - DO NOT CUT INTO TRIANGLES YET

3. From the brown (3000B-77), we cut:

1 A square 5-1/4"

4. From the blue/green (3000b-81), we cut:

• 1 A square 5-1/4"- DO NOT CUT INTO TRIANGLES YET

***********

Here are the block parts we just cut:

SEWING

1. On the back of the blue A square (5-1/4"), draw a line along BOTH diagonals. Pair it with the orange A square, right sides together.

Mark along both diagonals

2. Pin together as shown:

Pin, ready to stitch

3. Sew 1/4" along both sides of  ONE diagonal. Then, cut along the OTHER diagonal.

Sew 1/4" along ONE diagonal

4. Then cut along the second diagonal line.

Four units

5. Here is the sequence of the cut units. This makes TWO blocks, and though they look exactly alike, they aren't (based on our previous steps).

6. Imagine turning these and you will see that the orange and blue are in two different positions. The set of triangles on the left are for one block and the set of triangles on the right are for a second block.

7. Pay attention to the last seams:

8. And finished blocks. We need one for the front of the block. I incorporated the second one on the back of the block (which I'll show you at the end of this post).

9. Sewing the half-square triangles - pair the 2-7/8" squares (yellow and orange). Sew 1/4" along both sides of diagonal line. Cut apart.

10. And what they look like pressed open. Make a total of four (using two yellow and two orange 2-7/8" squares).

11. Making the Flying Geese units with the 5-1/4" squares (cut into 4ths) and the remaining 2-7/8" yellow squares (cut into 2 triangles each):

Step 1

Step 2

Now let's see the units together:

And the final seams:

Whew! That was a LOT of photos, but as a teacher I have always had a lot of samples for the steps.

Here is my finished block. I used more of the blue/turquoise for the binding:

Squash Blossom block from my Quilter's New Perpetual Block a Day Calendar.

And the back with that extra unit!

Back of my Squash Blossom block

And I discovered that several blocks together create an interlocking design (tessellating). There's a Southwestern feel about them, too!

16 Squash Blossom blocks

(Here is the link where you can still sign up: BenartExperts Spring Block Hop.) And you can see all 12 of the blocks as we hope they will appear in the final quilt.

Check your local quilt shop for my calendar. It's also back in stock with C&T and other retailers!

on Amazon

at C&T Publishing (with a 15% off coupon when you click "add to cart")

and in Barnes & Noble stores