Spring Migration46” x 46”

Designed by Abigail Dolinger, late winter 2015

We’re all a bit weary of snow and ice and cold temperatures. And eagerly, we are looking for signs of spring. Have you noticed flocks of birds flying north from their winter vacation in South America? I’ve seen several contingents of Canadian Geese marshaled around the ponds in my area. To celebrate the spring migration, let’s make a “Goose in the Pond” quilt. Just like we want to speed the arrival of spring, let’s speed our quilt construction by making one 30” patchwork block and surrounding it with several simple borders.

Fabrics: Suggestion--Select one multicolored print. Then choose two colors and a light background fabric that coordinate with the print.

Print – ¾ yd.Red – 1 yd. for HSTs, Outer Border corner squares, and BindingBlue – ½ yd.White – 1 3/8 yd.

To avoid cutting and sewing mistakes, read all directions for each step before beginning. Use a scant ¼” seam allowance throughout the pattern.

Step 1: Make 12 Red/White Half Square Triangles (HSTs)Note: there are two options given below.*If you have an Easy Angle triangle ruler, cut two 6 ½” x 42” strips of Red and two 6 ½” x 42” strips of White. Layer the fabrics, right sides together. Use the Easy Angle ruler to cut 12 layered Red/White triangles.

Sew the HSTs together on hypotenuses (long sides). Press seam allowance toward Red triangles. HSTs should measure 6 ½” square.

Reserve the remainder of the 6 ½” wide strips of Red and White; use the White strip in Step 3 and the Red strip in Step 5.

*If you don’t own an Easy Angle ruler, cut two 7” x 42” strips of Red and two 7” x 42” strips of White. Layer the fabrics, right sides together. Sub-cut six 7” squares. Cut the layered squares in half on a diagonal. Sew the HSTs together on hypotenuses (long sides). Press seam allowance toward Red. Trim HSTs to 6 ½” square. Reserve the remainder of the 6 ½” wide strips of Red and White; use the White strip in Step 3 and the Red strip in Step 5.

Step 2: Make 4 Rail Fence Units and 4 Nine PatchesRail Fence UnitsFrom Print fabric, cut 2 strips 2 ½” x 42.From White fabric, cut 1 strip 2 ½” x 42.” With right sides together sew the White strip between the Print strips. Press seam allowances toward the Print strips. The strip set should measure 6 ½” wide. Sub-cut in 6 ½” increments. You need 4 units which measure 6 ½” square.

Nine Patches

Cut 2 White strips 2 ½” x 42” and 2 Blue strips 2 ½” x 42.” Sub-cut as follows.

*Cut 2 White strips 2 ½” x 21” and 1 Blue strip 2 ½” x 21.” Sew the Blue strip between the White strips. Press seam allowances toward the Blue strip. The strip set should measure 6 ½” wide. Sub-cut in 2 ½” increments. You need 8 units.

*Cut 2 Blue strips 2 ½” x 10 ½.” Cut 1 White strip 2 ½” x 10 ½.”

Sew the White strip between the Blue strips. Press seam allowances toward the Blue strips. The strip set should measure 6 ½” wide. Sub-cut in 2 ½” increments. You need 4 units.

Use the units made above to construct 4 Nine Patches in the configuration shown. The Nine Patches should measure 6 ½” square.

Step 3: Assemble Goose in the Pond blockUse the remainder of the 6 ½” wide (or 7” wide) White strip from Step 1.

Sub-cut into five 6 ½” squares.

On your design wall, place the Red/White HSTs, White squares, Print/White Rail Fences, and Blue/White Nine Patches according to the diagram shown below. Notice that there are five rows with five units in each row. Sew the units in each row together. Arrows indicate pressing direction.

Finally, pin and sew the rows together. The patchwork should measure 30 ½” square.Step 4: Attach Inner Border*If your Goose in the Pond is a bit smaller than 30 ½,” cut the Inner Border strips proportionally wider. Conversely, if your patchwork is larger than 30 ½,” cut the Inner Border strips proportionally narrower.

*Assuming your patchwork measures 30 ½,” cut the following strips.From White fabric, cut 4 strips 2 ½” x 42.” Sub-cut 2 strips 2 ½” x 30 ½.”Sub-cut the remaining 2 strips 2 ½” x 34 ½.”

Sew the 30 ½” strips to opposite sides of the Goose in the Pond block. Press seam allowances toward the Inner Border as the arrows indicate.Sew the 34 ½” strips to the top and bottom of the block. Press seam allowances toward the Inner Border as the arrows indicate.

Step 5: Piece Outer BorderFrom Print fabric, cut 2 strips 6 ½” x 42.” Sub-cut in 2 ½” increments. You need 32 rectangles that measure 2 ½” x 6 ½.”

From Blue fabric, cut 2 strips 4 ½” x 42.”From White fabric, cut 2 strips 2 ½” x 42.”Sew Blue and White strips right sides together. Make 2 strip sets that measure 6 ½” wide. Press seam allowances toward Blue fabric. Sub cut in 2 ½” increments.

You need 36 units, so you may have to cut a few more Blue (2 ½” x 4 ½”) and White (2 ½” x 2 ½”) pieces from remaining fabric.

Sew Print rectangles and Blue/White units together, alternating pieces as shown below. Make 4 border strips; each has 9 Blue/White units and 8 Print rectangles. Press seam allowances toward the Print strips.

Sew two borders to opposite sides of the quilt top.Press seam allowances toward the inner border.

From 6 ½” wide (or 7” wide) Red strip, remaining from Step 1, cut four 6 ½” squares. Sew these Red squares to both ends of the two remaining pieced borders.

Pin and sew the final borders to the opposite sides of the quilt top. Press the seam allowances toward the inner border.

Step 6: FinishingLayer Backing (right side down), Batting, and Quilt Top (right side up). Baste the quilt sandwich together with quilting pins or needle and thread. Quilt design ideas: Swirls to represent springtime breezes. Or free-hand triangles to accent the HSTs in the quilt. Or free-hand squares and rectangles to echo the squares and rectangles in the quilt.

French Double Fold Binding: From Red fabric, cut 5 strips 2 ½” x 42.” Join diagonally, right sides together. Press seams open. Fold in half lengthwise, wrong sides together and press. Align raw edges of binding with raw edges of trimmed quilt top. Machine sew binding to front of quilt, mitering corners. Turn the fold of binding to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place with red thread.