Hand Pieced QAL: The Florence Block (Block 6)

Welcome to week 6 in our Hand Pieced QAL.  We are so happy you are sewing along with us!

It is time to meet and piece the block we call Florence, named after a character in Friendship Album 1933.   (For more information about the QAL, links to all posts and tutorials, click here.)

Let's deconstruct the Florence block to better understand what units will need to be hand-pieced.  The center block is a pinwheel block constructed with HST and is surrounded by Flying Geese and Half-Square Triangles (HST).

As we learned with our base Flying Geese block, there are two ways to make the block - assemble from triangles (see the tutorial with video) or assemble from rectangles and squares (see the tutorial with a stitch and flip method.)   Cutting instructions are given for both Flying Geese assembly methods

Refer back to the tutorials on hand piecing Half-Square Triangle (HST)  You made many of these individual units so far!

Choosing fabrics may be the most fun of all depending on which features you want to highlight.  I enjoyed this block because it used several different colors.

Remember the key to the seams is to sew through seams, not over them.  Use pins to mark the start and end of your stitching lines plus right before and after the seam intersections to make sure everything says lined up.

Now let's make our block!

Block size: 6’' finished (6 ½’’ unfinished)

Notes:

• All seam allowances are 1/4''
• Stitching lines are drawn on wrong side of fabric and always start and end 
  ¼ '' from the edge
• RST=Right sides together
• HST - Half Square Triangle
• FG - Flying Geese

Materials:

For HSTs:  (note - cutting instructions for HST were updated at 2/25 @ 9am ET to fix typo)

• Print fabric: (4) 2 3/8 " squares, each sub-cut in half on across diagonal to yield (8) triangles (4 triangles for corner HSTs and 4 triangles for center pinwheel)
• Background fabric: (4) 2 3/8 " squares, each sub-cut in half on across diagonal to yield (8) triangles (corner and pinwheel HST units)

For the Stitch and Flip Flying Geese Construction method * 

• Print fabric: (8) 2 " squares (side FG units)
• Background fabric: (4) 2 x 3 ½ '' rectangles  (side FG units)

Creating the Florence block   

1. Make (8) HST (follow this tutorial).  HST unit should measure 2 x 2''.  
   
2. Make (4) Flying Geese using the stitch and flip method.  (Tutorial available.)  Flying Geese unit should measure 2 x 3 ½ ''.  
3. Assemble (4) HST into a pinwheel shape for the center of the block.  Pinwheel unit will measure  3 ½ x  3 ½ ''.

* Note: Flying Geese units can also be constructed from triangles - see Kristin's tutorial.  Fabric measurements will be consistent with Block 3 Flying Geese tutorial measurements:

• Background fabric: (2) 3″ squares, carefully cut each square in half on the diagonal (yielding 4 triangles total)
• Print fabric: (4) 2 3/8″ squares, carefully cut each square in half on the diagonal (yielding 8 triangles total)

Assemble the Block

1. Lay the block out according to the diagram and stitch together in rows. The top and bottom row will each measure 2 x 6 ½ '' and the middle row will each measure 3 ½ x 6 ½ ''.
2. Press.

As needed, refer back to our tutorials (including video) on each of the hand piecing skills and basic blocks:

• Marking stitching lines
• Running Stitch 
• Dealing with Seams
• 4-patch
• Half-square triangle
• Flying Geese     Constructed with Triangles or Constructed with Stitch & Flip method
• Quarter-square triangle

Fabric requirements are available as well as some suggestions of useful tools and notions and a coloring page.  (See overall QAL page for more information.)

Thanks to Fat Quarter Shop and Famore for sponsoring the block tutorials!

The link-up for the Florence block - block 6 in our QAL - opens on Thursday, February 28!  Finished blocks can be shared in any weekly link-up, however, so don't worry if you get behind.

For more information on the QAL including catching up with any tutorials you've missed, please visit the main event page - Hand Pieced QAL.  

You can also join our Hand Pieced Quilt Along Facebook Group and / or subscribe to our newsletter so you'll be among the first to know about new block tutorials.

Have a wonderful day! Patty