Isabella's Garden: January 2003 Quilt Block

Materials:

sky fabric
birdhouse fabrics
post fabric
birdhouse hole fabric
rotary cutter, ruler and mat
marking tool
template material
birdhouse hole applique pattern - draw a 1-1/2 inch diameter circle
fusible web
thread
sewing machine
embroidery floss

Large birdhouses (make two)
1. For two large birdhouses, cut two, 3-1/2" x 8-1/2" rectangles (unit A) from the designated fabric. From the large birdhouse roof fabric, cut two, 4-1/2" x 8-1/2" rectangles (unit B). From the sky fabric, cut four, 4-1/2-inch squares (unit C); and two, 1-1/2" x 7 1/2" strips (unit D) (figure A).

• Draw a diagonal line dissecting unit C, and position it over half of unit B, right sides of the fabric pieces together (figure B).
  
• Stitch on the drawn line then trim just outside the line, leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Press open (figure C) with seams toward unit B.
  
• Repeat on the opposite side of the rectangle to complete the roof.
  
• Stitch the CBC roof unit to house unit A, pressing seams toward A.

• Turn unit C right side down.
  
• Measure and mark a dot at the top edge of the piece one inch from the top right corner.
  
• Draw a diagonal line on unit C from the lower left corner to the measured mark.
  
• Mark 1/4-inch seam along the top edge and place the piece on the left side of unit B (figure F).
  
• Stitch on short side of unit C to the 1/4-inch mark, back-tack and trim. Press open.
  
• Repeat in the same manner on the right side of unit B with a second unit C, but this time, work from the opposite end, measuring and marking a dot at the top edge of unit C that's one inch from the top left corner.
  
• Draw a diagonal line on the second unit C from the lower right corner to the measured mark.
  
• Mark 1/4-inch seam along the top edge and place the piece on the right side of unit B.
  
• To seam the two C-units together, place a pin on the points of back-tack stitches at the 1/4-inch mark and match the raw edges of the middle of the roof. Place the machine needle exactly at the pinned 1/4-inch mark, stitch to the edge and press.

2. Construct the roof for the center birdhouse in the same manner as the small birdhouse. See details in step 2 of Small Birdhouses (above).

Row Assembly
1. Stitch the birdhouses together from left to right in this order: large birdhouse with left D-unit, small birdhouse, center birdhouse, small birdhouse, large birdhouse with right D-unit.

• From the post fabric cut a 1-1/2" x 13-1/2" strip. From the strip cut five, 2-1/2-inch pieces (unit A). From the sky fabric, cut a 1-1/2" x 34" strip. From the strip cut two, 4-1/2-inch pieces (unit B); two, 5-1/2-inch pieces (unit C); and two, 6-1/2-inch pieces (unit D).
  
• Stitch the units together from left to right in this order: B, A, D, A, C, A, C, A, D, A, B (figure J) and press all the seams in the same direction.
  
• Matching the raw edges, pin the border to the bottom of the birdhouse row and stitch. Press seams toward the birdhouses.

3. Transfer birdhouse hole applique pattern to template material. Cut out the template and use it to cut 12 holes from framing border fabric. Use fusible webbing to adhere the applique pieces to the birdhouses—three holes centered horizontally on large birdhouses, two holes centered vertically on small birdhouses and two holes centered horizontally on center birdhouse. Finish the raw edges of the applique with blanket-stitching in coordinating embroidery floss.

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Quilt design by Jan Schmidt.