Quilt along #2 - Shoo Fly don't bother me!

Hey there!

So, how did the log cabins work out for you? I hope they went well. My mom got hers finished in about 2 hours. Not bad. So here we have a Shoo Fly block. A Shoo Fly is basically a modified 9 patch. ( 9 patches are too easy for us ).

• Cut a 2.5 inch strip from each piece of fabric
• then cut 2.5 inch squares from them (11 from each strip)
• Cut 2 of each square into 4 triangles

You will have leftover of the 2.5 inch strip, just put it back with your fabric stack and save it for the next block.

* seams are 1/4 inch.

I line up all my fabric strips and cut them at once....makes it go much faster.

OK, so this is how you lay out your block. You have options here. I opted to mix up my prints. You sure don't have to....but I thought it looked a bit more exciting. Lay each of your little triangles over the inside corners of 4 squares. I make a pretend 1/4 inch seam by folding over the triangle to make sure all the base corner is covered. That probably does not make sense...bare with me if you are confused, the next couple pictures may clear it up.

I chain piece my blocks....

Take your little squares over to the ironing board and press the triangles over. They "should" overhang the squares...right? Some more than others. I like how it looks when they are all different. Looks like they are throbbing or squirming.

Now trim the triangle to the square and then cut off the underlying corner of the square. Some folks don't do that part. You don't have to, I do because I think less layers make the quilt easier to quilt when you get to that step.

Now stitch up your block. I chain piece this part too and they come together very quickly.

Press and trim your block to 6 inches. I like to cock mine funny on the mat before I trim the block up....gives them all the more wiggle in the finished quilt.

Layout all 6 of your blocks and go for it!

See...here are mine. They didn't take much time at all to make.

Here are the 12 blocks I have so far. I think we are going to need to add a sashing to this quilt. What do you think? Maybe a nice wide one to make the quilt bigger...big enough to be a throw size? Good idea!

I don't know much history about the Shoo Fly block. Sorry. I tried to google them but some of the sources were pretty stupid. More warnings to escaping slaves...but why I say they are stupid was because one was a warning that there were broken dishes up ahead. Seriously? Why in the hell would slaves on the run give a rats ass about broken dishes up ahead? I would be way more worried about scent dogs or, evil plantation foremen. But that is just me. Now maybe the "broken dishes" symbolizes a mole in the operation....but it didn't say that.

Have fun sewing! Let me know if you have any questions.