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| Flying Swallows Quilt Block |
The Classic Flying Swallows Quilt Block is the next block in the Catch the Motion series.
Traditional quilt blocks just seem to have a magical quality that reflects a true sense of movement. The Flying Swallows Quilt Block is awesome if you are looking for a project that will push you to your creative limits, and reward you with a great visual result. This gorgeous variation made by QuiltingDaily is a traditional eight-pointed star design that is transformed to a flock of swirling birds in flight.
The appeal of this particular pattern design is the precision template piece work technique! The trick to the historical woes of messy Y-seams and math crunching is avoided by utilizing the template sheets, which are created to fit specific interlocking shapes such as Template A and Template B. Rather, you'll be able to concentrate exclusively on getting it to line up correctly and match those amazing, sharp points.
Why It Works: Diamonds and Illusion
The design layout is very much based on a rhythmic play of 45 degree diamond units and balancing triangles as can be seen in the drawing. The color placement forms one instant sight deception when you put the smaller shapes together to make the big diamond legs for this star. The pieces appear not flat fabric but rather like the spinning pinwheels, or birds in motion.
If you're about to be seated in front of your sewing machine with this pattern, here are three tips to help you do it stress-free:
- One of the most important tips is to choose fabrics that have high contrast; otherwise the "swallows" will not appear to be flying. Use rich and saturated prints or deep solids for the bird shapes on a highly contrasting background. When they're very similar, the motion becomes lost in the noise.
- This block has several bias edges (edges cut diagonally across the grain of the fabric) meaning the pieces may stretch. If you spray a bit of starch on your fabric before cutting, you'll stabilize the fabric and keep your edges rock steady.
- Press Contentiously: Do not press seams until the whole block is connected together. As you work, the pressing of each pieced diamond gives infinitely smoother nesting of your seams at that heavy center intersection.
Final Thought
In the end, the blocks such as the Flying Swallows are a lovely reminder that traditional quilting is never out of vogue. It brings geometry to life and brings the basic geometry to art, transforming flat fabric into art that is truly alive. Don't be frightened off by the templates or exact angles. Work on one seam at a time, soak up the rhythm of it and watch your fabric fly off the table!
Full Post: Flying Swallows Quilt Block Free PDF Pattern
