Windblown Square – BOM – August 2020

We are continuing to do more blocks from the  “One Hundred and one Patchwork Patterns”  book by Ruby Short McKim.  The book was published in 1931, and my husband’s maternal Grandmother learned to quilt from this book.  These blocks are done in her honor.  

The 22nd block for 2020 is the Windblown Square.  It is a very simple block, made of 16 Half Square triangles (HST). 

“THE Wind Blown Square is a sort of topsy-turvy pattern originally pieced of white with light and dark prints.”  (McKim)

The original block was 9″ square, our block will be 12 1/2″ unfinished or 12″ finished.

Fabric Requirements (fabric needed)

For Easy Block – 16 HST (3 color)

• Color A (Pink)  – 6″ x 6″
• Color B (Yellow) – 6″ x 6″
• Color C (Purple) – 12″ x 6″
• Background (White) – 12″ x 12″

Fabric Cutting

Depending on the method that you want to use for the HST, will depend on how your cut out your fabric.  In the video, I will show you different methods for creating the HST.  For the instructions, I will show you using the 4 at a time method.

Assembly – Easy Block

16 HST – 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″

Using one Background and Color A (Pink)

Place Right sides together

Stitch 1/4″ along all four sides of the square (red line is the stitching

Cut Diagonally from Corner to corner both directions (purple lines).

Press open, resulting in 4 HST

Square up the HST using your favorite method.

Repeat using one background and Color B (Yellow)

Repeat using one background and one Color C (purple)

Repeat using one background and one Color C (purple)

You will have a total of 16 HST completed, 8 purple, 4 yellow, 4 pink.

This would be great for making sets of 2 HST of a particular fabric or color, and have a more scrappy look on the block.

Layout the pieces according to the pattern, and then sew the pieces together. You can use my method for  Chain Piecing, or the method you prefer.

As you assemble, make sure to double check as you are going so the pieces/rows don’t get turned around in error.

Press seams, and you have completed the Easy Windblown Square.

I look forward to seeing all your wonderful blocks!  Make sure to post on the Facebook group!  Remember to add the hashtag #BOMWindblownSquare.

Thank you for joining us for this additional 2020 block of the month!   

Click Here for a downloadable PDF of the instructions.

For the previous blocks, you can check under “Units” in the Facebook group.

Alternative – Medium

For those who are looking for a little harder block, you can make it with 1 1/2″ HST finished.

Instead of making 16 – 3 1/2″ HST, you will make 64 – 2″ HST.  You can use the same number of fabric colors, or get a little more wild and add a couple extra colors.

To make using the same instructions as for the Easy Block, you will need the following to make 4 – HST at a time, using 3 ¾” x 3 ¾” pieces. You will need 16 pieces of background, and a combination of 16 for the colors.  To match the example above you would need:

4 – Color A (Pink)
2 – Color B (Yellow)
4 – Color C (Purple)
4 – Color D (Light teal)
2 – Color E (Dark Teal)
16 – Background (White)

If you would like to make 8 – HST at a time, you would need 6″ x 6″ pieces, 8 Background, and a combination of 8 for the colors.  To match the example above you would need;

2 – Color A (Pink)
1 – Color B (Yellow)
2 – Color C (Purple)
2 – Color D (Light teal)
1 – Color E (Dark Teal)
8 – Background (White)

To create 8 HST at a time, use one background piece and one color piece.

Draw a line from corner to corner on the back on the lighter fabric, creating an “X” (red lines)

Stitch 1/4″ on both sides of the drawn lines, creating a double X (Black lines)

Cut along the drawn lines, and then again vertical and horizontal halfway. (Cut on the Red lines

Square up the HST to 2″ square using your preferred method.

Repeat for the other 7 pieces, match each with a background piece.

Then using the same layout as the Easy block, make four smaller versions of the Easy block.

Then sew the four pieces together, to create the Medium Windblown Square.
Remember to post pictures of your blocks on our Facebook group, so we can see all the fun fabric/color combinations.