- Background (muslin)
- Dark (indigo)
Block No. 51 · four-patch
Birds in the Air Quilt Block
Also known as Flight of Swallows, Birds in the Air (two-grid unit)
Part of: Four Patch Quilt BlocksHalf Square Triangle Quilt BlocksEasy Quilt BlocksQuilt Blocks For Beginners
Birds in the Air is both a small standalone block and a unit used inside larger quilt designs. This two-grid version joins a small pieced triangle to one large triangle; the more crowded three-grid version appears under Flock of Geese.
Version note: Grid corrected from 3 to 2 to represent the smallest patches.
- Level
- Beginner
- Grid
- 2 × 2
- Pieces
- 5
Chart
Cutting for a 12" block
2 × 2 grid. All cuts fall on 1/8" ruler marks. Unfinished block: 12 1/2".
| Fabric | Shape | Cut | Size | Then | Pieces used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Background | Half-square triangle | 2 | 6 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 31 spare |
| Dark | Half-square triangle | 1 | 12 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 11 spare |
| Dark | Half-square triangle | 1 | 6 7/8" square | Cut once diagonally (2 triangles each) | 11 spare |
Method
Piecing steps
Step 1: Subcut the HST parent squares once diagonally as listed in the chart. Sew contrasting triangles along their long edges and square each small unit to 6 1/2", keeping the diagonal centered.
Step 2: Sew one small background triangle to the right of the HST and another below it, forming a larger pieced triangular half.
Step 3: Join that half to the large dark triangle along the diagonal, taking care not to stretch the bias edges.
Step 4: Press toward the large triangle and square the block while keeping 1/4 inch beyond the small triangle point.
Step 5: Join the sections with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, matching the marked intersections. Press and check the unfinished block measures 12 1/2" square.