Tag Archives: Wing Clipper

BlockBuster 5 – Whirligig

This is a very cool block, but be sure to use your best pressing, measuring and cutting skills as this is a 3 out of 4 stars for difficulty.  All the instructions to make this block can be found in the instructions that came with your Wing Clipper I, Tucker Trimmer I and on the Pickets & Quickets technique sheet.

This is a tricky block; you will need to pay attention to your fabric placement and the orientation of your quicket and picket units.  To help you out here is link to the Whirligig Black Line Layout you can print this sheet and use your colored pencils to help choose your fabrics and placement.

01 Fabric Choices

I chose five colors and a background fabric to make 4 different color units, each containing 2 flying geese, a Picket, a Quicket and a half square triangle.

The 05 Whirligig block can be made in 3 sizes:  6″, 9″ and 12″.   I chose the 12″ block.  Check the Cutting Chart, and choose the size block you want to make.  We will start with the Flying Geese Unit.  The cutting chart gives you the finished and the cut sizes of the units.  Check your Wing Clipper instructions to see what size starter squares you need to cut.  As you know when using the Wing Clipper you start with one large square and 4 small squares.

02 Mark for FG

Following the instructions use your Magic Wand and draw two diagonal lines on the back of your small squares.

03 Position

Position 2 of the small squares right sides together in diagonally opposite corners of the large square, nudging them in toward the center by just a few threads

Stitch on both drawn lines, them trim between the lines on the center diagonal.

06 Press

Press the seams toward the smaller triangles.  One of these units will make 2 flying geese, the other will be saved to make a left slanted Quicket.

Position one of the smaller squares in the corner of the previously pieced unit.  Nudge the square in like you did before.  Stitch on the drawn lines and trim between the lines as before.

09 Press

Press the seams toward the smaller triangles.

10 Trim 1

Position your oversized unit horizontally on your cutting mat with the goose pointing toward you.  Align the diagonal guide lines of the Wing Clipper with the sewn seams of the flying geese unit. Trim up the right side and across the top.  (See the Wing Clipper Instructions for left hand cutting.)

11 Trim 2

Lift your Wing Clipper and rotate your flying geese unit 180 degrees.  Reposition your Wing Clipper to align cleanup guidelines with the previously trimmed raw edges and the “X” at the top with the intersection of the seams.  Trim up the right side and across the top.

12 Picket Position

Remember we only used one of the heart shaped units for the flying geese.  We will use the other to make our left slanted Quicket.  Lay the unit on your cutting mat as shown above.  Position your Wing Clipper tool over the unit, the “X” on the tool should align with diagonal seam.  I am making a Quicket with a cut size of 4 1/2″ by 2 1/2″, so I positioned my tool to ensure I can trim all four sides.

13 Picket Trim1

Trim up the right side then across the top.

14 Picket Trim 2

Lift your Wing Clipper tool and rotate your unit 180 degrees.  Align the trim down lines with the just trimmed raw edges and aligning the long diagonal line on the tool with the single diagonal seam.  Trim up the right side and across the top.

15 Quicket

The cut size of my right slanted Picket is 2 1/2″ by 4 1/2″.  Following the instructions on my Pickets & Quickets Technique Sheet, I bump up the size by  1/4″.  My rectangle is 4 3/4″ by 2 3/4″.  My small square is 2 3/4″.  Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the small square.

Position the small square right sides together with the rectangle and align the raw edges.  Stitch on the line and trim the excess.  Press toward the small triangle.

17 Quicket

Position your Wing Clipper tool over the unit, the “X” on the tool should align with diagonal seam.  Trim up the right side  and across the top.

18 Quicket

Lift your Wing Clipper tool and rotate your unit 180 degrees.  Align the trim down lines with the just trimmed raw edges and aligning the long diagonal line on the tool with the single diagonal seam.  Trim up the right side and across the top.

Follow the instructions that came with your Tucker Trimmer I for making Half Square Triangles (HST) in the size you chose.  Using your Magic Wand draw two diagonal lines on the back of one of your starter squares.  Place your starter squares right sides together. Stitch on lines and trim down the center.  I pressed toward the dark fabric.

21 HST Trim 1

Trim the oversized HST to the desired cut size.  Mine are 2 1/2″.  (See the Tucker Trimmer Instructions for left hand cutting.)

22 HST Trim 2

Lift your Tucker Trimmer and rotate the HST 180 degrees position the diagonal line and the outline of the square to the measurement desired and trim up the right side and across the top.

23 Unir Layout

We are now ready to sew this unit together.  Layout the  2 flying geese, 1 left slanted Quicket, 1 right slanted Picket and 1 half square triangle as shown above..

First stitch the 2 flying geese together, press in the direct the geese are flying. Then stitch the geese to the right slanted Picket.  Press toward the Picket.

Stitch the HST to the left slanted Quicket, pressing toward the Quicket.

25 Stitch 2 together

Stitch the two sections together.

26 Block Layout

Repeat the process for each of the other 3 sections.  If all of your geese are the same color you can make all your flying geese in sets of four, then make the Pickets & Quickets using the method in the technique sheet.  When I stitched the four sections togehter I pressed the seams open to avoid bulk.

27 Block

As I said in the beginning, “very cool block”!

Trim Your Trees With Tucker Tools

I love Christmas Tree quilts and wall hangings.  I’m always looking for ways to make Christmas tree quilts.  Two years ago I made “I Believe” for my youngest Granddaughter Sam’s first Christmas.

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I Believe

I Believe Christmas tree Quilt was made using the Studio 180 Design V Block tool and of course I had to add machine embroidery.

This year I wanted to try some new techniques.  I absolutely love this wall hanging made with the Studio 180 Design Split Rects tool.

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Split Rect’s Christmas Tree

This Split Rects Christmas Tree was made with 1 1/2″ x 3″ finished units, but you can change the size of this quilt by using any of the 8 sizes provided in the Split Rects instructions.

I had some lime green dupioni silk and decided to make Kermits Swamp Spruce by using all 10 sizes of my Studio 180 Design Wing Clipper 1 tool.

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Kermit’s Christmas Tree

As you know when making flying geese with the Wing Clipper you make 4 at a time.  So I only needed to make 3 size groups to get all 10 flying geese for Kermits Christmas Tree. These wall hanging can embellished easily by adding beads or costume jewelry. Don’t we all have Christmas pins collected over the years.

Of course if you need to whip up a gift quickly just make one set of the 5″ x 10″ flying geese and trim them down.

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Wing Clipper Christmas

The Wing Clipper Christmas Tree wall hanging is very quick and easy.

Just click on any of the links provided and start trimming your trees.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Michelle Hiatt is “Sew On The Go”

“Sew On The Go” that’s what I say about my friend and fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Michelle Hiatt.  Michelle is not only an excellent quilt teacher, she is a very talented quilt designer.  Michelle’s designs are featured in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting Magazine, Quilter’s Newsletter & Modern Quilting Unlimited Magazine.  Michelle teaches throughout the northeast, including at American Quilt Society’s Quilt Weeks across the country.  Her quilts have been exhibited in several national quilt shows and have received numerous awards.  Most recently, Winter Jewels (patterned as Loco for Lemoyne Stars), took two 1st place, a 3rd place and viewer’s choice at national quilt shows.

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Winter Jewels by Michelle Hiatt

I’m so excited to share 4 of Michelle’s newest patterns for Modern 180 and Studio 180 Design.  Below is “Floral Burst” companion pattern for Studio 180 Design’s Rapid Hunter Star & Corner Pop Tools.  It is amazing to see how just popping a corner of the hunter star block and inserting a pop of color adds so much.

FLORAL BURST

Next is “Diamonds in the Sky” companion pattern for the Studio 180 Design’s Corner Beam Tool.  I love the Corner Beam tool and this pattern looks like fun.

DIAMONDS IN THE SKY

Below is “Finley’s Fence” companion pattern to Studio 180 Design’s Tucker Trimmer I and Corner Pop tools.  This would make a great baby quilt.

FINLEYS FENCE

Last but not least is “Zig Zag Zany” companion pattern for Studio 180 Design’s Wing Clipper I and Tucker Trimmer I Tools. It is so much fun to see the many different ways to use flying Geese!

ZIG ZAG ZANY

I purchased all 4 and can’t wait to make them.  Look for these patterns soon at Studio 180 Design and at Michelle’s Etsy Shop Sew On The Go.  You can reach Michelle through her website Sew on the Go.