Penguin Applique Block

This cute little guy was fun to do. You will need to pull gold, gray, white, and black scraps from your stash. Don't trim the background square. The lucky person who wins the block may need some 'wiggle' room to make all blocks the same size.

Chinese Lanterns Pieced Block
By Janet Wickell

http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/chinese_lantern.htm

This is a fun, easy pattern to showcase lovely Asian fabrics. Save the excess half square triangles for an additional block or pillow project. The block you submit should be 12 1/2 x 12 1/2. Be careful to use 1/4 inch seams and square the block at the end. A nice touch is to write your name on the back in a seam allowance.

Your packet contains the white background and black lantern top and bottom. You will need to find lantern fabric and a contrasting stripe.

From lantern fabric cut:
two 3.5 x 12.5 bar
one 2.5 x 12.5 bar

From Contrast Stripe cut: two 1.5"x12.5" bars

From background (provided) cut
four 3.5"x3.5" squares
two 3.5 x 4.5 bars

From Black (provided) cut: one 6.5 x 4.5

Sew a 3.5"x 4.5" background to both ends of the black fabric. Press seam allowance toward the black. Cut into two strips 12.5" long.

On the wrong side of the background squares, draw a light pencil line diagonally from corner to corner. Draw a second line 1/2 inch from the first if you want to use the 'goose poop' for another block or pillow.

Paying attention to any directional component of your fabric, sew along the first diagonal line on either end of the two 3.5" lantern bars. Sew on the second diagonal line if you are making the additional project.

Cut between the lines and set the smaller piece aside for pillow use. Press seam allowance toward the lantern fabric.

Repeat for the other end of rectangle and press this seam toward the lantern fabric.

Repeat these steps for the second lantern bar.

Assemble the block according to the picture at the right, being careful to always use 1/4" seams.

Square the block after pressing. It should MEASURE 12.5" x 12.5"

Square the block. It should measure 12.5" x 12.5". The top and bottom pieces will likely be more than an inch wide so you will need to cut some off the top and bottom when you square the block. The excess width allows a little grace in case your quarter inch seams were not "right on."

You should have 4 half-square triangle patches from the Chinese Lantern BOM. Squaare down to 2 ½ “ patches.

Make 2 more 2 ½” half square triangle patches using your lantern fabric and any white on white you have in your stash

Cut a 1 ½” square from black

Attach it snowball method to one corner of a 2 ½ “ white on white square

Cut two 2 ½” squares from your lantern fabric

Assemble kimono block according to the diagram.

Cut strips of black or your contrast stripe from the BOM 1 ½” in width and sew around the outside of the kimono block in log cabin fashion

Select two 7” charm squares of white on white and cut diagonally from corner to corner.

Attach the bias edge of each piece to the bordered kimono block to set “on point”.

Choose fabric for the back of your pillow and sew front and back together (right sides together).

Turn, stuff, whip-stitch closed, attach a label (if for community quilts) and you are done!

Sayonara!