This weeks block is called Sarah's Choice. It is a pinwheel inside a variable star. We will be making Flying Geese and Half Square Triangles.

You will need 4 colors and a background

Fabric A - Color 1

Fabric B - Color 2

Fabric C - Color 3

Fabric D - Color 4

Fabric E - Background

Cutting:

Fabric A - Cut 4 - 3 1/2" squares

Fabric B - Cut 4 - 3 1/2" squares

Fabric C - Cut 2 - 4" squares

Fabric D - Cut 2 - 4" squares

Fabric E - Cut 4 - 3 1/2" x 6 1/2"

Fabric E - Cut 4 - 3 1/2" squares

Sewing:

We are going to make Flying Geese first. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of Fabric A and B squares.

Place a Fabric A square right sides together on the left side of a Fabric E rectangle.

Sew just to the outside edge of the line.

Repeat for the rest of the Fabric A squares. Cut the corner off leaving 1/4" seam allowance. (*the part you are trimming is a little big and I'd hate to waste it, see the end of the pattern for what I did with these triangles)

Press toward Fabric A.

Place a Fabric B square right sides together on the left side of the above unit. Make sure the angle is the opposite of the first seam. Sew just to the outside of the drawn line.

Repeat for the rest of the Fabric B squares. Trim the corners leaving 1/4" seam allowance. (keep these extra triangles too)

Press toward Fabric B.

These 4 Flying Geese should measure 3 1/2" x 6 1/2".

Now let's make some Half Square Triangles.

Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the Fabric C squares and place right sides together with a Fabric D square.

Sew 1/4" away from both sides of the drawn line.

Cut apart on the drawn line.

Press toward Fabric C. You will have 4 slightly oversized Half Square Triangles.

Trim these to 3 1/2".

You will have 4 Half Square Triangles that measure 3 1/2" square.

Arrange the Half Square Triangles into a Pinwheel block as shown.

Sew the top 2 squares together and the bottom 2 squares together. Press toward Fabric C.

Sew these 2 rows together, lining up the seams. When you are sewing this seam allowance watch to make sure you are sewing right through the intersection of seams so you don't cut off any points.

I twisted the seam as we have done with some of our four patch blocks to reduce bulk from the seams.

Your Pinwheel should measure 6 1/2" square.

Now we have all the components that make up our block. Lay your pieces out a shown.

Sew the rows together. Press toward the Fabric E corner squares and toward the center pinwheel.

Sew these rows together. Press your seams open.

Your Sarah's Choice block is completed!

*Remember the triangles that you trimmed off when making the flying geese?

They are pretty big to just throw away, so I kept them paired and sewed them together to make some Half Square Triangles. They measure 2 3/4". I'm not sure what i will use them for but I couldn't let them go to waste!

Don't forget to post your pictures on the Ruth's Stitchery Facebook page in order to be in the August drawing.