By Sandra Schlagel
I don't have any pets, and I couldn't decide whether I should use cats or dogs, so I thought, why not use both? And have them facing different directions, too. I posted the instructions for one cat and one dog - it's up to you which direction they face and how many you use (or don't) of each!
Refer to the diagram above, along with the photos below, for piecing and connecting placement. Press each seam as you sew it, according to your preference. Use different fabrics for each piece, with no repeats. Or, if you'd like, you can do as I did on these blocks and used one fabric per "row" in both the background and each cat and dog unit.
Cat, Color A, cut:
Five 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
One 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
Two 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Three 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Background, Color B, cut:
One 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
Three 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
One 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
Two 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Layout cut pieces in an arrangement that you like, facing the direction you prefer.
Make the six rows that form the cat unit first. For row 6, place one B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the left edge of one A 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on B from lower, inner corner to opposite, outer corner to form a triangle. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open, press. Row 5 requires no piecing.
For row 4, place one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the right edge of one A 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on smaller piece from lower, outer corner to opposite corner to form a triangle. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open, press.
For row 3, sew one A 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to one B 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece. Repeat for row 2.
For the first unit of row 1, place one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to each side of a B 3-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line of the A pieces as shown. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open to reveal completed rectangle, press. (The images are upside down, don't let it throw you.)
For the second unit of row 2, place one B 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to one A 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece as shown. Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner of the intersecting pieces. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open to reveal the completed rectangle, press. Connect the two units.
Your rows should look like the photo above. Sew the rows of the cat unit together to look like the photo below.
Sew a background B 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to both the left and right sides of the cat unit. Sew one background B 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the top and bottom to complete the block.
Make six blocks in your choice of colors and pets and sew them together to complete the row.
Refer to the diagram above, along with the photos below, for piecing and connecting placement for the dog blocks. Use different fabrics for each piece, with no repeats. Or, if you'd like, you can do as I did on these blocks and used one fabric per "row" in both the background and each cat and dog unit.
Dog, Color A, cut:
Six 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
One 4-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
One 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
Background, Color B, cut:
Five 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Four 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
One 4-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
One 5-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece
Two 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Two 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces
Layout cut pieces in an arrangement that you like, facing the direction you prefer.
Make the six rows that for the dog unit first. For row 6, sew one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to one B 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to one B 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece. Do the same for row 5.
For row 4, make flying geese unit (see earlier tulip block instructions) from one A 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece and two B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" pieces. Sew the unit to one A 4-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece.
For row 3, place a B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the right edge of the A 5-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on B from lower, outer corner to opposite corner to form a triangle. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open to reveal the completed rectangle, press.
For row 2, place one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the left edge of the B 4-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on A from lower, inner corner to opposite, outer corner to form a triangle. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Place one A 2-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece as shown at right edge of B piece as shown above. Draw a diagonal line on A from lower, inner corner to opposite outer corner to form a triangle. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open both edges to reveal the completed rectangle (shown below), press. Sew a B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the right edge.
For row 1, place one A 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to a B 5-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece, right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on A from lower, inner corner to opposite, outer corner. Sew along the line, trim excess fabric. Open to reveal completed triangle, press. Sew a B 1-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the right edge.
The completed rows will look like the photo above. Sew the rows together to look like the photo below.
Sew a background B 6-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to both the left and right sides of the dog unit. Sew one background B 8-1/2" x 1-1/2" piece to the top and bottom of the unit to complete the block.
Make six blocks in your choice of colors and sew them together to complete the row. You'll notice that I chose dog + cat + cat + dog + dog + cat, and that I reversed direction often.
Sew the completed row to the top of row 4. The final row will be announced at the June 12 meeting.
