for Creative Quilters

This year's BOM has a cowboy theme.  Each pieced block in this BOM is based on a 7-patch (or 49-patch) grid.  Most blocks are comprised of squares and half-square triangles.   A cowboy themed applique design will be featured with each block, along with a Cowboy Code of Conduct that can be embroidered or printed with a permanent ink pen.  These designs can be used to embellish the pieced blocks or as quilting stencils or alone on a plain (or plaid or bandana) fabric background to make a simple child's quilt.  I will be doing quilt-as-you-go blocks and willl use these designs as quilt stencils.  For the pieced blocks, you will need a minimum of four color values: very light, light medium, dark medium and dark.  If you choose to do the cowboy themed designs, make sure your dark fabric will contrast with your chosen applique fabric. I'm using a range of primary school colors (think of a box of crayons) and rope colored thread for machine quilting.  This BOM works well with scraps if you keep a sharp contrast between your lights, mediums and darks.   You will have a choice of making 7", 14" or 21" blocks.  I will be making 7" blocks because they're easy to scan, but I recommend the larger sizes unless you really, really love working with 1" squares and 1" half-square triangle units.  Warning: there are lots of half-square triangle units in this BOM -- many blocks have 16 and one block has a whopping 28! Unless otherwise stated, use a 1/4" seam allowance. Note: Since I haven't had much experience with quilt-as-you-go methods with large items, I rushed to Wal-mart one night and bought some inexpensive fabrics to test things out before using my more expensive fabrics.  This is why you'll see similar but not quite alike blocks.  The Wal-mart blocks also better match the Electric Quilt blocks; the Connecting Threads blocks will show a more scrappy look with different colors used for the mediums and dark values.

My choice of fabrics for this BOM is the Elementary fabric pack from Connecting Threads   This is the traditional colorway for block #2.  As you can see from the images below, I changed the coloring quite a bit to get more colors in the block.  I've done this with several of the blocks in this BOM.  You have the option of using the traditional colorways in your project. .

                                    
The Twelfth Block: Bucking Bronco

This is an original block design - please respect the copyright law.
The name Bucking Bronco rather fits this wild block, don't you think?  As I started to cut the pieces for this block, I saw a way to redraft it and reduce the number of pieces (and seams!), so now it only has 65 pieces instead of  73.  Whew!  The many seams does make this block a bit challenging when it comes to deciding which way to press the seams.  If you like to press your seams open, you won't need to worry about it.  In other ways, this block makes a great final block because it reviews so many of the techniques we've been using throughout this BOM: half-square triangle units, flying geese units, 4-patch units and the Bear Paw method of assembling the block.  So, take a deep breath, relax, focus on one step at a time and you'll have this block completed before you know it!

You can make a hundred thousand dozen of these blocks to make quilts, table runners, tote bags, aprons, etc.  And you can draw them in your Electric Quilt or Quilt Pro software for your personal use only - just give me credit as the designer (for example,  The Cowboy Block designed by Sandy Harris, 2010.)   But by law you can't publish my designs or market them as a pattern (for free or $$) without my permission.

Cutting Requirements

Color & amount	7" block	14" block	21" block
Color A (very light)      12      4 Color B (light)      12 Color C (medium)      4      Color D (medium)      1      2 Color E (dark)      8      4 Color F (very dark)      4      2	1.5" x 1.5" 2" x 2" 1.5" x 1.5" 1.5" x 1.5" 1.5" x 1.5"   2" x 2" 1.5" x 2.5" 2" x 2" 1.5" x 2.5" 2" x 2"	2.5" x 2.5" 3" x 3" 2.5" x 2.5"   2.5" x 2.5"     2.5" x 2.5" 3" x 3" 2.5" x 4.5" 3" x 3" 2.5" x 4.5" 3" x 3"	3.5" 3.5" 4" x 4" 3.5" x 3.5" 3.5" x 3.5"     3.5" x 3.5" 4" x 4" 3.5" x 6.5" 4" x 4" 3.5" x 6.5" 4" x 4"

Directions for Assembling the Block
(scroll down for links to pdf files)

Step 1:  Preliminary Marking Draw diagonal lines on the back sides of the following: 8 small color A squares 4 larger color A squares 8 color B squares 2 larger color D squares	Note: Photos below were taken before pieces were pressed, so some look a bit wonky!
Step 2:  Half-Square Triangle Units Match the 4 larger color A squares with same size color E squares, right sides together.  Sew 1/4 inch from drawn line on each side of line.  Cut apart on draw line. Match the 2 larger size color D squares with same size color F squares, right sides together.  Sew 1/4 inch from drawn line on each side of line.  Cut apart on drawn line. Press seams on all units toward the darker color.  Trim to size needed (same as the smallest squares in the cutting chart for your block size).	Make 8 color A/E combos and 4 color D/F combos.
Step 3:  4-Patch Units A)  Using the 8 color A/E HST units, sew 4 to color C squares and 4 to color A squares as shown at right. Press seams toward the squares. B)  Sew one of each color combo together to make 4-patch units.  Press seams toward the side with the color C square. Trim if needed.	Make 4 of each color combo.   Make 4.
Step 4:  Flying Geese Units Here's another way to to do these units so that you end up with half of them being mirror images of the other half: A)  Referring to photo, place 4 color A squares (the ones with lines drawn on the back) on 4 color E rectangles so that the lines point to top left.  Place 4 color B squares (the ones with lines drawn on the back) on the other 4 color E rectangles, lines pointing the same way.  Sew on the diagonal lines.  Trim 1/4 inch from stitching line.  Press seams toward triangles. B)  Referring to photo, place remaining color A and B squares on opposite end of rectangles using different color than used before (color A with color B).  Sew on diagonal line.  Trim 1/4 inch from stitching.  Press seams toward triangles.	A)   Make 4 of color A and 4 of color B.  Sorry - my color A and B look much the same on the back side of the fabric. B)   Make 4 of each color combo. Completed Flying Geese Units - 4 of each needed.
Step 5:   Paw Units A)  Referring to photo, sew Flying Geese units to one side of 4-Patch units.  Make sure color B triangle is near color C square. Press seam toward Flying Geese unit. B)  Referring to photo for placement, sew color D/F HST units to remaining Flying Geese units.  Make sure color D triangle is next to color B triangle and that together they do not make a pyramid. (Check my blog to see  what can happen if you don't double-check!) Press seam toward Flying Geese unit. C)  Sew the 5b units to the 5a units.  Press seam toward thr 4-Patch.	Make 4.         Make 4. Make 4.
Step 6:  Sashing Strips Sew the remaining small color B squares to the color F rectangles. Press seams toward color B.	Make 4.
Step 7: Referring to the photo, sew sashing strips to 2 of the Paw units. Press seam toward the sashing unit.	Make 2.
Step 8:  Sew remaining Paw units to units made in Step 7. Press seam toward sashing unit. The top and bottom rows are now finished.	Make 2.
Step 9:  Center Sashing Strip A)  Sew color D square to color B end of one sashing strip. Press seam toward color B. B)  Sew the remaining sashing strip to  color D of the unit from step A. Press seam toward color B.	Make 1.               Make 1.
Step 10: Sew the center sashing strip to the top row.
Step 11: Sew the bottom row to the center sashing strip. Press newest seams toward center sashing strip. Press finished block and trim to square if needed.	Hmm, maybe I'll try it with a red center next time.

Past Blocks:

1 Bear's Paw pdf file Cowboy Boot pdf file go to my blog to see how I used the boot pattern	2 Tonganoxie 9-Patch pdf file Cowboy Shirt pdf file outline drawings can be used as quilting stencils	3 Girl Next Door temporary pdf file Cowboy Bandana pdf file
4 Best Friends temporary pdf Horse's Head pdf	5 Texas Two-Step pdf  (Thanks, Cathy!) Horseshoe pdf	6 Roundup (original) pdf Chaps pdf
7 Cowboy Star (original) pdf Circle Star Brand pdf	8 Pink Magnolia pdf Cowgirl Outfit pdf	9 Old Fashioned Quilt pdf Saddle pdf
10 Montana Maze aka Mountain Maze pdf Spurs pdf	11 The Cowboy Block pdf Cowboy Hat pdf	12 Bucking Bronco pdf Cowboy Belt pdf
Extra! Extra! There are two more applique/stencil patterns!  One is a linear design for using in sashing and borders; the other is just a bit of fun for quilters.	Longhorn Steer pdf	Quilters' Brand pdf

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Making Half-Square Triangles (HSTs)
 
This BOM uses lots of HSTs!  Below are directions for three popular methods for making these units.  My cutting instructions call for squares large enough for methods A and B.  Method C uses squares that are 1/2 inch smaller - if you prefer this method just cut your squares 1/2 inch smaller (for example, 3.5" instead of 4").  You will be sewing on the bias with any method - be careful not to stretch the fabric as you sew.

Method A
1. Draw a diagonal line on the back side of the light fabric squares.
2. Sew 1/4" from each side of drawn line.
3. Cut on drawn line.
4. Open and press.
5. Trim to exact size needed.

  Method B
1. Cut the squares in half diagonally.
2. Stack 2 triangles right sides together.
3. Sew on long side 1/4" from edge.
4. Open and press.
5. Trim to exact size needed.

 Method C
This method gives you a small bonus HST for every regular size HST made.  The drawback is that there is no margin of error so you must cut and sew accurately.  The pinked edges on most "jelly roll" strips fray and make this more challenging, but it's not impossible.  (Note: measure width of jelly roll strip from pinked tip to pinked tip, not from dip to dip.)