Squared Away Block 5

Hello again, and welcome back to the Squared Away  quilt project! This free project was designed by me and Angela of soscrappy as a fun project to use up some of our scraps, especially the scrap squares.  You can find links to the earlier blocks both HERE and HERE.  Come on along with us and make some blocks!

Our colors for this month are pink and rose, the colors of spring roses.  Here is our block for the month:

Baton Rouge Square, Nancy Cabot, 1936

You would think that this is yet another Red Cross block, but it's not!  This block is Baton Rouge Square, a Nancy Cabot block from 1936.  It is easy to construct, but pay attention to the directions of the hsts as they are easy to mix up. (Ask me how I know.)

Let's get to it!

Cutting for a 10-inch block:

I made my blocks using strip piecing and methods that use larger cuts, but if you have squares already cut, go ahead and use those. Waste not, want not!

From the main pink, cut:

1 5-3/4 inch square* (for hsts, so you can oversize if that's something you do)
1 2-1/2 by 10-1/2 inch strip

From the second pink, cut:

5 2-1/2 inch squares OR 2 2-1/2 inch squares and 1 2-1/2 by 6-1/2 inch strip

From the background, cut:

1 5-3/4 inch square*
2 2-1/2 by 10-1/2 inch strips

Construction:

First, make the hsts.  Use the 5-3/4 inch squares of the first pink and the background to make 8 2-1/2 inch hsts using the Magic 8 method.

Next, use the 2-1/2 by 10-1/2 inch strips of the pink and the background to make a 3-strip set, with the pink in between the two background strips.  Press to the background pieces. Cut this into 4 2-1/2 inch sections.  (A little bit is included for straightening if needed.)

That all of our units--on to the assembly!

Assembly:

First, make the center section.  Take four of the hsts and all of the pieces of the second pink and arrange them as shown, paying attention to the directions of the hsts:

Stitch together.  If you want your seams to nest properly, press to the second pink, including the second pinks at the center.  (You can see that I used a 2-1/2 by 6-1/2 inch strip instead of squares.  This saves two seams.) This unit should measure 6-1/2 inches square.

All that's left is to lay out all of the remaining pieces and units as shown:

Join the units into rows and the rows into a finished block.  Press well, stand back, and admire your beautiful block!

Here are all of my blocks for this month:

You can see that I used a yellow background for one of the blocks.  It doesn't show very well in the pictures but looks good in person. And I'm thrilled to use those novelty prints in the bigger blocks.  Don't they look like packages tied up with bows?

Finishing these blocks means that we are halfway to a finished quilt! I hope your blocks are looking great and your quilt is coming together.  Remember that Angela has a linkup every Saturday at her blog to show off your blocks! If you post your blocks on Instagram, you can also link up at Angela's, and be sure to tag me (@academicquilter) and/or use #squaredawaybom so we don't miss your beautiful blocks!

The next exciting block for our quilt will be Saturday, June 2, so meet back here!  Be sure to bring plenty of scraps!

Sharing at soscrappy for RSC18.