Birds in the Air Quilt Block: Choose Your Perfect Piecing Method

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Skill Level: Beginner

The Birds in the Air quilt block is a common unit found within many, many other patchwork designs.

If you are making just a few blocks, traditional piecing methods work just fine.

For larger quantities, when concentration is tempted to wander, I prefer paperpiecing for two reasons:

• Accuracy—as long as you stay on the line at the beginning and the end, you're golden, and...

• Taming bias edges—the paper stabilizes all the edges during construction
  

Examples of designs that include the Birds in the Air unit in their construction are:

Aircraft

Hovering Hawks

Philadelphia Pavement

Panama Star

Sparkling Star

Duck and Ducklings

Machine Set-Up: 

• Set your stitch length to 15-18 stitches per inch to help perforate the paper. 

• Install an open toe applique foot if you have one for an unobstructed view of the stitching line. 

• Insert a 90/14 needle IF you have trouble removing the paper.

I use starch in all my piecing—paperpiecing, too!

With it, I find that finger pressing is almost always good enough between patches, especially when they are small, reducing the number of times I need to go to the iron.

To learn more about starching your quilt fabric, click here.

If you use an iron at each step, when you see the instruction 'Press', first press the unit in the closed position. This melds the stitches with the fabric. Then press the patch open. (Otherwise, just finger press the patch open.)

Pressing instructions are highlighted in yellow.

I do not use steam for paperpiecing, but that choice is up to you. In my experience, steam has a tendency to 'curl' the pattern...which is terribly annoying. 

For unbelievably flat Birds in the Air quilt blocks, use the Best Technique for Pressing Quilt Blocks.

It works just as well for foundation piecing as it does for traditional. I think you'll like it!

📥 Download and print the paper piecing pattern

You'll need the most current version of Adobe installed on your computer to download the pattern.

On the Adobe Print Menu page, under 'Page Size and Handling' set 'Custom Scale' to 100% before printing for accurate results. Click here to see what it looks like on the Print Menu page.

After printing, use the 1" square graphic on the printed pages to confirm they are printed accurately.

Not sure which paper to use?

Take a look at my review of several of the most popular brands available to us quilters on the market.

You want a super-easy paper to tear away—less stress on the stitches. 

✂️ Cut the fabric patches for a Birds in the Air

Sample Block Size: 3" finished / 3½" unfinished

Grid: 2x2

Design Type: Basic quilt block  |  4-patch  |  Paper Piecing

Notice that when you flip from the pattern side (left above) to the fabric side (right above), the BitA-3 and -4 patches change position. It makes no difference in this tutorial. However, if you were using different fabrics for each patch, you'll want to be aware of this movement.

To print a copy of the Birds in the Air block design and cutting chart to use at your cutting table, click here.

			Cutting Chart for a Birds in the Air Quilt Block or Unit ~ Paper Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size							Sub Cut
			1½''	2''	2½''	3''	4''	5"	6"
BitA-1	A	1	1⅝'' x 1⅝''	1⅞'' x 1⅞''	2⅛'' x 2⅛''	2⅜'' x 2⅜''	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''
BitA-2, BitA-3, BitA-4	Bac	2	2⅛'' x 2⅛''	2⅜'' x 2⅜''	2⅝'' x 2⅝''	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅜'' x 4⅜''
BitA-5	A	1	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''	4⅜'' x 4⅜''	5⅜'' x 5⅜''	6⅜'' x 6⅜''	7⅜'' x 7⅜''
Unfinished Block Size			2"	2½"	3"	3½"	4½"	5½"	6½"	na
Grid Size			¾"	1"	1¼"	1½"	2"	2½"	3"	na

Subcutting

These are the subcut patches. You will use three of the black and white triangles, and one each of the large and small blue ones. The rest are extras.

🪡 Assemble the Birds in the Air quilt block

Cut a single block from the page you printed. There's no need to be exact, just cut outside the dotted line that marks the unfinished edge of each block.

You trim it to size in the last step.

With a just a dab of Elmer's Washable Glue Stick—the one that goes on purple and dries clear—position the back side of BitA-1 on the unprinted side of your paper pattern. The edges of the patch touch the dashed placement lines.

With RST, align and center the long bias edge of BitA-2 over BitA-1.

Stitch a generous seam by starting before the solid line between BitA-1 and BitA-2, and after it ends by approximately 1/4". For this seam, you'll start and stop past the dashed lines that surround the block.

BitA-1 is completely hidden by the larger BitA-2

Press.

With RST, match a short side of BitA-3 to Bita-1. Again, because this is a lighter fabric, I've nudged it a few threads past BitA-1. (blue arrow)

Sew the seam with a generous SA.

Press.

Repeat for BitA-4.

You've noticed the BitA 3 and 4 are the same. It really doesn't matter which you stitch first...in case you were wondering. 🤔 💡

You guessed it! I've nudged the lighter patch again. (blue arrow)

Press.

We need to trim the excess away from BitA-3 and -4. To accomplish this, at your cutting mat, pull the pattern away from your stitches a bit in the center (left, blue arrow). 

Now, pattern side up, match the edge of your ruler with the solid line between BitA-5 and the rest of the block. (below right)

Use your thumbnail to crease the pattern on the line.

Fold the paper back on itself on this line, and match the 1/4" marks on your ruler with the fold.

(You might like an 'Add-a-Quarter' ruler for this type of trimming.)

Back at your sewing machine, align the long bias edge of BitA-5 with this fresh cut.

Sew this final seam, starting and stopping past the outside dashed lines.

After stitching, now trim any thread tails in the center of the block. Don't worry about any on the outside edges.

Press. 

Trimming to the exact size

All that's left is to trim the Birds in the Air, taking this hot mess to perfection in 4 cuts.

Pattern right side up on your cutting mat, match the 1/4" markings on your ruler with one side of the solid square that surrounds your Birds in the Air quilt block.

Cut away the excess with your rotary cutter.

Turn the unit a 1/4 turn and repeat. Continue until all four sides are trimmed.

Voila! Any pesky thread tails on the outside edges are gone.

Remove the paper pattern now.

All the patches you cut were calculated to ensure that the outside edges are all on the straight of grain—just like any traditionally pieced block.

Your finished Birds in the Air quilt block or unit looks like this.

For traditional piecing instructions to make this Birds in the Air block, click here.

To see blocks that have the same name, but look entirely different, click here.

📌  Birds in the Air Success! 🎯

Master this classic quilt block with confidence — crystal clear steps for perfect points, no specialty rulers required. #QuiltersGottaQuilt

Variation on a Birds in the Air block

Birds in the Air design variation

This paper pieced variation adds one extra patch, #6. It is used in several other blocks. (For traditional piecing of this unit, click here.)

I'm using a different sample to stitch on for this unit.

Use the cutting chart below. You'll have the same leftover #1, #2, #5 plus one #6.

You can download and print a copy of this design and its cutting chart here for use at your cutting table.

			Cutting Chart for a Birds in the Air Quilt Block ~ Paperpiecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size
			2"	2 1/2"	3"	4"
1	A	1	1⅞" x 1⅞"	2⅛" x 2⅛"	2⅜ x 2⅜"	2⅞" x 2⅞"
2, 3, 4	Bac	2	2⅜ x 2⅜"	2⅝" x 2⅝"	2⅞" x 2⅞"	3⅜" x 3⅜"
5	A	1	3⅜" x 3⅜"	3⅞" x 3⅞"	4⅜" x 4⅜"	5⅜" x 5⅜"
6	Bac	1	2⅜ x 2⅜"	2⅝" x 2⅝"	2⅞" x 2⅞"	3⅜" x 3⅜"
Unfinished Block Size			2½"	3"	3½"	4½"	---
Grid Size			1"	1¼"	1½"	2"	---

Download and print the paper piecing variation pattern

Print the pattern to match your chosen Finished Block Size.

Piecing together this variation

To make it follow the instructions for Patches #1-#5, just leave out the last trimming to size—we've got one more patch to add.

At your cutting mat, paper side up, line up your ruler with the solid line between #5 and #6. Crease the paper along this line with your thumbnail.

Fold the paper back on itself and place the 1/4" line of the ruler on the fold. Trim away the excess leaving behind a quarter inch seam.

After trimming #5 this is what it looks like from the fabric side.

Align the long bias edge of a #6 with the cut edge of #5. Stitch as before starting and ending a generous 1/4" from the solid line.

Give your block a press before trimming.

Now to create our perfectly sized block and get rid of thread tails.

To trim, lay the quarter inch markings of your rule (red arrow) on the solid outside line and trim. Repeat for the remaining three sides.

Our finished Birds in the Air variation after trimming all four sides.

Here is our Birds in the Air variation from the back.

For even MORE blocks to make... 🧩🎨

...visit our Free Quilt Block Pattern Library, with over 230+ blocks to choose from in multiple sizes.

Free downloads are included in all sizes for any blocks require paper piecing patterns or templates.

This article was printed from Generations-Quilt-Patterns.com

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