Birds in the Air Quilt Block

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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
  

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: 2-1/2" finished / 3" unfinished

Grid: 2x2

Technique: Paperpiecing

Design Type: Basic quilt block, 4-patch

In this rendition of the Birds in the Air quilt block, I'm choosing to reverse the light and dark patches.

Remember that, ultimately, fabric placement is your choice!

All the patches are subcut once on the diagonal.

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			3/4''	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 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 like this...

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

...and stitch, starting before the solid line between BitA-1 and BitA-2 and after it ends by approximately 1/4" (as indicated by the red arrows).

Press. (Because I starched my fabric ahead of time, I was able to fingerpress these patches open.)

With RST, align the short side of BitA-3 with BitA-1 and stitch as before, both starting and stopping about a quarter inch before and after the solid stitching line.

Press.

Add BitA-4 in the same manner.

At this point we haven't done any trimming yet.

After stitching, now trim any dog ears and thread tails in the center of the block. (Trimming the block to size at the end will take care of the rest of the thread tails!)

Press. (Here I did press with my iron. I wanted the unit nice and flat before trimming.)

At this point we create a placement line for Patch BitA-5.

Match the edge of your rotary ruler to the solid stitching line between BitA-3, -4 and -5.

Crease the paper with your finger and fold the pattern back on this creased line. (You need to gently tug to pull the paper away from the stitches.)

Now align the 1/4" mark of your ruler with the fold and cut along the edge of the ruler with your rotary cutter. You've just created a 1/4" seam allowance.

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

Red arrow points to the quarter inch mark. The edge of the ruler is a 1/4" away from the folded edge of the pattern.

With RST, align the long bias edge of BitA-5 with the long side of the sewn patches.

Stitch, again starting and stopping before and after the line by a generous quarter inch.

Press.

This is the stitched block.

The block before trimming—kind of a hot mess, right?!!

Up 'til now, we haven't bothered to clean up the thread tails along the outside edges. When the block is trimmed to size, it's done automatically. No need to make extra work for ourselves.

Trim the block to size by placing the 1/4" line of your ruler on the solid outside line. Trim.

Repeat for the remaining three sides.

Trim all four sides

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

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.

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.

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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