Make a Buzzard's Roost Quilt Block with Traditional Techniques

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Back: Paper pieced
Buzzard's Roost
quilt block tutorial

Ready to piece together a Buzzard's Roost quilt block the old-school way? You're in for a treat! This traditional method is perfect for quilters who prefer to keep their feet on solid ground.

⚠️ Precision Alert: Your trusty 1/4" seam allowance is your best friend here. It's the secret sauce that'll make your Buzzard soar!

In this tutorial, we'll guide you through each step, from cutting your patches to assembling your block. No paper piecing required—just good old-fashioned quilting skills and a keen eye for accuracy.

Let's ruffle some feathers and create a stunning Buzzard's Roost block! 🦅

🧭Quick Navigation🔍

Soar straight to the info you need - use these links to glide through our tutorial! :

A cutting chart in five sizes, with downloads of the chart and block design

A coloring page to download and print

Step-by-step piecing instructions

Cut. Sew. Press. Soar to new piecing heights with raptor-like skill!

📄 Paper Piecing Calling Your Name?

No worries! Swoop over to our paper pieced Buzzard's Roost and let those precise points take flight!

General Instructions

If you need help printing this tutorial, you'll find it here.

Several abbreviations are used on this page. They are:

SA - seam allowance
RST - right sides together
HST - Half Square Triangle
QST - Quarter Square Triangle
FC - Folded Corners

A 1/4" SA is used in this tutorial.

Highlighted in yellow, pressing instructions are easy to spot.

To press, first press the patches in the closed position as they came off your sewing machine. This sets the seam, melding the fibers of the threads into the fibers of the fabric.

Then press the SA to the dark unless otherwise noted.

✂️ Cutting patches for a traditional Buzzard's Roost

Buzzard's Roost design

Sample Block Size: 6" finished / 6½" unfinished

Grid: 4×4

Attribution: Yvonne Khan

These patches are cut exactly to size, so take care with the cutting, subcutting, and marking.

⚠️ Precision Alert: Your 1/4" seam is crucial here

This unique HST-shape assembly leaves no room for error. Boost your accuracy with a quick Sewing Test using leftovers from cutting your patches.

👉 Find the Sewing Test on our website to nail that precise 1/4" every time.

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

			Cutting Chart for a Buzzard's Roost Quilt Block ~ Traditional Piecing ~
Patch	Fabric	Qty	Finished Block Size					Sub Cut
Patch	Fabric	Qty	4''	6''	8''	10''	12''	Sub Cut
1	Bac	1	3¼'' x 3¼''	4¼'' x 4¼''	5¼'' x 5¼''	6¼'' x 6¼''	7¼'' x 7¼''
2	A	1	3¼'' x 3¼''	4¼'' x 4¼''	5¼'' x 5¼''	6¼'' x 6¼''	7¼'' x 7¼''
3	Bac	2	1⅞'' x 1⅞''	2⅜'' x 2⅜''	2⅞'' x 2⅞''	3⅜'' x 3⅜''	3⅞'' x 3⅞''
4	Bac	1	2½'' x 2½''	3½'' x 3½''	4½'' x 4½''	5½'' x 5½''	6½'' x 6½''	---
Goose.1	A	2	1½'' x 2½''	2'' x 3½''	2½'' x 4½''	3'' x 5½''	3½'' x 6½''	'---
Sky.1	Bac	4	1½'' x 1½''	2'' x 2''	2½'' x 2½''	3'' x 3''	3½'' x 3½''	'---
Unfinished Block Size			4½''	6½''	8½''	10½''	12½''	na
Grid Size			1''	1½''	2''	2½''	3''	na

Subcutting and patch prep for traditional piecing

#1 & #2: Cut twice diagonally to make QSTs
#3: Cut once diagonally to create HSTs
Sky.1: Draw a diagonal line on the back

When we finish piecing the block, there'll be two #1 QSTs leftover.

🪡Piecing the units for your Buzzard's Roost

Folded Corner FG

Make 2

With RST, layer a Sky.1 and Goose.1 as shown below.

That little scrap of fabric behind the needle gets a lot of use in my workflow

If you're encountering any problems with your sewing machine mangling the start of your stitches, try stitching first onto a scrap of fabric (sometimes called a 'leader' or an 'ender'). Without cutting the threads, continue on to the patches.

For the best results, stitch on the side of the line closest to the corner. This accounts for the 'turn of the cloth' in the SA.

Press. Check the accuracy of your seams. All the edges should meet.

If they don't, consider redoing the patch before moving forward.

When they're even, as in the photo, at your cutting mat, lineup the 1/4" marking on your ruler with the seam (blue arrow) and trim away the excess fabric leaving behind a 1/4" SA.

Repeat for the second Sky.1 patch.

Side Units

Make 2

If stitching these HST-shapes together along one of the short edges (instead of the long bias edge) is new to you, lay them out first.

Then layer them RST.

This is the important part.

Position them so that your 1/4" seam will hit exactly where the lighter #1 crosses the edge of #2...in the 'valley' of the patches ON BOTH SIDE. (blue arrows)