Tiny Tuesday #22 - Monarch

I was covering for another teacher this morning so that she could go to her daughter's 6th grade graduation.  While I was watching her middle schoolers taking their final exam, I started sketching out some plans for a monarch butterfly block.  I went through several iterations before settling on a simple flip and sew four patch variation.   

You will need to cut: 

From orange (wings):

2 rectangles each 3 by 2.5

2 squares each 2.5 by 2.5

From black (body and wingtips):

1 rectangle 1 inch by 3.5 inches

4 squares 1.5 inches (the photo only shows 2, but you will actually need 4)

From background fabric:

1 inch square

1 inch by 1.5 inch rectangle

2 squares -  1.5 inches

4 squares - 1.75 inches

Draw a diagonal line across the hypotenuse of each of the background squares except the one inch baby square.  Also draw a diagonal line on the black wingtip squares.  

Next, take large orange rectangles and arrange them so the long side is running vertically,  and place the wing tips on each outside corner along the top edge.  Sew along the drawn line.

Take the squares and place the 1.5 inch squares on the inside bottom edges.  Sew along the drawn line. 
In case you have trouble with flip and sew triangles, I can recommend leaving the background square in tact, at least until you are sure that the edges line up.  Just use the orange square as your  master sizing guide and trim away any extra of black or white that extends past the orange.

Make sure the squares are all lined up so that the widths of the smaller and larger rectangles are the same.  Finger press the squares open.  I like to make sure that the edges of the squares line up before  I trim away the excess fabric behind the "sew and flip" triangles.

Repeat the sewing and flipping with each of the orange rectangles on the outside middle edge.

The last triangles will go on the top in the middle.

Now sew the two remaining background sections to the top and bottom of the body.  Press toward the black body section.

Almost there.  This is where it would be great to give everything a good press before you start sewing the sections together.  I wasn't able to find an iron today, so I had to skip that part.

Sew the top and bottom wings together, trying to alternate the seams where the outside edges of the wings meet.

Place the body in the middle and sew one wing to either side.  This is where everything would work out perfectly with a nice press.  I'm sure my iron will turn up any day.