Hen & Chicks - Spiral Stairs

 

This one will be the most complicated blocks this month.  It is still just squares and rectangles, but several of the patches in the nine patch are pieced with three parts each.   These can be strip pieced or sewn from squares.  I like strip piecing and will give total lengths needed with half an inch extra for squaring up.   

After you gather one dark yellow square, four background squares and 4 light yellow rectangles, you are ready to sew your strip set together and press toward the dark yellow strip.  

Sub-cut the strip set into four segments.  Each of these twosies will be attached to a light yellow rectangle.  The size of the square that you make from these three sections should be the same size as the background and yellow squares.   

Now you have nine units to arrange into your nine patch.  Background squares go in each corner, the dark yellow square forms the center, and the pieced subunits rotate around the central square with the dark yellow squares all touching the dark yellow center square.  

Sew as you prefer for a nine patch and press away from the center.