Hen and Chicks Block 18 Broken Sugar Bowl

I find quilt block names to be so strange and fascinating.  Why this one is called Broken Sugar Bowl is strange to me, but as I was making it, I kept thinking about how the sugar bowl looked before it was broken and why the sugar that spilled out was pink. I like that this block has a strong diagonal line in two directions. That gives it a lot of design potential in a multi block layout. I think this would be a nice one to put random scrappy nine patches together where I used the light pinks with a single unifying tone on tone or solid where I have the dark pink. As a block, it is a simple combination of HST units and squares, so it is easy enough to put together with things that you might have hanging around.

I saw several different combinations of the two colors in the block as I did research, but settled on this layout which gives a light pink flow in one direction and a dark pink flow opposing. 

You will need to choose the HST method of your choice to make 4 units in dark pink. I used the Easy Angle, but I will include measurements for those using a more traditional method. Add to that two squares in light pink and  a long strip in light and dark strip in dark pink paired with backgrounds. If you don't have a single strip long enough, feel free to use two strips that add up to the same length. 

Sew the two strips together the same length of background fabric. This will make a long strip set in light pink and short strip set in dark pink. Press carefully toward the pink trying to keep the seam straight. I included a little bit of wiggle room in case you need to square things up a bit. 

Now sub cut those strip sets into units the same width as your initial strips.  You will need 4 light pink subunits and 2 dark pink.  Combine two light pinks together to make the center 4 patch and then one of dark and light to make two mixed four patches. 

Here is the layout. Start by lining up the light pinks to form a diagonal line in one direction. Then add the mixed four patches to opposite corners to form the other diagonal. The HST units both nestle into that dark pink diagonal.  Check the photo and compare before you begin to sew. 

Now just sew as you like to put your nine patches together and press. I couldn't see a strong advantage to any specific pressing pattern here, there is bulk in both directions. I chose to press away from the HST blocks because sometimes that helps with more perfect points for triangles.