Simply Solids September Feather block

September is my month in the Cochineal group of the Simply Solids Bee.  Hooray!  I've chosen a modified version of the Feathers block by Anna Maria Horner from the Quilty Winter 2012 issue.  Since I like to sew in a more liberated manner, I was a bit wonky with the barbs of the feather but that adds to the charm!  Here's how I made it:

I gathered a pile of my solids that were already cut into strips of varying widths and then I cut a few more to add to the pile.  Since this is going to be a wonky block, the widths of the strips don't really matter!  Yay!  No measuring!

I then sewed the strips together into a panel.  Using a modified (shrunk to about 80% size) template, I cut several pieces using the template face up and then several with the template face down (reversed).  According to the pattern, you are supposed to line up the dotted lines on the template with the seams in your panel to get the correct angle on the feather barbs, but I didn't really follow this since I wanted it to be more liberated.  Plus, I was just too lazy and I would rather conserve fabric, but that's just me.

Template Face Up

Template Face Down

I used a navy Kona for the rachis (center line) of the feather and Kona Snow for the background  (I will be sending these fabrics out to my bee mates).  I trimmed the block to 16" x 8" leaving about 1" of the background fabric above the tip of the feather and about 1 1/2" of navy quill at the bottom.

I'm asking my bee mates to make two of these blocks for my quilt.  Here are some of my finished feathers. 

I'm asking that my bee mates use whatever is in their scrap bin to create the barbs of the feather and I'll be sending out the fabric for the background and the rachis.  I'm also sending along instructions and the template for the barbs.  I'm looking forward to what my bee mates send me!  I love surprises in the mail!