‘Squadron Leader’

Finally, the aeroplane blocks I made for Little Island Quilting’s Soy Amado project are a baby quilt pattern that is ready for download. Hurrah!

‘Squadron Leader’ baby quilt pattern by Granny Maud’s Girl

The brief was to make a quilt for boys. I could not find an aeroplane block that worked for me, so I drew my own, inspired by a number of traditional blocks I had seen. I particularly wanted a block with the aeroplane set diagonally.

This is the 12-inch block.

The blocks were a success, so I started to think about what else I could make with them. This baby quilt was the result.

Sewing the blocks together creates a tight formation.

I made this quilt in blue and aqua to coordinate with the backing fabric, Dear Stella’s On My Way Cloud Nine.

This is just one way to lay out these blocks.

I hand stitched smoke trails behind the aeroplanes for fun (after I checked with Quilting Jetgirl that they could not be condensation trails).

Is this not the perfect backing fabric?

So, what can I tell you about this quilt pattern?

• The quilt is machine pieced.
• The pattern uses a combination of easy templates and rotary cutting to create the shapes, and the blocks are sewn a little oversized and trimmed down, so you do not have to sweat about perfection and points.
• With only six 12-inch blocks to sew, it can be a relatively quick project.
• The finished size is approximately 104 × 130 centimetres / 41 × 51 inches.
• I have included two layout ideas.
• Little boys (and big boys) will love it.

The layout I used is one of two in the pattern.

I have included two layouts in the pattern.

I am looking forward to seeing what other layouts people create with the basic 12-inch block, which can be set square or on point. I have already finished a cushion and started a humidicrib quilt using the same block.

The pattern’s name is a reference both to Star Wars and to the real air force pilots. My great-uncle was in the Fleet Air Arm (the flying section of the Royal Navy) in World War Two.

I am only doing this pattern-writing lark on a small scale, and trying my hand has given me a lot more respect for others who write patterns. I have no delusions that this will become a real business; I am merely sharing the instructions for what I make and charging what I hope is a fair price so that others who are trying to do this professionally are not undercut.

Saying that, I have had the help of a fabulous designer, Lindsie, and friends who have tested the patterns and been very, very frank in their feedback. (If you want honesty, ask a Dutch friend.) I hope all of our efforts make these instructions easy to follow.

I took the quilt on a little trip to the airport. As luck would have it, my husband was given a joyflight on a vintage aeroplane, and I happened to have the quilt in the car that day!

Yes, my husband is holding the quilt upside-down so the clouds look wrong, but that is a real de Havilland Tiger Moth in the background.

How can you not love old aeroplanes like this?

If you live in Perth, there are tentative plans for me to teach this as a class at Calico & Ivy in the near future.

A link to Etsy, where the pattern can be downloaded, is in the sidebar. A list of local shops that stock it can be found on my patterns page.

I used navy and aqua in my version. What colours would you use?

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