This installment of Traditional Block Thursday #tbt features a very simple half square triangle block, Crosses & Losses. Also known as Goose & Goslings, Fox & Geese, and Bouncing Betty, this block is easy to put together and allows for many drastically different looks, depending on your color choices.
*I used three colors for my block, but you could use less or more. Make it your own. I used gorgeous fabrics from the Cheddar & Indigo Collection.
You Will Need:
One 7″ Dark Blue Square
One 7″ Background Square
Two 4″ Gold Squares
Two 4″ Background Squares
Four 3 1/2″ Background Squares
Draw diagonal lines on the back of two 4″ background squares and one 7″ background square.
With right sides together (RST), place a 4″ background square on a 4″ gold square. Stitch 1/4″ from the marked line. Repeat for the other 4″ background square and for the other 4″ gold square. Repeat for the 7″ background square and for the 7″ dark blue square.
Turn the square around and stitch 1/4″ from the marked line on the other side. Repeat for all three square sets.
Cut on the marked line. Repeat for all three sets.
Press your half square toward the darker fabric. Repeat for the four gold half square triangles and the two dark blue half square triangles.
Place your ruler on the gold HST with the diagonal line on the seam. Trim the top and side. Repeat for all four gold HST.
Rotate 180 degrees and line up trimmed sides with the 3 1/2″ mark on the ruler. Trim the top and side. Repeat for all four gold HST.
Lay out the blocks with the two HST and the two 3 1/2″ background squares.
Stitch a gold HST to a 3 1/2″ background square. Repeat for all four sets.
Press toward the background square. Repeat for all four sets.
Stitch two sets together to make a 4-patch. Repeat to make two.
Press the 4-patch. This is a beautiful block by itself, but we’re going to add some more to it!
Trim the dark blue HST to measure 6 1/2″ x 6 1/2″. Repeat for both dark blue HST.
Lay out the 4-patches and the dark blue HST to create the Crosses & Losses block.
Stitch the top row together. Stitch the bottom row together.
Press. I chose to press toward the dark blue HST because there are less seams. Press both rows the same direction.
You’re almost done. Only one more seam.
Stitch the rows together. Make sure to butt-up the center seam to get a perfect point.
Press it.
And that’s it! So simple! And check out some of the possibilities with this simple block…
Here’s what you might get if you made a whole quilt from this color combination.
What if you did a single color quilt? Gorgeous!
Or…a scrappy version? Love, love, love!
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