Sky Rocket in Sight

New Year's Eve was just last week so a Sky Rocket quilt block is still relevant.

Sky Rocket

It is tricky to piece. Use stitch and flip white corners on the yellow squares; and templates for the outside triangles.  Other names are Jewel Box, Starlight and Shooting Star.  The following is from the McKim Studios and was published in the Kansas City Star September 21, 1928.  The block was Block No. 12 in the McKim Sampler quilt. If you are a young quilter you will find the instructions interesting - this is how we used to cut patchwork pieces BRC (Before Rotary Cutters).

 

The sky rocket is another of the 12-inch blocks which is particularly well adapted for the pattern of a cushion.  Old fashioned oil calico prints are suggested for the material.  These patchwork pillows are just the thing for chair seats in an old fashioned rocker; or more scantily padded, these may be used to tie to breakfast room chairs.

If used in a quilt set the blocks together, diagonally, with alternated white blocks.  Half blocks (triangles) of the plain material are used to complete the ends of each row to make the quilt square.  A border of gold and white triangles pieced "zig-zag" makes a very attractive finish.

To make the block, trace the patterns given above on cardboard.  Then cut out the cardboard patterns and lay them on the cloth.  Trace around the pattern with a pencil mark.  These patterns do not allow for seams, so when you cut out the cloth allow sufficient margin beyond the pencil line, but when piecing the block, sew back to the pencil line. 

To piece the block, first add the small white triangles to the gold blocks to form squares; then make the center nine-patch.  Now piece the four corners and add to the center block to complete this lovely big design.