k3n

I think this is the biggest challenge - making them is pretty easy! I'd say, pick a fabric with colours you like, motifs larger than 3" so they get chopped up in the cutting process and something with swirls rather than straight lines. Also, the longer the repeat the more variety you'll get. Having said that - I've seen fantastic OBWs that don't follow any of these rules! And it's always a surprise how a fabric works up - but that's part of the fun!

To date, I've only done hexagon ones although I did put some squares made from 4 triangles in a cathedral window doll quilt I made for Chele in the swap. I want to try those 4 patch posies one day soon... just checking things off the Christmas gift list at the moment. :D

omak

Thank you for putting your picture in.
The tips you provided will surely encourage us foot-draggers to actually try a few.
Neat idea to use them in the doll quilt swap!

k3n

You're welcome - only too happy to encourage others to try these - they are the BEST fun! :D

LucyInTheSky

Thanks for the tips on picking fabric. I saw one with black cats on orange fabric, no swirls/large repeats/etc and it still looked really cool. I'm going for the big repeats for my first attempt

LucyInTheSky

This link was posted for a different post ,but the very first picture is the hour-glass four patch posies. The fabric is pretty basic, doesn't work with the suggested techniques for picking out fabric, but looks amazing.

http://www.claudiasquiltshoppe.com/photogallery.htm

So I think the moral of the story is - anything can become a 4-patch posie fabric :D

omak

Too funny! I posted that same link to a thread asking about modern looking quilts!
I never thought to actually look at the blocks, and sure enough! there are the four-patch OBWs!
So, as I was pondering that vision, I looked at the total quilt , and there, just lower than center to the right, one of those dragon OBWs had come out looking exactly like an Auxiliary poppy!
As a matter of fact ... I just purchased a remnant of that blue dragon fabric from LQS and DGS really liked that fabric. I guess I know what I am going to do for his Christmas gift?

Scissor Queen

Here's my four patch posie. I did a triple sashing with cornerstones to set them. The thing I love about the fpp is they're just squares and you can set them anyway you want.

omak

Wonderful! And, setting them anyway you want ... those cornerstones and sashings REALLY set off your four patch posies.
I am hoping this will encourage a lot of others to try this technique to begin with ... the hexagon can be pretty intimidating.

k3n

That is beautiful Scissor Queen - is the 4PP fabric the same as the border? Or just the same range? :D

Scissor Queen

It's from the same line. I used the larger print for the blocks and the smaller more compact print for the border.