WWI Block of the Month - August - Winged Square

When I first saw this block I thought it was interesting, pretty, happily not too challenging.  But that was because I was looking at the thumbnail of the block  in the designers quilt. She used figured prints in the checkerboard element and I thought those 4 areas were each just one block of fabric -

-- whereas they are actually pieced of 72 little 1/2 inch (finished) squares. I know I could have strip-pieced, but I have found when piecing 1 inch squares, I'm more accurate if I cut the little squares and piece them individually, so that's what I did. 

I am really crazy about the look of Vicki Welsh's blue and red shibori!  The four squares and 1-inch strips are all from one piece of fabric that is mostly red with some blue - I cut my pieces from the blue areas. She also died the oh-so-pretty light blue center (which is also in the checkerboards.) 

This is not the first block where I switched the orientation when I added the applique. It's more common to find the long strips top and bottom, as I have them here. The designer put the long strips on the sides.  I don't guess it matters: when you set the block into the quilt it's a square either way, and it will be quilted as one continuous background.