The quilts in this chapter are here to put not only your design skills to work, but also your piecing skills. While on a whole they are not overly complicated in their piecework, each of these quilts, during construction, must be handled carefully. You will be working with large amounts of bias, which can at times be your friend, but at other times can work against you if not handled well. This was the challenge, especially with A Sunny Day in the Park. Carrie quickly found that this was a quilt that she could not hang on the design wall for extended periods of time because it would stretch and behave very badly when it came time to add a border. A lot of starch, and the extra patience of Harriet, was needed to make this quilt turn out the way it did. Harriet and Carrie encountered similar issues with the Colorado Memories quilt with the outer pieced border. All these types of problems can be solved, with patience, perseverance, and lots of starch! These are the types of problems that, once encountered and handled, give you a sense of empowerment as a quilter. You will feel that you can tackle just about anything. And if worse comes to worst and something just won’t lie completely flat even though it measures right, many times those issues can be camouflaged with quilting.
A Sunny Day in the Park
Quilt top: 86˝ × 98˝
The moral of the story? Don’t let these quilts intimidate you—they aren’t that hard. Just be patient with them and with yourself, and if you get frustrated, walk away for a while. Remember you are working on a masterpiece here, not just a quilt for a college dorm room.
This is another quilt that Carrie designed for her bedroom … but it was in process long before she met David. The Lone Star in the middle of Carrie’s quilt was a block made when taking Harriet’s Art of Classic Quiltmaking series of classes at the store, when that book, not the Quilter’s Academy series, was the standard beginning quilt textbook at Harriet’s shop. Carrie had also collected all the fabrics at that time and just held onto them and the block, waiting for the right quilt design. So here it is!
Yardage:
7 assorted fat quarters for Lone Star block
¾ yard each of 5 or more assorted blues
¾ yard each of 5 or more assorted greens
2½ yards light yellow print
1 yard green paisley
1 yard bright yellow tonal
¼ yard light blue floral
2 yards white print
1 yard bright blue for borders
3¼ yards blue butterfly print for outer border
Construction
This quilt, as mentioned before, started with the construction of the center Lone Star block. This block measures 24˝ finished. At this point and with a block and quilt like this, it is absolutely necessary that you make sure all of your corners are 100% square and straight. The methods used to put this quilt together will cause any squareness issues to multiply as you get further out from the center.
BORDER 1
The first border is a plain fabric border sewn around the center block to really accentuate the block and make it the star of the show. This is a border that you cannot trim down until the entire middle of your quilt is constructed. This will come in handy if you find that the block units that surround the center are a little larger or smaller than planned. Carrie’s borders were cut 2˝ and trimmed down so they finished at 1˝. Be sure to work with your own measurement for this border.
BORDER 2
For the sake of ease, Border 2 is the large green triangle. The edges of half-square triangles make the on-point center into a rectangular quilt. You need 40 – 2˝ finished half-square triangles for this border as well as 4 – 2½˝ cut size squares of green for cornerstones.
Also cut 8 triangles of yellow that are a little oversized. Start with 3¼˝ squares and cut them in half diagonally. Construct the strips of half-square triangles as shown:
Half-square triangle strips
Once you have the strips of half-square triangles constructed, add one of the single yellow triangles to the blue triangle at the end of each strip. Refer to the following illustration for orientation of these triangles if necessary. Measuring the shorter of the two sets of strips, cut 2 – 11˝ squares of the green. Cut them in half diagonally. Sew the short sets of triangle strips onto a short side of each of the green triangles, and then add the other long sets of triangle strips as shown.
Right and left large triangles with triangle strips being added
Once the triangle strips are added, you can trim the entire unit to be a 14⅞˝ triangle.
BORDER 3
This border is composed of 3-piece triangle pinwheel blocks. Construction of these blocks is covered in detail in Quilter’s Academy Vol. 3, Lesson Three, Method Two. The blocks measure 6½˝ when finished, making each 3-piece triangle unit measure 3¾˝ cut size. You need 18 blocks, 9 with blue pinwheels and 9 with green pinwheels.
While it appears that this is a border, it is actually constructed in large triangular units that attach to the center square.
Triangular units for border 3
To make these units, you need to first get the side-setting and corner triangles cut and attached. You need 10 blue side-setting triangles and 4 corner triangles. You also need 18 yellow side-setting triangles and 4 corner triangles.
Attach these to the pinwheel blocks as shown in the following illustrations:
Adding corner and side-setting triangles to blocks, creating units
Once you have these four basic units made, attach them to the large green triangle unit. This is a bit like putting a puzzle back together.
Attaching units to green triangle
Once you have the units attached to the green triangle you can attach the triangles to the center square.
Attaching triangle units to center square
Finally, add the last of the units to the corners of your quilt top. At this point, if all has gone well your quilt top should measure 46½˝ × 55¾˝.
BORDER 4
Here is another plain fabric border for you to manipulate the size of, if needed. This border will finish at 1½˝. Again, cut it wider than 2˝ to be able to trim to adjust if necessary.
BORDER 5
The next-to-last pieced border is made of four-patch blocks set on point. The chain is created by choosing the greens and blues randomly and making it very scrappy. The four-patches are 4˝ cut, 3½˝ finished, with a diagonal measurement of 5˝ when finished. Follow the instructions in Class 590 for how to easily attach the side-setting triangles by using rectangles. This makes for a bias edge on this border. If handled carefully it shouldn’t cause you any problems. Be careful with aggressive ironing and pulling.
BORDER 6
We are back to another narrow plain fabric border. The top and bottom border is wider than the sides to make the following border fit properly. The side borders finish at 1˝ and the top and bottom borders finish at 1½˝. This border needs to be cut to size so that the next border, one of alternating triangles, can be accurately fitted to the quilt. With this addition and the squaring and trimming of this border, your quilt top should measure 62˝ × 73⅝˝.
BORDER 7
While this looks like three separate borders, it is actually part of a single design. The triangles for each of the alternating triangle borders need to be 2˝ wide when measured diagonally, and 3⅞˝ on the long part of the triangle.
Alternating triangle measurements
For the side borders you need 17 full green triangles and 2 half green triangles, one at each end* of the border row, and 18 full yellow triangles.
End each triangle border row with full triangle
For the top and bottom borders you will need 15 full green triangles and 2 half green triangles, one at each end* of the border row, and 16 full yellow triangles.
* When you construct these borders, sew on an entire triangle and trim it in half later, because with seam allowance it ends up being a little more than half a triangle.
You will also need to construct 4 half-square triangle units that are 2˝ finished, from your yellow and green fabrics.
Work on a large flat surface, preferably your ironing board if you have a Big Board. Find the center and end points of your border. Pin in place. Measure and mark your ¼˝ seam allowance on both the end of the triangle border and the plain fabric border, and draw lines indicating the seamline and the cutting line on the end triangles.
Lines marking seam allowance and cutting lines of end triangle
If the border is a little large, spray with starch and delicately shrink up the fullness in the triangles. This is the beauty of bias: it will work with you and the starch to fit. Once your border is pinned securely in place, sew it on and repeat for the other side.
For the top and bottom borders, you will need to add the half-square triangle units at the ends of each. You will again want to measure the seam and cutting lines and be sure everything is in alignment before you cut off the end triangle. Once these units are added, carry through with the same process you did with the side borders if necessary. Iron the seam allowance gently toward the plain fabric border.
Add the plain fabric border that is in the middle of this border set. This strip needs to measure 2˝ finished. These borders need to be cut to length, with ½˝ added at each end to ensure you are controlling the bias edges of the triangles. Measure through the center of your quilt carefully and then add the ½˝ for each end. Find the center of this border and pin it in place, then pin the ends securely as well. You will again need to repeat the process you just did with the pinning and starching, if necessary. Same procedure as before, sides first, then top and bottom.
Finally, you can construct the outer part of this dogtooth border. Your quilt should now measure 70½˝ × 81⅝˝. You will need 20 full yellow triangles, 19 full blue triangles, and 2 half blue triangles for each of the side borders, and 18 full yellow triangles, 17 full blue triangles, and 2 half-triangles for the top and bottom borders. You also need 4 more half-square triangles made from yellow and blue that measure 2˝ finished. Same game as the other set of these borders: carefully position, pin (shrink if necessary), and sew these borders onto your quilt.
BORDER 8
You’ve reached the outer border! You will have to do the same manipulation with the triangles you have done twice before, but this is the last time. This border also needs to be cut to the exact width and length of your quilt so that the bias edge of the triangle borders can be controlled. Measure carefully and cut your sides first, sew them on, then measure again from side to side for the size of the top and bottom borders.
Carrie’s borders on this quilt were cut 7½˝, trimmed down to 6½˝ when finished.
Congratulations on completing a quilt that is really easier to construct than it looks!
Colorado Memories
Quilt top: 63˝ × 80˝
Harriet and Carrie created this quilt for the Denver metro area’s 2010 Shop Hop. The block patterns in the outer border were selected individually by the seven participating shops and were made by each shop in two different colorways. The challenge in Carrie’s mind was to somehow design a quilt that was not your run-of-the-mill blocks and sashing and would truly showcase the fourteen blocks. This quilt is the end result. It had to be designed from the outside in, making it a different challenge than most quilters encounter, but is something that fits the idea of a medallion perfectly. When you have a set amount of space, how do you fill it? This is a fun quilt to make, please enjoy!
Yardage
14 – 9˝ finished pieced blocks with designs and colors of your choosing
14 or more assorted fat eighths or fat quarters in a variety of colors and patterns
2 yards of cream solid for background of blocks
1½ yards of dark Colorado toile
2¼ yards of light Colorado toile
4¼ yards brown for sashings and borders
Construction
Even though this quilt was designed from the outside in, it still has to be constructed from the center out. For our quilt we used a specially printed toile that was available in 2010 for the Denver metro area Shop Hop. Several scenes that depicted iconic scenery in Colorado were printed on the fabric, so the center square of this quilt is fussy cut with the Colorado State Capitol Building centered in the 9˝ square. You will want to use an equally iconic or interesting fabric for this quilt.
BORDER 1
The first border is a dogtooth border. You will need to cut 4 – 2˝ squares of four different colors, as well as 6 – 2½˝ squares of different colors. Cut the 2½˝ squares in half diagonally to make 12 half-square triangles. Also, cut 8 – 2½˝ squares of the cream solid and cut them in half diagonally to create 16 half-square triangles.
Refer to Class 590 for the construction process.
Construct two of each of the alternating triangle borders as shown in the following illustration.
Side and top and bottom diagram of border 1
Sew the two short borders to two opposite sides of the center square and then add the other two borders to the remaining sides. The center of your quilt should now measure 12˝.
BORDER 2
This is a plain border but uses one of the toile fabrics. It could be cut from any fabric that is complementary to your center square. Cut 2 strips of the light toile 3˝ wide and use these strips to create the plain border around the center medallion. Your center should now measure 17˝.
BORDER 3
This isn’t a border per se, but it does serve to create a square frame around your on-point center square. Construct 8 of the multi-triangle units that surround the center medallion.
Diagram of the multipoint triangle units
Each of these units is made from 6 scrappy half-square triangles and 4 single triangles. The half-square triangles finish to be 1½˝. Cut 24 – 3˝ squares of both the cream solid and assorted-color prints. Use your favorite method for making multiple triangles from Quilter’s Academy Vol. 3, Class 310 and Class 320.
Construct 8 units to look like those shown in the previous illustration.
The second element of this “border” is the 4 Puss-in-the-Corner blocks.
For these you will need:
16 – 2˝ colored squares
16 – 2˝ × 3½˝ rectangles of light toile
4 – 3½˝ squares of either a colored fabric or photo-transferred pictures*
* In our quilt there are pictures of the Colorado state flower, bird, fish, and mammal in each of the corners. You can use more of your center medallion fabric or do something unexpected like photo transfers in these corners.
Puss-in-the-Corner block
Lay out the center medallion and place the 8 multi-triangle units and Puss-in-the-Corner blocks around the medallion, making sure that if you used photos as your center squares they are facing in the right direction. Construct the 4 large corner triangle units (a Puss-in-the-Corner block and 2 multi-triangle units) and then attach to the sides of your center medallion. With the completion of these corners, your square should measure 23¼˝ square.
Diagram of large corner triangle unit
BORDER 4
Now it is time to make the center a rectangle. Construct two border units that will go on top of and below the center square you just completed.
For these two borders, you will need:
6 – 5½˝ fussy-cut squares of light toile
8 half-square triangles, where the short sides measure 6˝, to be used as side-setting triangles*
8 half-squares triangles, where the short sides measure 7˝, to be used as corner triangles**
* We give you the measurement and numbers needed this way because in our quilt these are very scrappy. If you are doing a more colorful color palette, you will need 2 – 12˝ squares cut on each diagonal.
** For a controlled-color quilt you need 4 – 7˝ triangles cut in half once on the diagonal for the corner triangles.
Refer to Quilter’s Academy Vol. 2, Lesson Two for help with measurements on any of these side-setting or corner triangle units. Construct as shown in the following illustration or in Class 590.
Diagram of triple-square border units
Make your side-setting and corner triangle units a little larger than exact size. If your quilt is not behaving itself in size, you will be able to trim it to be the right size to fit your center medallion square.
To finish this unit, cut the border that lies between the center and the block units you just constructed. For these two interior borders you will need to cut 2 strips of your sashing fabric 1½˝ and add it to the top and bottom of the center medallion square. Once sewn, measure from the seamline and trim down to 1¼˝, then add the two pieced borders to the top and bottom of the medallion square unit.
BORDER 5
A plain border is next. This is the outer brown border that surrounds the entire center medallion. Here again is a place that if your quilt is not the size you think it should be you can use this border to manipulate the size. Until you get the outer border constructed, you don’t know exactly how wide it needs to be. We will help you out a little. Cut 5 – 3˝-wide strips. Sew together for length as necessary and then add them to the sides of the center medallion. You can now set this part of your quilt aside for a bit while you construct the outer pieced border unit.
BORDER 6
You will need to construct the 14 – 9˝ blocks contained in the border, being extra careful that your blocks all come out to be 9½˝. If your blocks are not accurate, completing the construction of your quilt will be difficult.
Once your blocks are constructed, lay them out around your center medallion. Cut the side-setting triangles to create your block border. Refer back to Quilter’s Academy Vol. 2, Lesson Two to pick your favorite method and cut 10 side-setting triangles from the dark toile and 18 side-setting triangles from the light toile.
You will need 14 – 1½˝ strips for the sashing. Of these strips, 4 need to remain full length; 3 need to be cut in half so you have 4 – 1½˝ × 22˝ strips; 5 need to be cut into fourths so you have 20 – 1½˝ × 9½˝ strips. The last 2 strips need to be cut into 4 – 10½˝ lengths and 4 – 11˝ lengths. This is easiest to accomplish by cutting two of each size from each strip.
Lay these out between your blocks as shown in the following illustration (sewing 2 strips together where necessary for length). Construct 4 corner units of 2 blocks and 4 light toile side-setting triangles with the sashing between.
Corner units
Now make the 4 side units. The top and bottom units will have 2 dark toile side-setting triangles and a block. The 2 side units will have 3 dark toile side-setting triangles, 2 blocks, and a single light toile side-setting triangle.
Diagram of side and top and bottom units
Measure the length of these large side units where they will attach to the center medallion unit. This is how large your center medallion needs to measure. Remember we added extra width to the last border on the center medallion, so now you can trim whatever extra width there is away.
Add the 4 side units to the center medallion after you have trimmed the border to size. Add the large corner units you constructed. Be careful to line your sashing pieces up with each other when you do this.
BORDER 7
Our last border was cut 7˝ wide and trimmed to 6˝ after it was quilted.
Quilt Note: Colorado Memories 2010 was traced onto the quilt before it was quilted and was embroidered during the quilting process in dark brown thread to look like bark.
