Quick Step

A traditionally pieced block pattern, a white solid background and a touch of fusible appliqué is all you need to create this lovely quilt.

MATERIALS

• 1/2 yard dark green solid • 5/8 yard light purple solid • 3/4 yard light green solid • 11/8 yards dark purple solid • 53/4 yards white solid • Backing 81" x 100" • Batting 81" x 100" • All-purpose thread to match fabrics • Quilting thread • Invisible thread (optional) • 1 yard 18"-wide fusible web • Template material • Basic sewing tools and supplies

CUTTING

From solid dark green: • Cut 3 (2" by fabric width) B strips. • Cut 2 (3" by fabric width) strips.

Subcut strips into 20 (3") J squares. From light green solid: • Cut 3 (2" by fabric width) A strips. • Cut 7 (2" by fabric width) K/L strips. From dark purple solid: • Cut 1 (33/8" by fabric width) strip.

Subcut strip into 12 (33/8") D squares. • Cut 9 (21/4" by fabric width) strips for

binding. From white solid: • Cut 6 (2" by fabric width) C strips. • Cut 2 (27/8" by fabric width) strips. Subcut strips into 24 (27/8") squares. Cut each square in half on one diagonal to make 48 E triangles. • Cut 4 (41/2" by fabric width) strips. Subcut strips into 48 (31/2" x 41/2")

F rectangles. • Cut 4 (101/2" by fabric width) strips. Subcut strips into 48 (31/2" x 101/2")

G strips. • Cut 16 (3" by fabric width) strips. Subcut strips into 31 (3" x 161/2")

I strips. • Cut 2 (61/2" x 80") M strips and 2

(61/2" x 731/2") N strips along the length. • Cut 3 (4") strips along the fabric length of the leftover width. Subcut strips into 48 (4") H squares.

Note: The H squares will be trimmed after teardrop shapes have been appliquéd to them.

COMPLETING THE APPLIQUÉ

1. Prepare a template for the teardrop pattern given on page 55. Trace the teardrop shape on the paper side of fusible web 48 times. 2. Fuse the traced teardrops to the wrong side of the light purple solid, cut out on traced lines and remove paper backing. 3. Center diagonally and fuse one teardrop onto an H square. Stitch the teardrop in place using your favorite appliqué method. Note: The sample used invisible thread and a machine blanket stitch for appliqué. 4. When all teardrops have been appliquéd, trim H to 31/2" square, keeping the teardrop centered on the diagonal of the square.

COMPLETING THE TEARDROP BLOCKS

1. Sew a B strip to a C strip along the length to make a B-C strip set; press seam toward B. Repeat to make a total of three B-C strip sets. 2. Subcut the B-C strip sets into 48 (2") B-C units as shown in Figure 1. 3. Sew an A strip to a C strip along the length to make an A-C strip set; press seams toward A. Repeat to make a total of three A-C strip sets. 4. Subcut the A-C strip sets into 48 (2") A-C units as shown in Figure 2.

5. Select and join one each A-C and B-C unit to complete a Four-Patch unit as shown in Figure 3; press seam to one side. Repeat to make a total of 48 Four-Patch units.

Figure 3

6. Sew an E triangle to each side of a D square to make a D-E unit as shown in Figure 4; press seams toward E. Repeat to make a total of 12 D-E units. Note: The D-E unit should measure 41/2" square.

7. To complete one Teardrop block, select one D-E unit, four Four-Patch units, four appliquéd H squares and four each F and G pieces.

8. Sew an F rectangle to opposite sides of the D-E unit to complete the center row as shown in Figure 5; press seams toward F.

9. Sew a Four-Patch unit to opposite sides of an F rectangle to make the top row referring to Figure 6; press seams toward F. Repeat to make the bottom row.

10. Sew the top and bottom rows to the center row to complete the block center referring to Figure 7; press seams away from the center row.

11. Sew a G strip to opposite sides of the block center referring to Figure 8; press seams toward G.

12. Sew an appliquéd H square to each end of two G strips referring to Figure 9; press seams toward G.

13. Sew the G-H units to opposite sides of the block center to complete one Teardrop block referring to Figure 10; press seams toward the G-H units. 14. Repeat steps 7–13 to complete a total of 12 Teardrop blocks.

COMPLETING THE QUILT TOP

1. Join three Teardrop blocks with four I strips to make a block row as shown in Figure 11; press seams toward I. Repeat to make a total of four block rows.

2. Join three I strips with four J squares to make a sashing row referring to Figure 12; press seams toward I. Repeat to make a total of five sashing rows.

3. Join the block rows with the sashing rows to complete the pieced center referring to the Placement Diagram for positioning; press seams toward sashing strips.

4. Join the K/L strips on the short ends to make a long strip; press seams open. Subcut strip into two 2" x 77" K strips and two 2" x 611/2" L strips.

5. Sew K strips to opposite long sides and L strips to the top and bottom of the pieced center; press seams toward K and L strips.

6. Sew M strips to opposite long sides and N strips to the top and bottom of the pieced center to complete the quilt top; press seams toward the M and N strips.

COMPLETING THE QUILT

1. Sandwich the batting between the pieced quilt top and the prepared backing piece; pin or baste layers together to hold. Quilt as desired by hand or machine.

2. When quilting is complete, trim batting and backing fabric even with raw edges of the quilt top.

3. Join previously cut binding strips on short ends with diagonal seams to make one long strip as shown in Figure 13; trim seams to 1/4" and press seams open.

4. Fold the binding strip with wrong sides together along length; press.

5. Sew binding to the quilt edges, mitering corners and overlapping ends. Fold binding to the back side and stitch in place to finish the quilt.