WE LOVE HOW THE PIECING OF THESE SOLID SHADES MAKES A KALEIDOSCOPE OF SHAPES
Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the right, to make a total of twenty (20) of piece A3 (Fig 1). Twenty (20) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the left, to make a total of twenty (20) of piece A5 (Fig 2). 2 From Fabric B cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut the square on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece B1. Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the right, to make a total of four (4) of piece B3. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece B4. 3 From Fabric C cut: Two (2) 11¼in squares. Cut each one on both diagonals to make a total of eight (8) of piece C1 – you need seven, so you will have one left over. Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the right, to make a total of four (4) of piece C3. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece C4. 4 From Fabric D cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece D1 – you need two, so you will have two left over. Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the right, to make a total of four (4) of piece D3.
One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece D4. Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the left, to make a total of four (4) of piece D5. 5 From Fabric E cut: Two (2) 11¼in squares. Cut each one on both diagonals to make a total of eight (8) of piece E1 - you need seven, so you will have one left over. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece E4. 6 From Fabric F cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece F1. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece F4. 7 From Fabric G cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece G1 – you need two, so you will have two left over. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece G4. Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the left, to make a total of four (4) of piece G5. 8 From Fabric H cut: Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the right, to make a total of four (4) of piece H3. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece H4. 9 From Fabric I cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece I1 – you need two, so you will have two left over. Four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the left, to make a total of four (4) of piece I5. 10 From Fabric J cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece J1 – you need two, so you will have two left over. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece J4. 11 From Fabric K cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece K1 – you need two, so you will have two left over. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece K4. 12 From Fabric L cut four (4) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the right, to make a total of four (4) of piece L3. 13 From Fabric M cut: One (1) 11¼in square. Cut on both diagonals to make a total of four (4) of piece M1 – you need two, so you will have two left over. One (1) 107/ 8in square. Cut the square in half diagonally to make a total of two (2) of piece M4. Eight (8) 125/ 8in x 4¾in rectangles. Trim each short end of each rectangle at a 45-degree angle, so that both short ends are angled towards the left, to make a total of eight (8) of piece M5.
14 From the binding fabric cut seven (7) 2½in x WOF strips.
PIECING THE BLOCKS
15 Each block is made using the same method with different combinations of the pieces. You need to make twenty blocks in total. Sixteen will be made as whole blocks, with four of these cut in half on the diagonal and used in the corners. Four blocks will be made as half blocks and used at the ends of the centre rows. 16 Take the following:
One (1) A2 piece. One (1) A3 piece. One (1) A5 piece. One (1) B4 piece. One (1) F1 piece. One (1) C3 piece. One (1) M1 piece. One (1) M5 piece. Arrange them as shown (Fig 3). Before you begin to sew, mark the seam allowance on the reverse of all the 1, 3 and 5 pieces – you will sew each seam along these lines. 17 Place the A3 piece RST with the M5 piece. Pin in place along one edge as shown (Fig A). Start sewing ¼in in from the raw edge of the fabric and end the seam ¼in before you get to the other raw edge of the fabric. Press the seam open. 18 Take the F1 piece and place one of its shorter edges RST with the M5 piece of the unit made in step 17. Pin in place and sew together with a ¼in seam allowance, stopping the line of sewing ¼in before you reach the edge of the fabric (Fig B). 19 Fold the other short edge of the F1 piece RST to meet the edge of the A3 piece. Pin in place. Finger press the existing seam away from the F1 piece, so that the seam allowance doesn’t get sewn into the new seam. Sew together as shown, using a ¼in seam allowance and stopping when you reach the existing seam (Fig C). Press both seams away from the F1 piece to complete one Piece 1/3/5 unit (Fig D). 20 Repeat steps 17–19 with the C3 piece, the A5 piece and the M1 piece to make a second Piece 1/3/5 unit (Fig E). 21 Place the two Piece 1/3/5 units RST, matching up the long edges of the F1 and M1 pieces. Pin the A3/A5 edge. Start sewing ¼in away from the raw edge of the fabric, then continue this seam to the end of the pieced units (Fig F). Press this seam open. 22 Take the A2 piece and place one edge RST with the raw edge of the A3 piece (Fig G). Sew together with a ¼in seam, stopping ¼in before the bottom edge of the A2 piece. Finger press this seam away from the A2 piece. 23 Fold the other edge of the A2 piece RST so it meets the remaining edge of the A5 piece. Sew together with a ¼in seam, stopping once you reach the existing seam.
Press both seams away from the A2 piece to complete the Y seam (Fig H). 24 Take the B4 piece and place its longest edge RST with the edges of the C3 and M5 pieces (Fig I). Pin in place and then sew together. Press seam towards the B4 piece to complete one block (Fig J). 25 Cut the block in half diagonally, cutting from top left to bottom right through the A3 and A5 pieces (Fig K). The half-block containing B4, C3 and M5 is used at the bottom of the right of the quilt top and the other half of this block is used in the top row. 26 Repeat steps 16–24 to make sixteen complete blocks, referring to the layout diagram for piece placement. Repeat step 25 to cut four of the blocks in half. 27 To make the remaining half blocks, repeat step 17 to make two piece 3/5 units, then repeat step 21 to sew these units together, this time without joining a piece 1 or 2. Repeat step 24 to join piece 4, then cut following the diagonal edge to trim pieces A3/A5. Make four of these half blocks.
ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP
28 Arrange the half-blocks and blocks into diagonal rows. Join the blocks into rows, then join the rows to complete the quilt top.
QUILTING AND FINISHING
29 Cut the backing fabric in half across the width. Remove the selvedges and re-join the pieces along the length with a in seam. Press the seam open. 30 Press the quilt top and backing well. Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then the quilt top centrally and right side up. The backing and batting are slightly larger than the quilt top. Baste the layers together using your preferred method. 31 Quilt as desired. Joanna quilted a free-motion floral design in the central squares and background cross shapes and diagonal line patterns in the pieced units.
32 Trim off the excess batting and backing fabric and square up the quilt.
33 Join the binding strips together end-to-end using diagonal seams. Press the seams open and trim away the dog ears. Fold in half lengthwise, WST, and press.
34 Sew the binding to the front of the quilt, folding a mitre at each corner, then fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place to finish.