RAINBOW TWIST
Reach for your stash of solids and bright white cottons to stitch up a striking design that lets cool curves shine
GIVE YOUR QUILT A MODERN TWIST WITH CURVED CORNERS AND A STYLISH FACED BINDING
YOU WILL NEED
■ Background fabric: 4yds
■ Twenty seven (27) rainbow solid colours: one (1) fat quarter each
■ Backing fabric: 5yds
■ Batting: 90in square
■ Binding fabric: / yd
■ One (1) copy each of Templates 1 and 2
FINISHED SIZE ■ 85in square
NOTES
■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.
■ Press seams open, unless otherwise instructed.
■ Templates include seam allowances, where necessary.
■ RST = right sides together.
■ WOF = width of fabric.
■ Press fabrics before cutting.
■ For templates see p87.
■ Threads provided by Aurifil (aurifil.com)
FABRICS USED
All fabrics are Kona Cotton Solids in (rainbow order) Ruby (A), Poppy (B), Red (C), Tangerine (D), Orange (E), School Bus (F), Mango (G), Papaya (H), Corn Yellow (I), Canary (J), Willow (K), Clover (L), Fern (M), Sour Apple (N), Teal Blue (O), Caribbean (P), Turquoise (Q), Peacock (R), Azure (S), Marine ( T), Surf (U), Copen ( V), Bright Pink ( W), Candy Pink (X), Hibiscus ( Y), Tulip (Z), Wisteria (ZZ) by Robert Kaufman.
CUTTING OUT
1
From the background fabric cut:
■ Three (3) 16½in x WOF strips. Subcut into eighteen (18) 5in x 16½in rectangles.
■ Five (5) 7½in x WOF strips. Subcut into seventeen (17) 7½in squares and four (4) 7½in x 12in rectangles.
■ Three (3) 19in x WOF strips. Subcut into fourteen (14) 7½in x 19in rectangles.
■ Four (4) 5in squares.
2
From dark red (A) and dark blue ( T) fabrics cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ Two (2) 7½in x 5in rectangles.
3
From red (B) fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ One (1) 7½in x 5in rectangle. ■ One (1) 5in x 19in rectangle.
4
From mid red (C) and light teal (S) fabrics cut:
■ One (1) 5in x 12in rectangle.
5
From dark orange (D) fabric cut:
■ One (1) 5in square.
6
From dark yellow (H) fabric cut:
■ One (1) 5in square.
■ Two (2) 7½in x 5in rectangles.
7
From orange (E), yellow (I), light yellow (J), green (L), mid green (M), dark teal (P), teal (Q), mid teal (R) and blue (U) fabrics cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ Two (2) 7 in x 5in rectangles.
■ One (1) 5in x 19in rectangle.
8
From mid orange (F) fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ One (1) 5in x 19in rectangle.
9
From light orange (G) fabric cut:
■ One (1) 7 in x 5in rectangle.
■ One (1) 5in x 12in rectangle.
10
From dark green (K) fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ Two (2) 7 in x 5in rectangles.
■ One (1) 5in x 12in rectangle.
11
From light green (N) and mid blue (V) fabrics cut:
■ One (1) 5in square.
■ One (1) 7 in x 5in rectangle.
■ One (1) 5in x 19in rectangle.
12
From the darkest teal (O) fabric cut:
■ One (1) 5in square.
■ One (1) 7 in x 5in rectangle.
13
From dark pink ( W) fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ One (1) 7 in x 5in rectangle.
14
From pink (X) and purple (Z) fabrics cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ Two (2) 7 in x 5in rectangles.
■ One (1) 5in x 19in rectangle.
■ One (1) 5in x 12in rectangle.
15
From dark purple (Y) fabric cut:
■ Two (2) 5in squares.
■ Two (2) 7 in x 5in rectangles.
16
From mid purple (ZZ) fabric cut:
■ One (1) 5in square.
■ One (1) 5in x 19in rectangle.
17
On each coloured 5in square, line up the straight edges of Template 1 with two straight edges of the fabric and cut around the curve. Set aside.
18
On each background fabric
5in x 16 in rectangle, line up the short straight ends of Template 2 with the fabric and carefully cut the inwards curve. Move the template to the opposite corner at the bottom and cut the curve, making sure it is going in the opposite direction to the curve you previously cut (Fig A).
Repeat with each of the four background 5in squares.
19
From the binding fabric cut:
■ Eight (8) 2½in x WOF strips.
20
From the dark red (A) and pink (X) fabrics cut:
■ One (1) 7½in x 2½in strip on the bias, for the corner binding.
PIECING THE CURVES
21
Using the Layout Diagram as a guide, start with the first column on the left hand side, working from the bottom up. Take a dark orange and a dark green Template 1 piece and a background Template 2 piece (Fig B).
22
Fold the curves in half and finger press to find the centre (Figs C and D). RST, match the centre lines on your curves together. Pin together at the right edges (Fig E), and repeat with the straight edges on the left side. 23
Use a scant ¼in seam allowance to sew around the curve, removing the pins as you go (Fig F). Repeat step 22 with the other side of the background strip and the second Template 1 piece. Press seams towards the background fabric (Fig G).
24
Repeat steps 22–23 with the remaining Template 1 and 2 pieces, referring to the Layout Diagram for colour pairings. Sew the remaining light yellow, darkest teal, dark blue and light green Template 1 pieces to the background 5in Template 2 pieces, using the same method as before.
ASSEMBLING THE QUILT TOP
25
Arrange your curved units and remaining cut pieces into columns, referring to the Layout Diagram for placement. The pink top left corner and dark red bottom right corner should be left as curves. Sew the pieces into the columns, then sew the columns together to complete the quilt top.
QUILTING
26
Cut the backing fabric in half across the width. Remove the selvedges and sew the two pieces together using a ½in seam. Press the seam open.
27
Press both the quilt top and backing well. Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric right side down, the batting on top, then place the pieced quilt top centrally and right side up. Baste the three quilt layers together using your preferred basting method.
28
Quilt as desired. Sonia quilted straight lines 1in apart across the background, as well as horizontal and vertical serpentine stitching in each of the twists. She used Aurifil 50wt threads in Burgundy, Yellow Orange, Pale Yellow, Emerald, Peacock Blue, Dusty Lavender, Blossom Pink, Bright Turquoise and Natural White. Once quilted, trim off the excess batting and backing fabric and square up the quilt.
29
Trim the excess quilt top, batting and backing level to leave a ¼in seam allowance, ensuring that two corners are squared, and two rounded.
FACED BINDING
30
Trim each of the Fabric X and A binding strips as shown, measuring
1½in from each end and cutting on the diagonal to the corner (Fig 1).
31
Join the remaining binding strips together in pairs along the short ends, using diagonal seams. Join one binding pair to each end of the Fabric A and Fabric X strips.
32
Press under a ¼in seam allowance along the bottom of the first binding strip, ensuring that this includes the shorter edge of the bias strip. 33
To attach the binding, start at one of the rounded corners. Fold the bias strip in half to locate the centre point of the long edge. Fold the quilted curve in half to find the centre point and join the two together, matching the right sides together (Figs H and I).
34
Match the seams for the edge of the curved block with the edge of the bias strip and, starting at the centre of the curve, sew around the edge of the quilt. Trim the binding even with the edge of the quilt. Return to the curve and sew to the other edge, trimming any excess binding at the ends (Fig J).
35
Repeat this process for the opposite edge of the quilt, again starting at the centre of the curve. This time, trim the binding so that it is 1in short of the quilt edge. Sew a line at 45 degrees across each corner to provide a crisp finish.
36
Clip in to the curved edges and trim the square corners just to the side of the stitch line (Figs K and L). Press to the back of the quilt.
37
Pin in place, easing the bias strip around the curve (Fig M) and, starting on the side where the binding was cut shorter, slip stitch in place. Fold the other side over and slip stitch in place.