SPINNING STARS

Create a fresh quilt with a checker board effect using solid squares and Half-square Triangles

USE NEGATIVE SPACE BETWEEN EACH STAR BLOCK TO MAXIMISE THE COLOUR CONTRAST IN THIS SIMPLE DESIGN

YOU WILL NEED

■ Seven (7) rainbow coloured fabrics: one (1) fat quarter each

■ Background fabric: 2yds

■ Backing fabric: 3yds

■ Binding fabric: ½yd

■ Batting: 50in x 70in

FINISHED SIZE

■ 45in x 63in

NOTES

■ Seam allowances are ¼in, unless otherwise noted.

■ Press seams to one side, unless otherwise instructed.

■ RST = right sides together.

■ WOF = width of fabric.

■ HST = Half-square Triangles.

■ Bleached white batting supplied by Hobbs Bonded Fibres (hobbsbatting.com)

■ Project by Sarah Ashford.

FABRICS USED

Fabrics are Kona Cotton Solids by Robert Kaufman in Punch, Mango, Banana, Pond, Cornflower, Bubblegum and Lupine.

CUTTING OUT

1 From each of the red, yellow, blue and dark purple fabrics cut:

■ Twelve (12) 3½in squares.

■ Six (6) 4¼in squares.

2 From each of the orange, green and pink fabrics cut:

■ Eight (8) 3½in squares.

■ Four (4) 4¼in squares.

3 From the background fabric cut:

■ Eighteen (18) 3½in squares.

■ Thirty six (36) 4¼in squares.

■ Seventeen (17) 9½in squares.

4 From the binding fabric cut:

■ Six (6) 2½in x WOF strips.

PIECING THE QUILT TOP

5 Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner on the reverse of all your background 4¼in squares. Place one RST with a red 4¼in square and sew ¼in either side of the line (Fig A). Cut along the drawn line to yield two HST units, and press towards the darker fabric. Trim each

HST to 3½in square, centring the diagonal seam.

6 Repeat step 5, pairing each of your remaining rainbow coloured 4¼in squares with a background square.

7 Take four red/background HSTs, four red 3½in squares and one background 3½in square and arrange in three rows of three, referring to Fig B for placement. The HST units and white square should join together to make a star shape. Sew the units into rows, then sew the rows together to complete one star block.

8 Repeat step 7 to make three star blocks each from the red, yellow, blue and purple fabrics, and two blocks each from the orange, green and pink fabrics.

9 Arrange the star blocks and background 9½in squares in seven rows of five, referring to the photography for placement. Sew the blocks into rows, pressing seams towards the star blocks. Sew the rows together, nesting seams, to complete the quilt top.

QUILTING AND FINISHING

10 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.

11 Press 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 quilt top centrally and right side up. Baste the layers together using your preferred method.

12 Quilt as desired. Sarah used straight line quilting to add texture to this simple design. Trim off the excess batting and backing fabric and square up the quilt.

13 Sew the binding strips together end-to-end using diagonal seams. Press the seams open. Then fold in half lengthways, wrong sides together, and press.

14 Sew the binding to the right side of the quilt, creating a neat mitre at each corner. Fold the binding over to the back of the quilt and hand stitch in place around the edges to finish.